Where & What Type of Work

Volunteering

• Volunteering: get involved...
• Volunteering Overseas

Volunteering: get involved...

Volunteering is all about getting involved and making a valuable contribution to your own community or society more broadly. It covers any unpaid work which is undertaken by choice for the benefit of others. Volunteers come from all walks of life and are active in almost all aspects of society. Volunteers can do everything from visiting elderly people to coaching a junior soccer team to raising awareness about a political cause.

Many volunteers are motivated by a desire to make a positive difference or ‘give something back’ to society. There is also much to be gained on a personal level by volunteering. As well as the natural satisfaction derived from knowing you are needed and valued, volunteering enables you to:

• Gain new skills
• Express your talents and qualities
• Enhance your employability
• Meet people and broaden your perspective
• Boost your confidence and self worth
• Feel engaged with a cause or group

Volunteering assignments can range from ongoing casual or part-time work to intensive, short-term projects. In some cases volunteering can lead to paid work, but it is best not to go into it with this as the goal.

Employability

Potential employers know that volunteering requires commitment, motivation and energy, so they look favourably on applicants who have volunteer work on their résumés. Volunteering often involves working for small organisations with limited resources – the kind of environments where initiative, leadership and a can-do attitude are needed and valued. Volunteering of any kind will develop your capacity to:

• Communicate with people
• Identify problems and find solutions
• Handle pressure
• Work independently and as part of a team
• Prioritise

What and for whom

If you want to gain volunteering experience but are not sure what kind of work you would like to do, take some time to assess the following:

• Activities you enjoy
• Skills you currently have and skills you would like to develop
• Type of organisation that you would like to work for. Think about the kind of workplace structure and culture you would be most suited to

The self-knowledge you gain from the above assessment will help you identify a list of potential organisations that best match your needs and skills.

Get what you give

No matter what kind of volunteer work you undertake, one thing is certain: Volunteering for a cause you believe in can change the way you look at the world and yourself. More importantly, it can bring a deep satisfaction that comes with knowing you are making a difference.

This article is taken from the 2008 edition of Graduate Careers Australia's employer directory Graduate Opportunities .

© 2008 Graduate Careers Australia