Volunteering Starting Point Series The University of Manchester Careers Service Open all year round For location and opening times see website. Tel: 0161 275 2829 Tweet: @ManUniCareers Blog: http://manunicareersblog.com Find us on Facebook Last updated: July 2013 This publication is copyright The University of Manchester and may not be reproduced wholly or in part for commercial or non-commercial purposes without prior permission. This publication is available in alternative formats on request. Please ask at the information desk or email careers.info@manchester.ac.uk A full list of the publications in this series is available at www.manchester.ac.uk/careers/startingpoints www.manchester.ac.uk/careers
Volunteering is a great way to gain experience and skills that impress employers. This publication will help you to make the most out of volunteering. What is Volunteering? Volunteering can be described as giving your time and energy freely and by choice without financial gain. It can describe hundreds of different activities that people choose to do to benefit or support others in the community. How is volunteering different to work experience? Volunteering and work experience are similar in some ways. They both give you the opportunity to develop skills, network, increase your employability and potentially gain an insight in to your desired career path. However there are some clear differences in the experience you could have as a volunteer. The main motivation for seeking work experience is to gain skills and experience for you. However, while with volunteering this is often a secondary added bonus, the main aim is to use your time to give back to the community and support an organisation. Why Volunteer? Volunteering is a fantastic way for you to get something out of your university experience and give something back to the community that is your home as a student. However volunteering is more than just the feel-good factor as it can open doors to future careers through the experiences it gives and the networks it creates. It is therefore worth spending some time at the start thinking about what you want to gain from your volunteering. If you haven t decided on a future career yet volunteering allows you to experience a range of different job roles. This can give you an insight into different professions and sectors to help you become more aware of what motivates you and which direction you want your career to take after University. It is also a great opportunity to expand your networks. Who you meet during your placement may open all sorts of doors in the future regarding your career. Volunteering can also bring you substantial responsibility give you the chance to make a positive difference boost your social and cultural awareness provide you with the opportunity to make new friends introduce you to useful contacts and new opportunities enhance your academic study by providing practical experience to back up your subject area provide real life experience of the sector and role you are interested in prove your commitment to a cause. Volunteering and Employment General: For all future careers volunteering gives you a range of transferable key skills. These may include: Communication Team work Event planning Problem solving Experience of working with a variety of different people, communities and cultures Project management Use of initiative Time management People management
As well as enhancing your CV in this way, volunteering demonstrates to potential employers that you are a socially responsible person who can show commitment (even without financial motivation). It also gives you something to talk about with confidence in an interview and can provide examples to demonstrate your skills. Certain sectors particularly value volunteering: Some careers rely on experience which can be directly sought through volunteering. This includes work in sectors such as teaching, youth work, charities, health and social care and the environment. For other possible future careers volunteering can give you experience of roles, albeit in a different sector. For example, volunteering opportunities exist in marketing, IT and administration. How to choose the right volunteering opportunity for you Match your skills As a volunteer you are in a great position. You can choose what sort of volunteer work you would like to do and so you can match the role you choose to the skills you want to gain. Consider carefully which skills you would like to develop and then you can talk to community organisations or charities about which roles would suit you best. Who do you want to benefit? Volunteering is not like work experience in that the benefit of your work is often far reaching. Your work is contributing to the main causes of the charity you are volunteering with, whether it is administration, mentoring or gardening. It is important therefore to think about which causes inspire and interest you. Will you learn something new? Yes you will get out of your volunteering as much as you put in. If you push your boundaries and challenge yourself to do something you ve never tried before you will gain more knowledge and skills which will prepare you well for the start of your career. You could also choose an opportunity that allows you to enhance and develop your existing skills. Working with different parts of the community will give you experience of engaging and communicating with different types of people. How much time can you spare? It is important that you don t take on a role that requires a larger commitment that you are in a position to provide. Make sure you work out how much time you can spare and that you make this clear to the organisation you want to volunteer for. Some opportunities are flexible or allow you to work from home. Others require regular monthly or weekly shifts. How far can you travel? Some organisations will pay your travel expenses (within reason) but others won t be able to do so. It is therefore wise to consider how much it will cost you to get to and from the venue where you will volunteer and also how long it will take as this may decrease the amount of time you have to actually volunteer. Volunteering in the UK Finding Opportunities In Manchester You can browse hundreds of volunteering opportunities on the volunteering pages of the University website. These are all with organisations that have been checked out by the Volunteering and Community Engagement Team: www.manchester.ac.uk/volunteers - click on Find Voluntary Work and then on Find volunteer vacancies on Careerslink. If you can t find an ideal opportunity or want to work with a specific community or not-for-profit group that is not registered with the University, you can source your own placement. Think about the organisations that you are interested in, look at their websites and see whether they have volunteering opportunities.
Manchester has a Volunteer Centre which helps potential volunteers find their ideal role. For more information go to www.manchestercommunitycentral.org/volunteering. A directory of voluntary and community groups in Manchester is can also be found at Manchester Community Central: www.manchestercommunitycentral.org/directory Organisations affiliated with the University of Manchester: 1. Student Action runs a range of student-led projects with different communities in Manchester. http://manchesterstudentsunion.com/studentaction 2. Sports Volunteer Scheme enables you to engage with the local Manchester community through volunteering in sports. www.sport.manchester.ac.uk/sport-volunteer-scheme 3. The Manchester Museum provides you with a range of cultural and educational volunteering roles. www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/community/volunteer 4. Widening Participation offers a wide variety of different opportunities working with primary and secondary school pupils. Contact Stephanie.lee@manchester.ac.uk 5. (RAG) Raising and Giving is the fundraising arm of the Student s Union, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds every year. There are opportunities to volunteer on a range of fundraising events. www.manchesterrag.com Finding opportunities in the UK If you would like to volunteer in your home town then there are some great places to find out what opportunities are available. Two websites which offer a database of opportunities, searchable by postcode, are: www.do-it.org.uk http://timebank.org.uk You can also find your local volunteer centre by googling volunteer centre and the name of your town. Things to consider when volunteering in the UK Whilst undertaking volunteering, you may come into contact with people and situations which will be different from your usual campus life. Generally speaking, it should be a very safe experience. However, there are a number of steps you can take to maximise your personal safety, and the safety of those you come into contact with, whilst engaged in volunteering. The volunteering opportunities which are offered via University initiatives like Manchester Museum, Widening Participation and the Sports Volunteers Scheme have been checked by the Volunteering and Community Engagement Team to assess any risks involved. Similarly, external organisations that are registered on the University volunteering website have completed health and safety checks. You also have a responsibility for your own safety and it is therefore important that you consider the safety of any activities you undertake relating to your volunteering. If during the volunteering you have any concerns about safety, it is important that you talk to your organisation about them. If you feel you are unable to do this please contact the Volunteering and Community Engagement Team for further advice. Induction Checklist When you start volunteering the organisation should provide you with an induction. This should include: Introduction to your supervisor/contact person and other relevant staff
Explanation of your role, tasks and responsibilities Explanation of health & safety procedures including where the first aid box is, accident reporting and fire procedures Tour of the premises (if appropriate) Explanation of any relevant paperwork and systems you are required to complete Dress code Opportunity for discussion and training Any relevant training required to carry out the task General safety tips Every volunteering opportunity is different. However there are some general things you should keep in mind: Try to assess the overall risks you might encounter on your project, and plan how you can reduce or avoid these. If you are conducting a street survey or similar work off the University campus, ensure you work in pairs and are in a busy, public, well lit area. When in public places, take care of any valuable items, such as laptops. Make sure they are security marked and do not display them openly or leave them unattended. When going to meetings, focus groups or interviews connected with your volunteering make sure you don t go alone if at all possible, and make sure that someone you trust knows where you are and when you will be back. Make sure that they know what to do and who to contact if you do not get back at the agreed time. Neutral, public meeting places may be safest unless you need to visit a specific place, e.g. the host organisation s premises. Your volunteering activity will, as a rule, not require you to visit people in their homes. Any exceptions to this are where we have previous agreement from the host organisation and a member of their staff should accompany you on the first visit. If you are asked to do this without being accompanied, you must notify the Volunteering and Community Engagement Team before doing so. When travelling to unfamiliar places in connection with your volunteering, ensure you plan your route in advance, have the bus times and print off maps if required. If you are still unsure, don t be afraid to ask directions from your volunteer host or venue that you are going to. Avoid confrontational situations it is better to focus on your safety if you are being provoked or hassled. Move to a public area, and if necessary ask for help. Volunteering from an organisation s premises When visiting or volunteering from an organisation s premises, you must follow any safety instructions you are given by them. If you will be volunteering from the organisation s premises, they should provide you with a health & safety induction when you first start. If this is not done get in touch with the Volunteering and Community Engagement Team. The health & safety induction should cover: o Their general safety policy and procedures o Procedures to be adopted in the event of a emergency o Emergency evacuation, location of fire exits o Procedures for accidents/first aid o General security at the premises Don t be afraid to ask questions if the induction does not clearly explain all these areas. If any of your volunteer activities involve working with machinery, hazardous substances or similar, this must have been part of the original volunteer opportunity description, and the organisation must provide training. You must not undertake this activity unless they have provided this and you feel safe and competent to do this work. Always think about what you are doing and how safe it is. Make sure you consider the safety of others as well as yourself so that you don t endanger the people you volunteer with, whether staff of the organisation, the public or other volunteers.
What to do if You have general concerns about your safety during a volunteering activity. If you have concerns about your safety stop doing the activity. You must notify a member of the Volunteering and Community Engagement Team as soon as possible to discuss the concerns, so that appropriate action may be taken. An incident occurs whilst on you are volunteering If something serious happens whilst you are volunteering relating to your personal security/safety, you should notify one or more of the following people (as appropriate) immediately: In an emergency: The Police, Fire or Ambulance services (dial 999). University Security (0161 306 9966) if the incident is on the university campus. Other things to consider If you're thinking about volunteering with children or vulnerable adults you may need to have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. This is a check undertaken in association with the police and other organisations which reports to the volunteering organisation on whether someone has any criminal convictions which would make them unsuitable to work with children or vulnerable adults. Having a criminal conviction however will not necessarily stop you being able to volunteer. If you need a DBS check the organisation you are volunteering with will tell you and they should sort this out for you. As a volunteer there would not normally be any charge for this. However it does take time and you will have to wait at a few weeks so you need to plan ahead. To find out more about DBSs go to www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check. I am not a British National can I volunteer in the UK? All students from European Economic Area (EEA) countries are able to volunteer without restriction within the UK. If you are a student from a country outside the EEA there may be restrictions, depending on the type of visa and endorsements in your passport. The International Advice Office in Student Support and Services can help you identify what you are able to do. They can be contacted on 0161 275 5000 or iat@manchester.ac.uk. Please note that if you are allowed to volunteer this MUST be with a registered charity. You can check whether an organisation is a registered charity on their website, or any organisations advertising volunteering on Careerslink have a tick box to show whether they are a registered charity or not. Volunteering Abroad Finding Opportunities There are literally thousands of opportunities to volunteer overseas and it can be a bit daunting at first when trying to work out how to start. Overseas volunteering is an area that has grown massively over the last decade with not just charities but also profit-making companies now set up with the exclusive role of organising trips abroad. The vast majority of potential volunteers who seek volunteering want to make a genuine difference in the world. Unfortunately whilst many do have a fulfilling experience there is a small but significant minority who do not either feel they have made a real difference to others or gained anything personally from the experience. At worst such experiences can create more harm than good, either to the volunteer or to the host community. There is also a view that this so called voluntourism can be negative in that it creates a climate of the rich west feeling that they are the only people who can sort out the issues of a perceived helpless developing world. It is important therefore to ensure that volunteering overseas does bring real benefit to all parties involved and is a true partnership based on respect and mutual gain.
This means it is really important to do your research carefully and find out what you get for your time and (often significant amounts of) money, especially as the projects will not only dictate the sort of volunteering you do but where you will be living. It is perfectly natural, especially seeing the TV pictures coming in from round the world of natural disasters, refugee camps and suffering to want to do something to help. However with the exception of specialised volunteering such as UNV, fire and rescue and the like, overseas volunteering should never involve these disaster circumstances. Long term volunteering usually involves a commitment for at least 1-2 years. However again, this is about provision of specific skills into a community with a view of training, passing on knowledge or providing something which the community would not have otherwise. It is less likely to be a place to gain skills at the beginning of your career. Therefore the vast majority of opportunities are short term and are unspecialised roles. They should give you a fantastic experience of living and working in a different country. However you need to think about how to best ensure that the community benefits too. Things to consider when volunteering abroad Questions to ask organisations when looking for volunteering opportunities overseas It is important to pick a project which is right for you. Think about what you want to get out of it, whether it s experiencing another culture, doing something positive for a different community or gaining relevant experience for your desired career. To help you work out which is the right project for you, there is a list of useful questions below. 1. Project background and ethics How was the project identified? Was it from a local perspective, either through a local organisation or via consultation with the local community? Is there a local partner organisation with responsibility for designing and managing the project? Will the project be sustained after the volunteers leave or has it been set up as a one-off opportunity that will only have short term benefits? What is the organisation's philosophy towards development? Whilst many organisations have deep-rooted, sustainable links with communities and local people, others operate on a more commercial basis. 2. Project Benefits Who will benefit from the project? Will anyone be adversely affected by the project? How will the expectations of the local community be managed? Is there a genuine need for volunteers or has the opportunity been created as an adventure holiday? How can I be sure that the opportunity is not taking away the chance of paid employment for a local person? 3. The job Has the volunteer role been clearly defined? What skills are required? Will the volunteers be provided with training? Who will I be working with? Will I be on my own, is there a group of volunteers or does the role involve working alongside local people? 4. Reputation Does the Foreign and Commonwealth Office approve of travel to this country? Is the organisation is linked to other reputable companies? Does the organisation have reputable travel or government endorsements?
How and why was the organisation set up and what sort of organisation is it? (e.g. Non Government Org organisation been running and how many people does it send overseas? Can I speak with volunteers who have returned from the project to find out about their experiences? 5. Practical Arrangements What am I getting for my money? What proportion of the cost goes towards administration and marketing and what goes to the local project that is hosting me? What support and training am I provided with, both before and after? What happens if something goes wrong - for example if I am very ill or have to get home unexpectedly? Is repatriation included? Does the organisation have contingency plans for a crisis? Is there an evacuation plan? Will I need my own travel insurance and does the organisation's insurance cover me for the kind of work that I will be doing? (Think both about health and about belongings). Is there in-country support for volunteers? This includes practical arrangements such as accommodation and meals as well as support to do the job. Making the most of your volunteering experience when applying for jobs It is worth thinking through what practical skills you have developed during you volunteering experience. When writing a CV, don t underestimate the value of what you ve gained from your unpaid experience. When preparing for interviews, think of particular examples of when you have demonstrated the skills the job requires. Volunteering gives you a range of transferable key skills. These may include: Communication Team work Event planning Problem solving Experience of working with a variety of different people, communities and cultures Project management Use of initiative Time management People management As well as enhancing your CV in this way volunteering demonstrates to potential employers that you are a socially responsible person who can show commitment (even without financial motivation). It also gives you something to talk about with confidence in an interview. Further information on Volunteering University of Manchester Volunteering and Community Engagement Team Lots of information as well as opportunities in the Manchester area, sourced by the University. www.manchester.ac.uk/volunteers Do It A volunteering vacancy site which allows you to search for opportunities by area of interest or location. www.do-it.org.uk/
Timebank A useful website for finding out more about the types of volunteering you could get involved with and searchable local opportunities. http://timebank.org.uk/ Gap Year A good website full of information to help you plan your gap year. www.gapyear.com Ethical Volunteering A website that builds information on how to make international volunteering an ethical and valuable experience for volunteers and hosts alike. www.ethicalvolunteering.org Taking Time Out Advice from University of Manchester Careers Centre on planning time out after graduating. www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/students/options/timeout/