To whine that it's difficult to support charities if you work full time other than just giving them money?

[wigglerose]

I know I am, I'd just like to actively volunteer with local charities and it's almost impossible since they want volunteers that can help out during the week, and I work full time?
I don't just want to give them money. Although weirdly I believe that all money given to charity is useful, provided they don't embezzle it or piss it up the wall on vanity projects. I've got a lot of skills and experience that could be really useful but not a lot of spare cash if I'm honest!

But you don't have skills that are useful if you can't use them midweek which is when they need the help.

Much like an item is only worth what someone will pay for it, your skills are only worth it for them in times that they need help.

When you look at it like that, you're right. I'd just like to do something more active.

Fundraising events are often held in the evenings and at weekends, I'm sure if you contacted a charity of your choice they'd be grateful for your help.
Volunteers also distribute and pick up collecting tins, this can also be done at weekends. And volunteer drivers, dog walkers, carers and tutors don't always work during office hours.

Hope you find something suitable OP.

what charities are you wanting to help that only want helpers in the working day hours?

@wigglerose

When you look at it like that, you're right. I'd just like to do something more active.

Are there specific charities you want to support or open to anything. As some will do events which are sometimes at the weekend (I personally volunteer with world vision and do their Harlem globe trotters tour which I do one weekend a year and get to see the show as well for free which is a bonus)

There might be many that you could help at certain events or the odd weekend, but that's if you're open to any charity. As I know many like to only support charities that have meaning to them

I volunteer during my holiday days from work, a few days not all, about 6 days a year probably. Its so nice to do something totally different from the day job and be appreciated for it!

What do you want to do? They're often short of people at weekends. Especially now when they have lost many older volunteers.

What can you offer in terms of skills?

I have always worked full time and have volunteered in many different organisations over the years. I currently volunteer 3 years and counting, with an organisation much recommended on here one evening a week, they realised three years ago that they needed to offer the training course of an evening to open it up to more potential volunteers and it has proved a huge success. Before that I volunteered for two years with an youth organisation running classes two evenings a week and weekends away in the summer. Before that I volunteered at a local community theatre working in the bar one evening a week. Before that I volunteered for 18 months with another children’s charity one weekend afternoon a week. I have also done proof reading and a very specialised type of admin support maybe once a month. There are lots of evening or weekend opportunities to volunteer if you really seek them out.
Other volunteering that friends of mine do, that fits around their full time jobs are local radio station, accounts for a very small local charity, conservation work at National Trust properties, newsletter editing for a local community group, dog walking for the local cat and dog home, working in a charity shop etc etc.
There will be an organisation, of the type that you would want to support, eager for any time you can offer even in the evenings or weekends.

School governor, charity trustee, volunteer at park run (when it's on again), Samaritans volunteer, litter picking, soup kitchen...

There's load of things you can do to work around a full time job.

Does your employer offer any volunteering days? Charities might love a half day skills-sharing session led by you on social media, marketing, Bid writing, gardening, IT, charity shop stock merchandising, crafting, etc.

Make sure you follow and engage with their social media channels (funders like charities to have engaged followers).
Share their campaigns. Take part in their fundraisers. Offer one day a year at their summer fete. Help at their Christmas bucket collections.

My daughter tried to volunteer for a leading mental health charity. She was working part time , at the time , but they offered her three consecutive midweek days ( Tuesday to Thursday which she couldn’t do, . She could do Tuesday, Friday and alternate weekends.
They declined her offer.

Ds volunteers every Saturday morning in normal times as he's at college in the week.
A friend of mine takes a lady and her guide dog for a walk every Sunday morning so that the guide dog can come off the lead and have a good run, they then go for coffee and cake!
Hospitals have volunteers they still need them on a weekend although not as many, also charity shops, phone support lines, fundraising support.

Girl guides, brownies, rainbows, scouts etc are always looking for volunteers for hour or so a week of an evening - easy to fit in around a full time job

Charity shops open at weekends and I think a lot of trustee boards have evening meetings. Try the do it website. The advanced page let’s you enter times and days

Unless you have a local charity in mind I don't know why you would wish to support them, financially or other
Most of the big charities are big businesses serving the middle classes that work in them

Sorry forgot link

do-it.org/opportunities/search

Most of the big charities are big businesses serving the middle classes that work in them

That's utter nonsense. I've worked for major charities and that's simply not the case. The frontline staff are certainly not middle class and the people they support are not usually middle class either. If they are they have hit hard times and deserve as much support as anyone else.

My friend works full time, and is a Home Start volunteer visiting her family at the weekend.
Charity shops always need weekend volunteers.
Food bank near me is open at the weekend, and I presume need volunteers.
There is also a local residents' group that do clearing up local woodland areas, cleaning out rivers of junk that has been dumped in them. Only for 4 or 5 weekends a year, so not every week, but they always need help.
Might give you some ideas of where to look.

@ThousandsAreSailing

Yes there are some charities that I wouldn’t support with either my money or my time that is my choice, but it is nonsense to say that all big charities are big businesses.
As I said previously I have volunteered loads over the years and have always researched who I want to volunteer with, local and small doesn’t always mean they are well run and large doesn’t always mean they are self-serving. One other volunteer role I didn’t mention above was I volunteered in a charity shop for a Big Charity but stopped when they started using Chuggers on the street as I didn’t agree with that. Volunteers have a huge choice of charities to support local, national or international.

I used to volunteer at a homeless shelter. It was a fortnightly rota for an evening (I think it was 6.30-10:00) so entirely manageable with full time work. We served food and then helped set up for overnight when another set of volunteers would take over.

if you were really committed you could volunteer for a Friday or Saturday overnight.

Could you look into this? There are far more homeless people now that when I did it ten years ago so I am sure a local charity would welcome your help.

@ThousandsAreSailing what a load of crap.

Another charity who you could support are Samaritans but I believe you need to commit to a fixed number of hours per week. I can't remember off the top of my head but think it's a couple of evenings a week. I would love to volunteer with the Samaritans as I think it is one of the most worthwhile charities but I just don't have the evenings at the moment with young children.

Sorry to write a third post but it would be interesting to know what your skills were and who you would like to help with them.

For example If you are financially trained perhaps a charity helping young adults with learning disabilities would welcome you running a free session at the weekend on becoming financially independent. Could you write to local charities that specialise in your skillset?

Trust the charity sector with your time and money if you like but I have seen too many well thought of charities behave badly
The local donkey charity are amazing. Once they get national I wouldn't trust them at all

Are you thinking of one particular charity, who have said they are only looking for volunteers during the working week, or do you work extended ours with a long commute and every other weekend or something that meakes it difficult to commit to volunteering.

Only, there are hundreds of thousands of people across the country - actually, I'd guess millions - that volunteer in all sorts of ways around their paid work.