1.  Volunteering helped me to give something back to a special charity. My Dad was seriously ill with cancer back in 2012 and he sadly passed away in a hospice in Reading called the Duchess Of Kent, which is run by the charity Sue Ryder. Volunteering for a Sue Ryder charity shop helped me give something back to the charity that took such good care of my Dad in his final months.

2.  Volunteering gave me valuable work experience and skills. Before I started volunteering, I never had any retail work experience; in fact, I don’t believe I had stepped foot inside a charity shop. Three years later, I’ve gained a lot of experience volunteering in a charity shop; from using a till and serving customers to sorting donations. From there, I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to run social media accounts for the charity shop as well as write blogs. Furthermore, I had my first ever piece of published writing printed in a local newspaper because I was volunteering.

3.  I have had the wonderful opportunity to meet some amazing new people. I’m a natural introvert and very shy but I remember vividly all the other volunteers and the shop managers being very supportive of me. I started volunteering after a particularly tough period in my life; my Dad had died less than a year ago and I had dropped out of University and felt very lost and alone. Being around such lovely people whilst volunteering made me feel more at ease and less nervous.

4.  Volunteering has given me a goal. I think about how much volunteering has really helped me. It’s given me a goal in that one day; I really hope to set up a support group for young people who have been bereaved. I believe something similar would have helped me to come to terms with my Dad’s death, so I could share experiences with people of a similar age in a similar situation.

5.  Finally, volunteering has really improved my self-confidence. Volunteering has given me the courage to do new things. If I didn’t start volunteering when I did, I think I would have given up totally. However, I started volunteering then I re-applied to go to University and I’ve recently come back from living in Italy and in Switzerland for a year. Earlier this year, I volunteered at two events in Hyde Park in London which was a fantastic and highly enjoyable experience.  

What the world would be like if everyone volunteered?

Have you ever thought about what the country, or even the world would be like if everyone volunteered? If everyone gave even just one hour of their time each week for a charity or a cause they believed in?

This is what I think the world would be like if everyone volunteered.

First of all, I believe that if everyone volunteered, there would be a lot less pressure on charities because they would have more support. Imagine if people gave a bit of their time to charities and causes they believed in. Those charities would have the pressure taken off them.

The volunteers would benefit too because they would be able to gain new and exciting experiences, and they’d have the satisfaction of helping a cause that they believe in. Volunteers would have the opportunity to meet other volunteers and learn new skills.

I believe the world would be a much happier and calmer place because everyone would give the most precious gift that they can give; their time.

by an anonymous vInspired volunteer.

Do you want to learn new skills, overcome grief or a mental health challenge? Find a cause and connect with your community on vInspired.com. Or want to get out, have fun and save money? Check out the Inspired Card, it gives young people exclusive discounts and opportunities across the UK and Europe.

So when a young person is told they should volunteer to build their skills, it can feel counterintuitive. They may think ‘Why should I work for free? And where will I find the time to volunteer when I need to find a job?’.

With technology creating a rapidly changing job market it can be hard for young people to know how to get a foot in the door. But the truth is that volunteering is a proven way for them to find work.

This is demonstrated by the fact that many employers say 88% of school leavers and 54% of graduates aren’t ready to enter their workplaces. They say young people lack soft skills such as teamwork, communication and resilience. The good news? Volunteering improves all three. As a result, volunteers are 27% more likely to get a job.

At vInspired we’re passionate about connecting young people with their communities, which is why we believe in giving back when volunteers put in. So we’ve created the free Inspired Card. The first national youth card to give young people discounts across both the UK and Europe.

When a 14-30 year old signs up on the vInspired website they unlock a world of opportunities. They’ll get money off travel, culture, days out, products and loads more. We’re adding new offers all the time so that they can connect with their world even if they have less money in their pocket.

The inspired Card introduces them to our search engine for volunteering. When they put in their age, interests and location they’ll find all the causes they can support in their community. They can even log their hours and get a recognised V rewards certificate to impress UCAs and potential employers.

The Inspired Card also unlocks mentoring, shadowing and work experience opportunities. So the card not only helps young people have fun, it also connects them to the networks and the skills that will help find them a job. By volunteering they’ll even improve their confidence, happiness and mental health along the way.

After years of work, we’re delighted to share the free Inspired Card with the UK’s young people. Now volunteers will get even more back when they help their community.  Want to make a difference in your community? Find a cause you’re passionate about on vinspired.com.

Just a few hours a month is enough to make a genuine difference to a charity. It could be as simple as distributing leaflets in your community, serving at a soup kitchen, or designing a flyer in your spare time.

You don’t even have to travel to volunteer. So if there’s a cause you’re particularly passionate about you could offer your services and fit in some time at the office or on your commute. Whatever your skills or commitments, there’s always a way to help.

Volunteering won’t help pay the bills

There’s no shame in having selfish goals when you volunteer. Some people feel resentful that they’re giving their time without receiving any money in return. But when you give your time what serves others also helps you.

Just by connecting with a community of like minded people you expand your networks and learn about opportunities you never would have heard of. It’s not uncommon that volunteers are offered jobs after their volunteering placement. As if with anything in life, when you put in, you often get something back.

You don’t have the skills

Whatever your skill or ability, an extra mind or pair of hands is always useful. Even the simplest tasks such as washing up could be an essential part of helping an organisation flourish. Whatever you do you’ll be a valued member of a team.

Volunteering is boring

There’s no better way to bond with other people than to share in the joy of serving others. Mother Teresa once said ‘I served and I saw that service is joy’. You don’t have to be Mother Teresa to see that lending a hand at a community event can be fun.

Humans are inherently social creatures. So when we connect with others it helps give us a sense of identity, which defines our place in the world and is proven to improve our health and well-being. Young volunteers have more fun. Check out our Inspired Card for free discounts and opportunities.

It’s something you do when you’ve retired

Research shows that up to 74% of young people say they are ready to volunteer. Through vInspired over a million 14-30 year olds have signed up for opportunities in their local community on vinspired.com. Last year alone we helped 31,439 young people do 460,611 hours of voluntary work. Not only did it help those young people develop vital skills like teamwork and problem solving, it also improved their confidence and mental health.

It’s just about working in a charity shop

There are so many more ways to volunteer than in retail. People volunteer for marketing, fundraising, administration, visitor services and even finance roles all the time. Whatever your working background there’s a way to apply it. 

It’s not as useful as work experience

Volunteering can expose you to knowledge and skills that you don’t have access to when doing work experience. People may trust you to take on more responsibility or even manage a team of other volunteers. The psychological difference between volunteering and work experience can be an unfortunate but ever present reality in the workplace. As work experience is generally seen as an entry level role, whilst volunteers can come from any walk of life.

When I left University I felt depressed. I knew that I would need to get a job to survive, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I was terrified by the thought that if I didn’t get on the right track with my career that I’d be trapped on a road I didn’t want to be on. I was worried that I’d just end up blindly doing something because that’s where I had the experience. And that with each new job I’d get into a deeper hole of unfulfilling work.

8 years on, and I no longer feel that fear. I know that most workplaces aren’t filled with untouchable ‘experts’ who will look down on me. And I know that work doesn’t have to be serious and cold hearted. I worried that office jobs would be full of joyless automatons filling out spreadsheets with formal suits and formal expressions. But I’ve since realised that work is an extension of education. You never stop learning.

So what changed?

My fears and anxieties about work evaporated once I started volunteering. After uni I was lucky enough to be able to live at my Mum’s, and it was with her support that I stopped sulking and started doing something constructive with my day. She knew someone who worked at Helios Health, a holistic charity which provides complementary therapies for people with terminal illnesses. I was good with computers, and had a little experience with graphic design, writing and photography. Which was largely thanks to what I did at sixth form. Where I was the editor of my sixth form newspaper and studied Photography, Media and English.

As Helios had no one working there with communications skills, I immediately felt useful. In just a few hours a week I managed their social media, wrote articles and improved their website. It was great to have some contact with their clients, which added to the feeling that my skills were helping people who needed support.

I also volunteered at a local arts charity called the Islington Arts Factory. I loved being creative and I come from a creative family. so being around the arts felt like home. I did bits of creative work that could help support organisations in my local community. Volunteering changed my life.

Why? Because I made connections which would set me up for life. I was touched that a member of staff at Helios Health paid for me to go on an expensive digital marketing course. This gave me the skills that would help me get my first post uni job.

I got a role at The Whitechapel Gallery managing an art promotion which spanned East London. Without that internet marketing course I may never have got the job. And it was all because of a connection I made by volunteering, and the experience that volunteering added to my CV.

And I haven’t looked back. I’ve been doing a variety of communications jobs. From filming and photography to website design and social media. One thing led to another, and with the butterfly effect of those first volunteering roles rewarding jobs have opened up to me. So if like me you don’t know what you want to do, just put yourself out there, you never know what could happen.

Just try something (anything), related to your interests. I believe It’s the only way to find your direction in life. Each experience will teach you what you do or don’t like, and little by little you can refine your job search and gradually move towards jobs that you genuinely enjoy.

Volunteering improved my confidence and mental health. It also connected me to my community and helped me find work. So if you’re feeling lost there’s no better way than volunteering to address that. It helped me to find my purpose in life, so maybe it could help you too?

So if you’re reading this and don’t know what to do next. Volunteer for even as little as a few hours a week and you’ll find doors opening up that you didn’t even know existed. When you help others, people help you. It’s helped 10,000s of vInspired volunteers over the years get a job, so why not give it a go?

By Jan Flisek-Boyle

Use our volunteering search engine to find a role you’re passionate about in your community. Just visit vinspired.com.

While you’re at it, check out the Inspired Card. It unlocks exclusive discounts and opportunities across the UK and Europe and it’s totally free.

Volunteering can, at times, be highly challenging and a real test of character. When things don’t work out as we expected, we might struggle to see, or even begin to question, how much of a difference we’re actually making.

Volunteering is a global movement greater than the sum of its parts – and the decision to contribute to that movement is in itself a demonstration of your positive impact on the world.

Here are 8 quotes to reassure, encourage and inspire you to keep up the good work.

“It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there’ll be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.”

Mahatma Gandhi

“No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

Robert F. Kennedy

“Never forget that you are one of a kind. Never forget that if there weren’t any need for you in all your uniqueness to be on this earth, you wouldn’t be here in the first place. And never forget, no matter how overwhelming life’s challenges and problems seem to be, that one person can make a difference in the world. In fact, it is always because of one person that all the changes that matter in the world come about. So be that one person.”

Richard Buckminster Fuller

You too can make a difference. Find a cause you’re passionate about near you on vinspired.com. Or if you’re looking for exclusive discounts and opportunities across the UK and Europe you’ll love the free Inspired Card.

Behind that charming and devilish smirk is an angelic heart. He founded the nonprofit charity Not on our Watch after hearing about war crimes in Darfur. As the co-president George uses his fame to appeal to the mass media and global policy-makers. His aim? To solve the root causes of complex conflicts around the world which aren’t prioritised by the international community.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina is one of the most famous humanitarian voices in the world today. She’s volunteered her time to raise awareness of issues in over 20 countries. From Tanzania and Cambodia to Sierra Leone and Ecuador. As well as supporting over 29 charities and foundations, Jolie founded the Jolie-Pitt foundation, which works to eradicate extreme poverty. Her work has contributed to 10s of millions of dollars in funding. She has supported millions of the most vulnerable people around the world.

Bono

Another high profile volunteer, Bono has dedicated much of his life to supporting impoverished people across Africa. As well as being a key player behind Live Aid, Live 8, and Band Aid. He has campaigned tirelessly to reduce debt, alleviate poverty and support women’s rights. His work is so wide ranging that the National Journal once dubbed him ‘the most politically effective celebrity of all time’.

Audrey Hepburn

The Breakfast at Tiffany’s star was as giving as she was glamourous. She was an outspoken promoter of the charity UNICEF – which provides education, aid and protection for the world’s most vulnerable children. She narrated two radio programmes for UNICEF. Then went on well publicised trips to the likes of Ethiopia, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Vietnam. Each time she raised awareness of the suffering caused by war and poverty and so played a vital role in giving UNICEF crucial publicity for their life changing work.

Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa has become a watch word for humanitarianism. She said that ‘I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy, and I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service was joy.’ Have you ever heard a better quote about volunteering?

She was dedicated to serving the poorest people on the planet. It wasn’t just her work that was remarkable but the legacy that she left behind. Pope Francis declared her a saint in a ceremony at the Vatican in 2016. Her charity has grown to encompass 4,000 sisters and thousands of volunteers across the world who continue to support orphans, HIV sufferers and the terminally ill.

Agatha Christie

The famous writer once proclaimed that volunteering is ‘one of the most rewarding professions that anyone can follow’. Much of her creative work was inspired by her voluntary work. She was one of 90,000 volunteers who cared for sick and wounded soldiers and sailors in world war one.

As a result of her nursing experience she gained pharmaceutical knowledge, and as such knew the lethal doses of medicines. As a crime writer this knowledge was invaluable. Caring for 1000s of people must have also been an invaluable source of inspiration for creating characters that she would have come to know intimately.

Want to make a difference whilst building your skills? Visit vinspired.com to search for a volunteering opportunity near you. If you’re 14-30 you should also definitely check out the free Inspired Card. It gives young people exclusive discounts and opportunities across the UK and Europe.

1. To find happiness

Volunteering is proven to improve the symptoms of mental illness. Sport volunteers have 10% higher self esteem, emotional intelligence and resilience. They’re also 15% less likely to have anxiety and depression. Studies show that those who volunteer for citizenship roles  feel 22% less anxious. Feeling down? Helping out in your community is the best solution.

2. To find work

If you’re young and lack work experience, volunteering can change your life. It improves your interpersonal skills and gives you the skills to put on a CV.  It improves your self confidence, gives you analytical skills and helps you build contacts.

3. To meet new people

51% of volunteers meet people from other backgrounds when they volunteer. So if you feel you’re living in a bubble and not meeting anyone new, there’s no better way to broaden your horizons.

4. To follow a passion

Want to make a film? Help people? Repair bicycles? Whatever you’re interested in volunteering is a great way to get closer to it and build up anything from leadership skills to technical skills.

5. To help a cause you believe in

When a charity has helped someone you love, there’s nothing more rewarding than giving something back. 1000s of people volunteer for the likes of Marie Curie, Breast Cancer Research and Guide Dogs for this reason. It’s a way of ‘paying it forward’ so your support can help the charity to support someone else.

6. To see the world

It can be a great opportunity to learn about a different culture. When you volunteer with an ethical organisation which genuinely helps the needs of the local community it can be a wonderful way of expanding your mind whilst lending a hand. Or if you want to find volunteer opportunities closer to home, check out vinspired.com for 1000s of roles.

7. To change a life

There’s few things more rewarding than giving your time to another person. Organisations like the Make a Wish foundation transform children’s lives every day. Imagine giving someone the greatest experience of their life, and you’ll understand why volunteering is the best way to make a difference.

8. To make friends

The older you get the harder it can be to connect with others. After education most of us spend our days at work. Work can be a forced environment to try and make friends, which is why volunteering is the perfect antidote. It’s a relaxed environment to meet people with similar interests. So it’s the perfect foundation on which to build a friendship.

9. To connect with their community

If you don’t know your neighbours there’s an easy to way to solve it. Find a collective challenge in your neighbourhood, like litter, disrepair or a lack of social services. You could beautify your road together or form a child care club so everyone gets a break. It’s amazing what you can achieve when you work together with your community. It’s the only thing that truly changes the world.

10. To have fun

It’s impossible to be bored when you volunteer, because there’s so many ways to do it! It can be a great excuse to do what you love whilst meeting new people and connecting with your surroundings. Some stereotype volunteering as something that’s dry and uninspiring, but they’re forgetting that helping others is usually great fun.

Make a difference to your community whilst building your skills. We’ve got 1000s of ways to volunteer on vinspired.com. Want a reward for your time? Check out the Inspired Card. It’s free and unlocks exclusive discounts and opportunities across the UK and Europe.

That voice gets progressively louder, and your momentum slows down. You put the list away and sit there. You feel stressed and numb and know there’s not a lot you can do.

I’ve been in this situation many times. At school and University, I was taught about different learning techniques, but never how to get out of the dark pit of mental health – but this is something we must talk about.

There is a stigma around talking about mental health and anxiety. You’re labelled as an attention seeker, as weak and feeble and as a ‘loose cannon’. This is one of the reasons why so many young people suffer in silence. Yet one fifth of adolescents suffer with mental health issues.

Everyone with mental health problems perceives things differently, and there’s plenty of advice that that goes through one ear and out the other, but I hope some of you can relate to and understand and techniques that have helped me find happiness:

• Treat yourself like your own friend. Imagine if your friend or a loved one felt the way you did; how would you help him/her? What advice would you give them and how would you be there for them? Mental health problems have a way of making you feel like the most unimportant person in the world, when in reality, it’s the opposite.
• Talk to someone. This sounds incredibly cliché, but this is so important. Do not disregard your feelings. It really is a weight off your shoulders to get them out. Do not feel ashamed to open a door that you did not choose to close. You are not whiney or being a downer or burdening anyone. You matter.
• Get into a routine. One day when you’re feeling up to it, make a schedule of what you want to do and when you want to do it. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t stick to it all the time, because just making a plan is such a huge step. It helps you realise how having a disorder completely takes over your being. It’s a complete loss of control that you acknowledge, but don’t know how to regain. Doing this will show you, in black and white, what your potential is.

I understand that all of this is easier said than done, but please remember that we did not chose to feel like this. It’s often perceived as something you can just snap out of, which absolutely is not the case. Young people today have the complete and utter disadvantage of growing up in the digital age – where you can sit and watch people doing way better than you ever could on your smartphone.

This is made worse by the pressures of the educational and social system; which pushes you to get brilliant grades and says you won’t have a career without them. As individuals, we don’t recognise how toxic this is because we’ve been conditioned to believe it’s this way or no way.

Your mental health is more important than any of this. The way you feel and perceive yourself and your surroundings is so important and will take you much further than any grade ever could. Focus on yourself, remember that you’re important and remember that you are never alone. You can beat your anxiety, you can manage your mental health and you can choose happiness over grades.

By Natalie Kaye.

Volunteer to improve your mental health on vinspired.com. We’ve got thousands of opportunities to connect with your community. Or looking to save money and have fun? The free Inspired Card gives young people exclusive discounts and opportunities across the UK and Europe.

Having a bad week? Not a fan of this being-awake-on-a-Monday business? Volunteering could be just the thing to cheer you up.

Research shows that being a volunteer helps you live a longer, happier and healthier life. As volunteering is the thing to turn to if you’re feeling low, we’re giving you a little encouragement.

When you’ve done some volunteering, given your time to a cause you care about or even just do a good deed for a neighbour, we want to hear about it on Twitter or Facebook.

Feeling lonely?

Sometimes our best mates get super busy. It’s annoying when they’re not around to hang out, but it’s important to remember they’re missing quality time with you too. Or perhaps you’ve had a squabble. Tension never feels nice, and although everything will be fixed and made-up in no time, spending a few hours volunteering can be a useful distraction.

Make a new friend while your mates are sorting themselves out. You could use your befriending skills to keep a lonely person company. When your old friends are ready to hang out, you’ll have loads to tell them about. You could even suggest volunteering as befrienders together, and strengthen the bond you have between you.

Feeling useless?

Had some work criticised? Facing some challenges and not feeling at your best? That’s ok! We can’t all be perfect all of the time. That even goes for things we’re really good at.

Restore faith in your ability. Volunteer to teach someone a skill. While your pupil learns something brand new, you get to go back to basics and become inspired all over again.

Homesick?

If you’ve just moved out on your own or don’t see your family as often as you like, turn to a makeshift family. A volunteering family!

There are youth clubs and local organisations all over the UK waiting with open arms. Units like the Scouts and GirlGuides are close-knit groups who learn new skills together. Local elderly mentoring schemes pair you with an elderly person to connect with, and can you bond by teaching them how to use technology like iPads and phones. Mentoring someone is the easiest way to fill the family-sized space in your heart.

Bored?

Taking time out to relax and be a couch potato for a bit is totally fine. But spending weeks on end like that will make you feel lethargic. If you’re feeling under-motivated, use volunteering to get active! Help others by being creative and showing off your showbiz skills. Nothing gets the adrenaline going like a performance. Make new friends and cure that boredom. Get on that stage! Or better yet, check out the free Inspired Card and get exclusive discounts and opportunities across the UK and Europe.