Do you volunteer?

[Kelvinator1]

Just that really. I am happily childfree, in a fairly mundane job (actively looking for something else but that's another thread) and a call was put out recently for volunteers at a local charity - something that interests me a fair bit. Anyway, I did the whole application/induction thing, but now I have the fear about actually going in for my first shift. I don't know why. The work is very different to anything I've done before, so that could be it - but at the application stage I thought that it would be good to stretch myself and learn some new things! I think being childfree I feel pressure to be doing 'something' with 'all this time I apparently have' . Plus, I do like the idea of giving my time to a good cause, but I just can't seem to get over this reluctance to actually go. Then I try and think of some real life examples, and I can't think of anyone I know that volunteers - both my nan's did in a charity shop many decades ago, but that's it!

So - can anyone give me some good volunteer stories?? What do you do/do you love it/met great people through it, etc etc?

I’ve volunteered a lot in the past, but I don’t do any at the moment - I just want to be responsibility free outside of work when I do hobbies. A lot of the roles I volunteered on began to feel like work and I either didn’t get joy from them anymore or felt that I wasn’t appreciated (eg committee roles for hobby groups and brownie guide leader).
If you want to volunteer then go ahead and do so - don’t let the fear put you off just try it out and if you don’t like it you can always say it’s not for you. Don’t volunteer just because you think you should because you’re childfree. There is a pressure put on those without kids that we must fill our free time with things that those with kids deem worthwhile - but it’s your life. If you want to just chill then that’s just as valid - do what makes you happy!

thats the thing sometimes is alot of the roles are basically similar as if you were doing the job but without pay

This sounds lovely and so very worthwhile. Would you mind sharing the name of the scheme, please? It's the kind of thing I'd love to be involved with. Thank you.

I'm unemployed and volunteer a couple of hours a week at my local neighbourhood house. It's very low-key stuff - making sure the coffee and tea is topped up and the tables clean before people come in, and then usually dividing donated food for distribution. Suits me fine, I sit in the staff room to do it, get a free coffee (there's a barista class going and they make me one) and nobody bothers me. I can chat to the volunteer coordinator when I'm coming and going on the various tasks. I'd like to do admin stuff for them but I think that's just for the tiny paid workforce.

I’m not childfree but I volunteer. I’m a trustee for two local charities. I primarily work on strategy and governance which is a bit of a busman’s holiday, but, I enjoy it a lot. I enjoy working with the people on each board and like the fact I’m helping a really good local cause who could never afford to pay my day rate.