Volunteering is good for you — and your career

In the last of our series to mark UK Volunteers’ Week, Associate Rachael Ibbott explains why she’s used voluntary work as part of her exploration into a new career path.

One of the great things about the On Purpose programme is that our placements give us the opportunity to test out working in two different social enterprises, often with very different projects and working environments. As Herminia Ibarra points out in her book, Working Identity, trying different career options is much more effective as a transition strategy than just thinking about them.

Leading a Dementia Friends session (photo: David Tinnion)

As such, my personal tactic has been to try as many different things as I can in addition to my placements through volunteering, particularly where these put me into direct contact with service recipients, in the hope that I can see social enterprise from a different perspective. So far I’ve helped out at a local soup kitchen, worked on a board recruitment strategy for a small local social enterprise, facilitated Dementia Friends information sessions for the Alzheimer’s Society and mentored a GCSE maths pupil.

What surprised me most across these experiences is how much I have got out of them over and above the knowledge that I’m helping someone else in some small way. I have learned new knowledge and skills, made new friends, gained confidence in presenting, learnt more about different experiences of life — and, of course, thoroughly revised trigonometry.

I have also met some fascinating people, from the ex-cabbie at the soup kitchen who knows the history of nearly every London borough, to the teenager who has reminded me how hard school years can be, to the many brave souls who have cared for relatives with dementia at the end of their lives. It doesn’t surprise me that research has shown that volunteering is good for you— for me it’s been hugely positive. It’s also helped give me clarity on my future career options by, for example, reminding me that I’m comfortable talking and presenting to people I haven’t met before, which is not true of everyone.

So, what would be my advice for anyone thinking of trying it out? Firstly, be really clear what you want to get out of the experience — what skills or knowledge are you hoping to learn or develop? Second, be humble — just because you’re the volunteer and someone else is the supposed beneficiary, you shouldn’t expect that all the knowledge and benefits flow one way. Finally, manage your time — there is nothing worse than a flaky volunteer. Try it out — you might live longer!