Yes, I realise it's rather topical but have been mulling it over for some time.
So ... some questions:
1. Does anyone volunteer and, if so, doing what?
2. Commitment - how regularly? This could be the stumbling block for me.
3. Did you want to use your specific skills or was it by chance that something appealed?
4. Has this helped you, ie in your development as a person, and in what way?
All comments and observations welcomed.
Thank you so much. 
I thought about it but the pay was no good 
Seriously, yes a few years ago doing wildlife conservation locally, I was drag down by a mate and it only lasted two visits.The people in charge were a bunch of muppets who thought they could order people about like Nazi's.
Oh dear, that wasn't good! I upset my local conservation charity by riding through their 'nature reserve' and have the nerve to wish them a 'good morning'. In fact I am hoping that I will get told off. 
But I can see that it's one thing getting paid to take crap ...
Yes, I love helping. I do posters and leaflet design for various charities, used to voulenteer at a centre for down syndrome adults. Give it a go!
I did.
I was Voluntary Ranger for the Pentland Hills Regional Park.
I agreed to do one weekend per month, but did a lot extra.
As an "experienced outdoor person" with an interest in conservation etc, it was right up my street. I used some of my professional skills to cone up with a better patrol system, including maps of the patrol routes and "trouble" spots.
It helped me get back into hill-walking and such when I needed an incentive after my daughter was born.
I fell out with the PHRP during the F&M crisis. It was over a policy matter and me shopping them to Radio Scotland......
I tried to get into something again recently - leading walks and so on - but the organisation was more interested in my IT skills, so that put me off.
1. Yes, guided jogging groups for folk who want to get into exercise
2. Once a week for 45 mins; I use it as a rest/slow day in terms of exercise
3. I like running, other folk wanted to run
4. Yes - it's put me in touch with folk with completely different backgrounds, helped me get an insight into different cultures (it's not just white middle class folk who come along) and it looks good on my CV
Double post - iPhone...
C_G it was annoying as some of the people were decent and I had skills to offer them.
1. Does anyone volunteer and, if so, doing what?
I build and maintain bike trails in the local State Parks in Maryland and Delaware, USA.
2. Commitment - how regularly? This could be the stumbling block for me.
3. Did you want to use your specific skills or was it by chance that something appealed?
4. Has this helped you, ie in your development as a person, and in what way?
Thanks for the replies.
So you're all basically utilising your existing skills?
druid - so have you been blacklisted now then?
chickadee - is that through your local County/Borough Council?
catflees - do you have those skills anyway?
I have thought about volunteering/training for the Samaritans but, and it's a big but, it would be pretty tough stuff. Could I handle that.
yes - I'm involved with a local voluntary youth work project. I do a fair bit of 'face to face' with the young people, and also a bit of basic book-keeping to take some of the admin load off their paid workers.
I'm really using existing skills, as I trained as a youth worker, although it's not exactly what I get paid to do these days.
I love volunteering - keeps my hand in with young people, which in turn helps my perspective on the day job.
I volunteer one day a week as a gardener for the National Trust. It started out as a way to fill my time after leaving uni and not getting a job, but I enjoyed it so much I have decided to do a college course and try to get a job in the industry.
Samaritans 
Good luck, not something I could do.
Check this out for LOADS of volunteering opportunities - you can select by type of work you want to do, and what time & days you can commmit to.
I have a friend who's a Samaritan and it can be incredibly tough. She once listened to someone overdose and die while she was on the phone to them and wasn't able to intervene - but as she put it, at least they didn't die alone. She has to commit to one night shift a month in addition to regular shifts but I'm not sure if that's a national thing.
I hit rocks and barrow stuff at Glentress, every couple of weeks... Interesting to do and good people, and it doesn't take much time out of my week (unless i blow my leg up and can't ride for a week, grr). But it doesn't really feel like proper volunteering somehow.
My mum was a Samaritan c-g, it is tough. There are other simular schemes for people in need who are on the road to rehabilitation. Often voulnteers are asked to do those kind of things before being a Samaritan IIRC. I have the skills already for the design work, I got into helping at the SYA (scope young adults) centre by chance, I already worked in an after school club on the same premises for ADHD children and thought I don't do anything on Friday mornings why not help out. I did an art class for the SYA and have such lovely memories of the times I helped.
Been thinking about giving it a go, but not sure where to start!
Good luck alexonabike a job you enjoy is the key to a happy working life mate.
I haven’t for a while but after the the tsunami which hit Sri Lanka I volunteered my time and skills to produce a new structural design for a steel framed school which was located in a village where a work colleague come from.
I spent every night for almost a month working on the design and drawings and at the end even though my contribution was small in comparison to what others contributed but it made me feel as if I was giving a little back. I regards to personal development not in my case it was a friend who asked for my help, the biggest realisation was once construction began that made me smile that my little bit will help the rebuilding of the country and the lives of the children.
I used to work for oxfam and i loved it. Managers were a problem, as one of them was ?20ish and wanted to run his little empire and got a bit bossy, and got quite offended that i wasn't scared of him. It was however generally a pleasant way to spend some time doing something completely different from my normal job.
Though oxfam were quite chilled with me re:commitment, that was the main stumbling block. I had 2months off work (had to take all my leave, didn't have any money to go away) so decided to volunteer, but most places were "every tuesday for 6 months" rather than whenever suited me which made it quite hard. I'd do it again, but i'd like to do something more outdoorsy and less structured, I like to just get on with things without being directed or told what to do (e.g at oxfam I could just sort books or work the tills etc)
I help out at Abigales old school when ever they ask me, about 10 days a year, always outside work. Biking, rafting, and all that great stuff. Cant wait for the next invite.
Yes,
I volunteered to work for the Red Cross helping as an emergency service support person. If your house had burnt down and you had nowhere to go, I might turn up to offer advice, help and a cup of tea.
It was very rewarding as it took my mind off other things that were going on in my life. As far as commitment it was very flexible, we had a rotor and I could chose the times (mainly nights) to suit my circumstances.
Also got to meet some lovely other people in the charity and fire service. It was very rewarding as some people we so appreciative of us turning up - thought we only worked in foreign countries...
volunteered a few hours of my time this morning to service 10 kids bikes to be sold at a local NCT charity sale and have regularly volunteered at local kids/family events for years. (I wouldn't volunteer to do anything every week tho.)
oh.. and used to volunteer to do first aid at festivals, more to do with getting in free, VIP camping in a campervan and access all areas pass than out of goodness tho..
St. Ann's Hospice has the pleasure of my servces 8 hours per week. Usually two 4 hours evenings per week, mostly on the wards. Just doing the basic, non medical stuff although I often get lumbered with the inmates children. It's pretty boring for the youngsters so we go off and cause trouble somewhere.
I do it as penance for nearly emotionaly and financialy bankruptng my wife and she's the boss of the wards.
I'm a School governor - no experience required and many schools are desperate for governors who are not parents (they have to have a certain number who aren't).
Chair of school governers and a Samaritan.
Governors is about 3/4 meetings a terms, bit more work than normal as I'm a chair, and I'm interview panels and so on. Samaritans varies depending on staffing at your local branch, but it's normally a few hours every month and a night session.
Yes,
I've worked in a soup kitchen in the US. I am blessed with a wonderful team of people in my organisation who were all happy to exchange the usual corporate BS day / "now get out of that" type challenge for this activity.
We all got a huge amount out of this experience. Seeing how efficiently a work place could be run, and how little waste there was, was amazing.
Also realising how supplying what the customer needs was refreshing.
Personally I took great pleasure from talking to the people coming to the kitchen. People who were genuinely down on their luck but were intelligent and educated.
As for commitment - I don't have enough opportunities to do this (I can only do it occassionally when I'm in the US). BUT - I would happily trade annual leave to go back there and help out some more.
I did some early trail fairy stuff at Glen Tress. In my early twenties I did lots of motorsport marshalling.
I used to be M.O. for Glencoul bothy in Sutherland. I gave that up because for family reasons I had to move back to Glasgow. I could have kept it on I guess, but all the paperwork in the MBA also put me off. So I now maintain a non-MBA 'secret' bothy.
Volunteering is good. The key is finding something you have a passion for. With me it's not people focused, but if it involves the outdoors I'll give it a go. I can see a spell as a volunteer ranger somewhere at some point.
I volunteer for the local blind society. Started off reading news for their weekly talking newspaper (they have a rota so only had to do it once a month). I couldn't believe the number of people who got the weekly tape, and so many of them wrote in to say how it helped them feel more in touch with the outside world. Then I got asked to do a weekly 10 minute radio show for the local community radio, aimed at blind people. This involved learning how to record and produce in the studio, researching for the shows, interviewing people etc, often at events. Good fun but after a couple of years I began to run out of ideas so passed it on to someone else. I still do the news reading for the tapes which takes only a couple of hours every few weeks. Its given me new skills, I've met some nice people, and I stick it on my CV - dont know if it has any effect but you never know...
I'm currently on the school ptfa commitee and have been helping out at the local scout group for about 6 months and am starting leader training in the new year.
Now my paid work commitents have changed for the better and may change again, I'd like to help the local search and rescue team and one of the local soup kitchens, although there all church based which i'm not overly keen on, but i've wanted to do something to help the homeless for years so will probably just bite the bullet, and put up with the religious side.
1. Does anyone volunteer and, if so, doing what?
I volunteer on 2 fronts - I'm an adult civilian instructor (soon to be uniformed SNCO staff) for my local Air Cadet Squadron, and I also volunteer trailbuild for Singletraction.
2. Commitment - how regularly?
For Cadets, I put in 2 Parade nights a week, as well as the odd weekend to take Cadets flying, gliding, shooting and any courses that might help me progress in the Corps. SingletrAction volunteering is usually once a month, and possibly the odd extra day elsewhere for manning a stall/tent at events.
3. Did you want to use your specific skills or was it by chance that something appealed?
I used to be a Cadet myself and decided that I wanted to give something back that would help current and future Cadets. I left Cadets as a senior Cadet NCO and had passed Air Navigation, shooting, DofE and other stuff. Trailbuilding, well, I wanted to put in some effort and work on the trails I ride regularly.
4. Has this helped you, ie in your development as a person, and in what way?
Hmmmm. I've calmed down and matured more since working within the Cadet organization, and the courses I've done and got access to, have certainly improved me and my outlook on life. My attitude towards young uns has changed as well, and I'm more likely to help those who are asking or needing help without too much thinking on my part.
As with anything, especially volunteering, the more effort you put in, then the more you will ultimately get out of it.
Used to be a Beaver leader then a Cub leader whilst my boys were going through. Didn't really put enough effort in as I really struggled for time, but it was constantly surprising how many parents wouldn't help but were happy to have a pop. Still glad I did my 7 years though.
cinnamon_girl - Member
Thanks for the replies.So you're all basically utilising your existing skills?
druid - so have you been blacklisted now then?
Ah - I see how you could read that into my response.
No - as far as I'm aware, there is no blacklist, although I can understand that PHRP might not want to give me a glowing reference. What I was getting at was that I wanted to volunteer for some sort of outdoor activities, as that's where my preferences lie, whereas organisations tend to look at my experience and skills and want to use them to their maximum advantage.
I also tried to volunteer for a couple of other things, but I found that the organisations were awful at replying to my queries.
If you can find something that you are interested in doing, I'd say that you should give it a go. Just make sure you go in with your eyes open. It's to no ones advantage to commit to something your heart isn't in.
Yes, I volunteered assisting 9 adults with learning disabilities.
I did it for a year and a half, 15-20 hours per week, it was great, Only stopped due to the fact that my hours in my regular job increased and I found I was routinely working a 65-80 hour week!
Am searching for a new opportunity now.
Blimey, this thread has been a real eye-opener! It's so nice that people muck in and 'give something back' as it were. What's interesting is the different skillsets that people have and have put to such commendable use.
I have done my bit in the past, ie back in my running days I used to do cross-country training after school with the teenagers. Also helped out with coaching teenagers at the local athletics club. Did some painting of school premises too.
Other thoughts I've had are helping out with dementia sufferers and, wait for it, helping out in the local Police station.
Thanks so much for replies.
This topic has been closed to new replies.
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