Many volunteers find that helping in their community increases their employability: some may have sought out a voluntary role for this purpose, and for others it could be an unexpected benefit. In fact, some of the CVS Falkirk and Volunteer Falkirk staff team have come to our paid roles in the third sector through our own volunteering experiences!
If you are, or have been, looking for work, it might have been suggested that helping in your community may be a good way to gain experience and learn new skills that appeal to prospective employers.
If you think this would be a good option for you, and you’d like to start exploring volunteering opportunities in your area, then our quick guide on finding the information you need is a good place to start!
Volunteering While Receiving Benefits
Some job-seekers worry about how choosing to start volunteering could impact the benefits they receive. If this concerns you, the short answer is that you can volunteer while receiving benefits, as long as you continue to meet all the conditions of the welfare benefits you get. Keeping your Job Centre or DWP worker informed is also key – we find that many workers who help people get into paid work are supportive of volunteering and value it as an activity that can help you in your journey towards paid employment.
If you are in this situation, please read over this information on volunteering while receiving benefits.
Why Volunteer?
Volunteering can offer a range of benefits if you are aiming to get into paid employment; for example, you can ask your volunteer manager to provide you with an up-to-date reference, or you might be able to add training or learning you take part in as a volunteer to your CV. Helping in a third sector group or organisation can also help you to develop what are often called “soft skills” – these include working well in a team, communication skills, problem solving and managing your time well.
As well as boosting your employability, we hope that volunteering will be an enjoyable and meaningful experience for you!
If you’d like to discuss which volunteer role would be best for you, or to tell us about how volunteering helped you to achieve your goal, get in touch with our team by email: info@volunteerfalkirk.org.uk
