How to find volunteering opportunities
Last updated 28th August 2024
6 min read
Volunteering is a great way to stay active and keep busy while giving back to your local community. Common volunteering opportunities include helping out at a non-profit organisation or charity shop, or providing support in education.
In this article, we look at the benefits of volunteering, how to volunteer in your local community, and what to consider when deciding which volunteering opportunities are right for you.
What is volunteering?
Volunteering is a type of unpaid activity where a person gives their time to help others. This often takes the form of serving the community, or working with a charity. Volunteering roles tend to involve:
- helping those in need
- fundraising for good causes
- improving the local environment
- providing opportunities for the underprivileged
Volunteers choose to give their time freely rather than being paid like a regular job. And they do so without being legally required, as with court-ordered community service.
The reasons why a person chooses to volunteer, and the types of organisations they wish to support, can be very personal.
Why do people volunteer?
People volunteer for many reasons. From looking for something to fill their time to wanting to support a cause that’s close to their heart, there are endless reasons to give back.
Many choose to volunteer in their local community, to do some good in their own neighbourhood. But there are lots of opportunities further afield, like helping people in need in other countries.
This type of volunteering isn’t right for everyone, but if you’re able to travel and looking to make a difference, it’s worth considering.
The benefits of volunteering
As well as being a great opportunity to help others, volunteering offers lots of mental and physical rewards.
Here are just a few of the ways that volunteering can help to improve your own life.
Meet new people
Many of us experience loneliness in later life, which can make us feel isolated and unhappy.
Volunteering can help you to meet people, make new friends and spend time with others. Finding an activity where you’ll be around people is especially helpful if you live alone.
Learn new skills
Whether you’re stepping out of your comfort zone or returning to a familiar role, there’s always something to learn.
Volunteering can help you gain new skills and improve your communication with people in different circumstances. And it can give you the chance to teach and connect with others.
Broaden your horizons
Some people choose volunteering abroad to help those who are less fortunate. As well as offering support for those in need, volunteering abroad gives you the opportunity to experience new places and cultures.
Find a sense of purpose
Once you’ve retired it’s normal to feel a bit directionless. Supporting people in need is a great way to add a new sense of purpose to your life, helping you to feel energised and boost your self-confidence.
Improve your overall wellbeing
Studies have found that helping others helps us to feel good(www.mentalhealth.org.uk opens in a new tab). Sometimes called a ‘helper’s high’, this feeling of satisfaction can actually improve your mental and physical wellbeing, and reduce stress.
What to consider before volunteering
Before committing to a volunteer role, there are some things to bear in mind. You’ll want to make sure that volunteering is right for you, and think about what sort of organisation you’d like to support.
It’s important to ask yourself: Why do I want to be a volunteer?
Your interests
Volunteering can be very rewarding if you’re giving back to a community you’re passionate about.
For example, if you love animals, volunteering at a local animal shelter may be a good fit. If you love film, you could even volunteer at a community-run cinema or theatre.
If there’s a cause or charity that’s close to your heart, look for volunteering opportunities that can help you to support them.
Your skills
Your experience might make you suitable for volunteer roles needing a certain skill set. Or, if there are any new skills that you would like to develop, you could find a role that lets you do so.
Your location
Something close to your heart might not be so close to home. So, consider whether the time and cost of travelling there will work for you.
If you’re not able to travel far, it makes sense to choose volunteering opportunities in your local community. Something further afield like volunteering abroad might not be so practical.
Your availability
Can you only spare a couple of hours every week? Or do you have more time on your hands that you’re willing to donate?
Thinking about this will help to filter down the many volunteer options available when searching for opportunities. It’s also good to make sure any volunteer activities you take on fit in with your schedule and won’t become a burden.
Your wellbeing
Helping others is great, but it’s important to put yourself first and make sure you’re physically and mentally able to support others. Find an activity that you can commit to without sacrificing your own wellbeing.
For example, if you lost a loved one to cancer you may feel strongly about raising money for a related charity. But it might be too difficult to be surrounded by reminders, or to support others through similar hard times.
What volunteering opportunities are out there?
There are volunteering opportunities in pretty much every industry. So whatever you’re interested in, whatever your availability, and whatever skills you have, you’re sure to be able to find something that suits you.
Some of the most popular areas for volunteer work include:
- Mental health
- Homelessness
- Animal welfare
- Education
- Children and young people
- Healthcare
- Care work
- Global poverty
- Disaster relief
- Environmental causes
- Local community projects
How to find local volunteering opportunities
After considering all of the above, it’s time to start looking for volunteering opportunities.
People often choose local volunteering opportunities, as this allows them to support their own communities. It also means that it’s much easier to get to and from the organisation you’re supporting.
There are always organisations looking for additional support. So, with a little time and research, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for.
We’ve put together some tips for finding volunteer opportunities both online and in person to help make your search easier.
Find volunteering opportunities online
A lot of organisations recruit volunteers online, making it easy to find something that’s right for you.
As well as paid roles, job boards such as Indeed(uk.indeed.com opens in a new tab) and Totaljobs(www.totaljobs.com opens in a new tab) also advertise local volunteering opportunities. Simply type “volunteer” in the search bar, enter your postcode then hit the search button, and you’ll be shown lots of positions that need to be filled.
There are also volunteering-specific sites like Get Volunteering(getvolunteering.co.uk opens in a new tab) and Do IT(doit.life/volunteer opens in a new tab) where you can find and be matched with roles based on your skills and interests.
If there are any local businesses that you’re interested in, visit their website or social media profiles to see if they have any roles available. You can also try emailing the company to ask whether they have any upcoming volunteering opportunities.
Find local volunteering opportunities in person
If you’d prefer to make a personal connection, visiting or calling local organisations is also a great way to find current volunteer positions.
Small businesses, charities and volunteer schemes often don’t have the time or money to advertise online, so you might be able to find roles that you wouldn’t have seen otherwise.
Here are some of the places you can look for local volunteering opportunities:
- Community centre bulletin board
- Charities and non-for-profit organisations
- Food banks and homeless shelters
- Places of worship
- Schools and nurseries
- Libraries and museums
- Sports clubs
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