What about voluntary work?

It’s probably possible to do voluntary work in practically anything… many opportunities won’t be advertised so you may have to be a little creative in your search. Voluntary work can also cover anything from a few days with a local organisation to a six month project in a far flung corner of the world.

So why work for nothing?

Well, it may be one way to get into (or at least gain experience in) a popular occupation. It will undoubtedly add a range of skills and experience to your CV and you may also make contacts so you can do some networking later. Crucially, it shows motivation and an interest in the job.

How do I find out about opportunities?

Some will be advertised. Try newspapers, our jobs pages, reference books and directories in the Careers Service (incidentally, a search under 'volunt*' will yield more than 100 results on our Careers Catalogue). One popular resource is Worldwide Volunteering - a website which includes a database of volunteer opportunities.

 

What else is there?

Charities, volunteering and gap year organisations - list of UK/worldwide opportunities compiled by University of Bath Careers Advisory Service, compare funding costs etc. at a glance.

Working Abroad - an independent organisation with links to organisations working in 150+ countries (voluntary and other projects).

Voluntary sector - an overview of the whole sector.

Volunteer Bristol - opportunities throughout the Bristol area.

do-it.org - Search through almost 70,000 volunteering opportunities available in the UK and apply online.

UBU Volunteering, formerly known as Student Community Action (SCA), find volunteering opportunities via the Students' Union at the University of Bristol.

CSV - UK-wide volunteering.

Have a look at our International work and study pages.

Search our vacancies - find employers offering volunteering opportunities.

Useful links for charities - take from the Careers Service pages about careers in charity/voluntary organisations.

Most people who do voluntary work seem to enjoy it and find it a worthwhile experience. Why not come in and talk to a Careers Adviser about the options.