What voluntary work do you do/have you done?

[Pernickety]

What made it fulfilling?

What did you like about it?

How long did you do it for?

I'm trying to choose wisely where I will apply to do voluntary work when if I continue to fail to find any paid employment.

I've done voluntary work in the past but I think if I am doing it in place of work I would like to do something challenging and meaningful. Althoughm of course I would like it to be something I could continue doing if when I do eventually gain some paid work.

Even if you have no suggestions for me, I'd still like to hear what you've done/do and how you liked it.

I started delivering Meals on Wheels to individuals who are unable to get out to shop for food and/or unable to stand/cook.

It only takes a few hours every month, but I go with a friend which combines doing something valuable with seeing a pal.

It is satisfying to do something that, in a small way, helps out those who really need it.

Thanks. That sounds nice that you were able to do it alongside a friend.

Many years ago when my son was 3 I started voluntering at his playgroup. I ended up doing courses and running the group, still all voluntary.
I did the same when DD was at playgroup. I started as a parent helper and ended up running the playgroup and being the named contact for social services, as it was then.
I loved the feeling that I was putting something back into the community and it got me out of the house. It also gave me qualifications and experince that I have used in my current job as a nursery nurse. I am doing a degree course in early childhood and the experience I gained as a volunteer has been invaluable.
The other benefit of going from no pay to low pay was that it didn't seem that low at the time, as I was used to doing it for free.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do, voluntary work is very worthwhile doing.

I am on the rota for one of my regular toddler groups, and am part of the building maintenance group at Guide Hut (heaps of internal politics I try to ignore!). Sometimes I spontaneously go in there over the holidays and scrub the floor -- I have a thing about clean floors.

I have had mixed experiences being on preschool committees, one experience was God-Awful (I was Chair Person for 8 months with no previous relevant experience) and the other was quite rewarding (I just did their CRB checks).

I am mulling over something to do with walking dogs for the infirm (but would have to be child-friendly dogs, that's impossible, right?) and driving a minibus for the old-folk transport (but no time to do that right now).

I'd probably be better doing something more nature conservationy. I like to be outside, and am good at digging holes and pulling weeds.

I work half a day a week as a Family support Worker for Barnardos, supporting a family with 5 (soon to be 6) children, one of whom has severe SN.

I mainly look after twin boys aged two and love it. It really helps me unwind from my stressful job, and it gives the mum a bit of free time. I've done it for about 18 months now, it was supposed to be six months but am carrying on as the needs of the family are increasing rather than reducing.

I dog walk and foster and cats for a charity called the Cinnamon Trust. Ok it's not the type of thing you can put on your CV (well maybe at the end in the hobbies section) but it is lovely and very worthwhile. I work in healthcare and Ive seen how distressed older people get should they need to go into hospital but there's no family to look after their dig or cat, or if they think they need their best friend re-homed as they as they can't manage the walks anymore.
They are always on the lookout for new volunteers, and you can do as much or as little as you like ie you don't need to do the fostering option etc.
Good luck!

How do the animals you foster get on with your children, Icoulddoitbetter? I would consider fostering cats/dogs, but I tend to presume that old folks' pets are not child-friendly.

sorry to return so late! I confess I've done no fostering since DS came alone (the last ones were rehomed the day I found out I was pregnant!). The charity are very good at letting you do as much or as little as you are able. So if you wanted to do the fostering part, you just need to be very specific about what you can accomodate. The cats I've looked after in the past have all be very gentle and elderly. Some of the pets may have had experience of children so they would be able to confidently place them with you.
If you are interested look at their website and maybe email them to find out more

Thanks. It's really interesting to hear what people do and why. At the moment all I do is help out at a Rainbows unit which I started doing to help my anxious daughter feel more comfortable there and as I enjoyed it I stayed on.

But I need something a bit more 'work-like' I've considered CAB and the wildlife trust - obviously both very different. I'm just trying to see if I am missing anything.

I'd never heard of the Cinammon Trust - it looks interesting and worthwhile.

I worked for a credit union (like a small building society) as their loan officer. I decided who got loans. Our customers were very poor people, often excluded from the banking system.

We charged 12% per annum interest and in my time had a 2% loan loss rate lending to people often with bad credit history through teh worst part of the credit crunch.

I liked it because I felt we were keeping people away from loan sharks and helping them get back on their feet often by refinancing very high interest debts at far lower rates.

I stopped doing it because the Board wanted me to run the whole organisation for no pay and I felt it was too much responsibility without being paid.