Volunteering into work

Volunteering can be a great way to bridge that gap - giving you the tools that you need to take the leap in a lower-pressure environment while providing a direct benefit to people in need.

How can volunteering help me into paid work?

Volunteering has incredibly positive benefits- you get to meet new people, build up your confidence, help people in your community or work towards a good cause, and contribute towards your own mental health and wellbeing. There are also of additional benefits for those looking to find paid work:

• Relevant, recent work experience- employers will see that you've kept working even when not being paid, that you understand what it means to be in the modern workplace, and that you can hit the ground running
• Experience of a different environment - it can be hard to demonstrate that you're suitable for a specific type of job without showing you've done it before. Volunteering offers you a chance to work in areas where you're struggling to get your foot in the door.
• Show that you're reliable and a team player - volunteers need to show up, put in the level of work agreed, and work well with others, just as any workers do.
• Learn new skills - a volunteer role is a great, lower-stakes environment for you to pick up new, practical skills that will make you more attractive to employers
• Explore new areas of work that might interest you - if you're not sure whether a type of work is for you, volunteering is a great opportunity to try it out before you commit to a particular path.
• Get you a recent reference - finding someone to vouch for you can be hard. Most employers will recognise a reference from volunteering. If you haven't worked for a while, or your last employment didn't work out too well, volunteering can be a way to get a reference that better fits who you are as a person now.

COVID-19

The job market has become much harder this year because of the ongoing pandemic and its effects, and you may find that it takes you longer than you had hoped to secure paid work. Volunteering, even for a few hours per week, will help you get out of the house (where it is safe to do so), keep a routine of going to work, and generally provide you with a source of purpose and momentum to keep going with your job search.

Will volunteering affect my benefits?

Volunteering will rarely impact on any benefits that you receive- in fact, it's recognised as a valuable activity in jobseeking, and can be built into your Universal Credit claimant commitment. You should always advise your Work Coach before you start volunteering, to ensure that your work is properly recognised. If you have expenses repaid to you by an organisation you volunteer with (e.g. travel expenses), these will not be classed as earnings and won't affect your benefits.

Help to volunteer

We're here to help - contact us to find out how we can help you to find the perfect opportunity to suit your skills, experience, availability and ambitions!

Volunteering Bulletin

If you volunteer or you're interested in volunteering then sign up for our free e-mail bulletin for volunteers - it only takes a few seconds. We send out bulletins roughly every two weeks and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Fife ETC

Fife Voluntary Action is part of the Fife Employability and Training Consortium, working with a range of partners to ensure that people get the support they need to achieve their goals.

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