Volunteering is something we hear about a lot; we all get told that it’ll help our CV’s and we should find time to fit it in; however, it doesn’t always work out as we’d like. With time constraints with jobs, our degrees, it’s baffling to wonder how some of us can make time for it; when others simply cannot imagine being able to do such.
The problem with the perception of volunteering, is it isn’t seen as flexible, yet that’s what it needs to be. Currently a big push in some charitable organisations (such as The Scout Association) is about making volunteering more flexible, so that you’re able to share the skills and time you do have; without committing to hours on hours per week. That’s a perception of volunteering all of us should be able to have, and to have access to.
I’ve been volunteering within the Scout Association and the Outdoor Industry for 8 years now, and for me the way I’ve needed my time to work has changed; and I’ve changed with what I want to get from it. I’d like to think I can help people achieve the goals they set themselves, whilst gaining and sharing skills with other members of the wider community, because it's often those skills that can benefit another cause more than you'd first realise; from litter picks to working with young people; wherever you think you can help, you should be able to flexibly, and with the ability to enjoy it as much as possible.