Eight Reasons Why You Should Volunteer

Ever thought about volunteering? Not sure if it’s for you? Here are some reasons that might motivate you to give it a try! (And hey, if you don’t like it, that’s okay!)

qualification

1. It’s fun

Working in a team to achieve a common goal can be really rewarding – and lots of fun too! It can be great to meet new people and try things outside your comfort zone. Plus it can give you something to look forward to every week/day/month. So why not give it a go?

2. You’ll make new friends

People who decide to give their spare time to a good cause are generally a good bunch. You might find you end up spending more time together outside the hours you’re volunteering together just because you enjoy each other’s company so much. It can be a fab way to meet someone you might never have come across otherwise!

3. You’ll learn new things

Volunteering is a great way to try things you’ve never done before – it’s all about pitching in and getting the job done. Whether it’s picking up some admin skills, learning how to manage your time or doing some wild team-building exercises, it will all be really useful at some point in your life!

4. It makes a big difference to other people

The things you will be doing when you’re volunteering might have a direct impact on your local community and the people living there, or can make a difference to people across Scotland, or even others living in a different country! Even something like picking up litter can make a massive difference to wildlife living there. No matter what you’re doing, it’ll make a difference

5. You can find out what you enjoy doing

Volunteering will give you the opportunity to try different things. So if you’re not sure what school subjects to pick, stuck about what higher education course to go into, or you have no clue what kind of job you’d like to do… volunteering can give you a glimpse into what you enjoy and what you’re good at.

6. You could get a qualification

There is an SQA qualification called Award in Volunteering Skills which you can do in school and college, which helps you develop lots of skills in different areas.

Or you can get recognition from something like the Saltire Awards which has lots of different levels, and allows you to earn Young Scot Rewards points too! You can also get involved in the Youth Achievement Awards, John Muir Award or the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

7. It can look great on a UCAS form

Applying for college or university? Having some volunteering experience helps you stand out from the crowd, and shows you put in time and effort into something you care about that is outside of school or other commitments

8. It can be great for a CV

Volunteering experience helps you stand out on a CV and can come in handy during an interview, as you’ll probably be asked about a time you had to work as part of a team, worked on achieving a goal, or overcame a challenge. And volunteering can provide all these examples!

Don’t just take our word for it, My World of Work has loads of info about volunteering and how it can help you get your dream job.

Fancy giving it a go? Feeling inspired? Why not Get Involved with Young Scot?

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