What volunteering do you do?

[Katisha]

People on here often advise volunteering in a general way - so specifically what sort of thing do you do, if you volunteer, did you need particular skills already, and is it rewarding? I'm looking for inspiration as I might stop work in the next year or so.

I act as Secretary for a local wildlife trust and for my local WI branch and do a little bit of advising on governance for a couple of small local charities. Im a CoSec for a living so already have the skills. I wouldn’t call it rewarding exactly; but I’m good at it and I have the time and I know they couldn’t operate without it. It’s the sort of invisible admin and compliance that a lot of groups and charities need to do and often can’t really afford to pay somebody for. People often think about interactive, publicly visible roles such as handing out groceries at the food bank, working the till in a charity shop, or running a youth group etc, but there’s huge need for skilled people to support governance, compliance fundraising, admin, H&S etc.

What do you currently do?

I cook for a local food outreach charity twice a month (which includes buying ingredients). I also do a couple of shifts in the foodbank warehouse a month. It amounts to about 3.5 full days.

I had to have a DBS check for the first one. Second one not because I don't interact with service users. Neither use any professional experience, just a willingness to get stuck in. I prefer the cooking to the foodbank. I just get on with the cooking but the foodbank can be a bit of a minefield of little napoleon types, desperate to micromanage every little thing. For example, you can be instructed to unpack one load of donations to an area and then someone will come along and tell you to move them elsewhere. It's often a power struggle between 2 or 3 full time volunteers. It can be a bit frustrating.

As for the 'rewarding' aspect. I don't really have much contact with service users in either role. Lots of people volunteer for the frontline stuff but not many for the behind the scenes stuff (in my area anyway). Presumably for that reason, it's less likely to deliver the warm fuzzies. I like the back room stuff, it keeps me busy and having had a forward-facing professional life, it makes a nice change.

I got into the food outreach via a Facebook appeal for volunteers. My friend did the foodbank and I got into that via her.

I don’t volunteer at the moment but in the past I’ve volunteered with the local Foodbank, through church, served on the committee of the local running club, NCT. My son has volunteered at the local homeless shelter. I looked into volunteering with the CAB but our local branch is woefully disorganised and I just couldn’t handle it! 🙄

some positions might require some skills but the majority ask for basic it literacy

I teach the local language to refugees.

Probably not the thing you are looking for but I write letters to terminally ill (Cancer patients), so that they (hopefully) have something to brighten up their day.

It’s very satisfying, and allows me to indulge myself in some nice writing paper, and using a fountain pen. It’s something I can do without worrying about time commitments - write as many or as few letters as I want/can.

I'm a Cub leader.

Scouts need a wide range of people, not just ones that work directly with the children. Fundraising, accounts, admin, maintenance etc

I’m treasurer for a local sports club, a Scout leader and do admin/accounts for a Guide unit (and help at meetings/trips/camps as needed). It feels like too much some days.

When my kids were little I used to help at toddler groups and went into school one day a week to listen to readers/run crafts/ photocopy/whatever the class teacher need me to do (ex-teacher myself)

I'm a school governor. I had the skills (previous role as a teacher and current role in HR). I do find it rewarding as it makes me feel like all my training has been useful and I can make a difference to the children. It is quite hard work though, especially to do a good job of it. I'm find it borderline overwhelming to do alongside my day job and having a toddler, mainly because I feel bad for not doing more than I am.

A family member of mine has started volunteering for Citizens Advice though probably too early to say how rewarding it is. They had skills in advising and employment issues but in another country.

I volunteer at the Cats Protection adoption centre near me. It can be heard work, there is a lot of cleaning and laundry! However, there are also beautiful cats who require attention. Some are super friendly, others can be nervous and hide away and it's quite rewarding when they decide you can stroke them. It's made me dislike "breeders" and despair of the people who buy kittens from them even more as charities are left to deal with it.

Walking dogs for the RSPCA. It gives me my dog fix.

Sorry, posted too soon. No particular skills other than an understanding of cats. We do get one or two know it all volunteers (who generally don't know it all) but they don't usually last long!

I'm a parent reader at our village school. I received a very minimal explanation of what to do (I don't just listen to DCs read, I need to form fill, make comments, ask DCs questions to check comprehension and sometimes do assessments), but picked it up very quickly.

I coach at my DCs' sports club. I receive lots of mentoring and the club pay for the qualifications needed on the agreement I continue to coach for a period of time after each qualification. I could also use these qualifications for a paid role if I wanted to, although it doesn't make financial sense to make it my career too.

Both are very rewarding. They challenge me in different ways to my day job, I have learnt completely new skills in terms of the coaching, and you get an immense sense of pride in the DCs when they succeed, particularly when you've supported them to work really hard on something they've struggled with, very close to how you feel for your own DCs.

I don't anymore but in the past..
I worked at The Well womens centre.
NTA at local primary school.
Snowy Owl at the Brownies.
Cycling proficiency instructor.
( l was qualified/ trained in them all).

I stopped working because my son was struggling with school and refusing to go. I am a volunteer befriender for elderly people in my local area through a local community organisation.
I started off with phone calls once a week while I was working, then when I stopped I started visiting her at her house. Sometimes we go out for lunch or to the shops. She's in her 80's, no kids and her husband died and neither of them had siblings so she's got hardly any family.
It's very rewarding and also good for me as I have a habit of sitting alone all day until my kids come home otherwise.
They do a lot for the local community such as food banks, lunch clubs, warm hubs etc which is all run by volunteers.

How very interesting, Mielbee. What does being a school governor entail? How do you know what to do or whether you are doing a good job?

I volunteer with sex offenders via Circles of Support.

@Mielbee How very interesting, Mielbee. What does being a school governor entail? How do you know what to do or whether you are doing a good job?

I'm a sports coach. I've done the relevant training through the national governing body plus first aid, safeguarding training etc. I also hold admin roles in a couple of clubs in the same sport. I can't actually do the sport myself now due to health problems so as well as helping others keep fit and enjoy themselves this is a good way of keeping connected with an activity I've enjoyed for a long time and helps me stay in touch with friends.
There is a lot to running a club that the members or parents who bring their children don't see but is essential to keep everything safe and up to a good standard and I find it quite rewarding to know that I'm helping the club provide a high standard activity, especially the kids' section. We are in an area with really high childhood obesity stats so a good, low cost physical activity is potentially more than just fun for the children.
I'd say I use a mixture of my pre existing skills and knowledge but I have also had to learn some new ones.

I am secretary of a local organisation

I volunteer at my local parkrun. There are many different roles you can do and you can just sign up as and when it fits in for you. It gets you up and out on a Saturday morning for a fresh air fix and a chat with the other volunteers and runners/walkers.

I have in the past volunteered as a parent reader at the local school.

Gosh what a wide range. I also volunteer at Parkrun and other local sporting events.

If I didn't work full time I'd love to volunteer at a local animal related place but they require a minimum time commitment and it includes some weekday hours.

I volunteer in the cafe at my daughter's gymnastics club.

I foster cats for my local rescue & help with marketing. It fits in really well with my mainly WFH job.

Termly governing body meetings, termly monitoring visits for each subject you look after (meet with the teacher responsible, hear about what's going on, talk to some children, maybe pop in to a lesson), extra meetings for sub-committees you are on (could be Finance, Head's performance management, complaints or something else.

In terms of knowing what to do, there are rules to follow and guidance available from organisations like Governor Hub and training from the local authority.

Re doing a good job, you can see where you've asked a question that has chang3d thinking or practice, or supporting with issues the school is facing, or getting good feedback. Things like that. What job do you currently do?

I’m a director ( trustee) of a charitable grant making foundation. My role is to oversee the programmes side ( as opposed to fundraising or governance). I have professional experience in that area and have been a trustee previously. I’m considering applying to become a magistrate but it’s a 5 year commitment so need to make sure I’m really sure about it.