To turn down paid work for more interesting voluntary work? Risky? Foolish?

[SwiftRelease]

1 year plan post many moves, tempted to volunteer for further year- skilled role will acquire skills and be trained. Fits rounds kids better than paid role. And interestd me more! Plan thrn to move into paid role once boths dds at same school. Downsides obv £, pension, cv as already had several yrs out overseas. Lucky enough to be able to afford this In the short-term.

If it's good experience then I don't think the cv gap matters. If you can afford it financially (even if sudden emergencies arise) and if you know it will substantially increase your chances of employment at the end then do it!

Hmm, actually I've typed all of that with my sensible head and my heart says just do it anyway because life is too short to have regrets about missed opportunities and it is only one year!

Go for the voluntary job.

I would go with your heart not your head. I'm a great believer in one thing leading to another. If you do what you enjoy maybe a career in that field might later follow?

Go for the voluntary job.

It depends what the paid job is. Does it also have training, progression, some interesting parts, is it good pay (after childcare cost)?
Will you all the family need to make sacrificies if you dont take the paid job?

Is the volunteering job in a field with many people having the skills you are gaining?

Thanks all. Heart kind of says voluntary too!
Yes, will be skilled up but in 3rd sector so limited paid job opports

Paid work would win for me, unless the voluntary work would eventually lead to better paid work. I'm working to secure my financial future as early as I can, and then I can do any voluntary work I feel like. But then, I don't have the problem of fitting my life around my children, which I can see is an important factor.

What is the voluntary work, or what does it involve?

If there are limited paid job opportunities in that area then I think that makes it more difficult tbh. You could spend a year becoming emotionally committed to a certain path and then find there are no jobs or only poorly paid ones that can't support your family. (And I type as someone who has worked in the private and the 3rd sector).

How will you be funding yourself if you take the voluntary job?

If you are sure this voluntary job won't lead you to needing benefits after, then go for it. It's all about whether you can afford it or not. If you can't, you take the paid role.

Have years of post-uni work experience and masters so hope can always pick up some kind of resaonable work if i make the effort. Dh earns reasonably so cd manage.

I take your point, Book. Just childcare logistics too are pushing me to volunteer. Going to be hard to get enough cover for paid role as beyond sch hours.

Any more thoughts?