Speak to almost any volunteer and they will tell you that they get at least as much out of giving time as they put in.

Some of this might be hard to quantify – meeting new people, the satisfaction of having made a worthwhile contribution – but other benefits are more tangible. Volunteering can help you learn new skills and get qualifications and experience. It can also help develop your knowledge in different areas of work and life.

Career development

For lots of careers in areas like health and social care and the environment, volunteering is an important way of getting the necessary experience. If you have a career in mind try to find out exactly what it is that you need on your CV to get on the right course or apply for jobs. Then see what volunteering opportunities are available that can help you.

When applying to volunteer, don't be afraid to be upfront about the fact that you are career-minded. As long as you're prepared to commit a certain amount of time as a volunteer then most organisations won't mind that you are partly motivated by the desire to boost your CV. Of course, if your motivations are entirely selfish that might soon change, but if you show willing then they should be able to help you get the skills and experience you require.

If you don't have a specific idea about what career you want to pursue, volunteering can still be useful. Just searching through the opportunities on do-it.org.uk will show you a broad range of organisations and kinds of work.

You can use volunteering as a chance to try different things. Again, organisations will expect a certain level of commitment. But if you can find the time to try several opportunities it will give you a great insight into what it's like to work in those sectors.

Read more about how to boost your career through volunteering.

Creating an opportunity

If you can't find a suitable opportunity on do-it.org.uk or via your local Volunteer Centre it might be worth trying to create an opportunity for yourself.

For example, if you want experience as a marketing volunteer but can't find an opportunity listed in your area, contact organisations that interest you and ask if they can make use of your skills.

The key thing is finding the right person to speak to within the organisation. They might have someone who manages all the volunteers (usually called a Volunteer Manager or Coordinator), or you might have to speak to the head of the department in which you want to volunteer.

Be prepared for disappointment. Lots of organisations, even charities, might not have considered taking on volunteers in the areas you are interested in and they might not be able to accommodate you. But don't be put off – there are always more organisations to try.

A broader view

Personal development concerns more than just your career, of course. Any aspect of volunteering could offer you something, even just the experience of working alongside new people.

There are ways of getting the benefits formalised, however. For example, as Tom Hardwick explains, the Duke of Edinburgh Award has a strong volunteering element and can be a lot of fun, too.

Education and training can also help to give focus to personal development. There's a growing number of courses that ask students to draw on their experience as volunteers in order to get either vocational or academic qualifications.

Passion over planning

Whether you are looking to get a degree or a job, or just keen to try a new challenge, the basic advice is the same: find a volunteering opportunity that really interests you.

You might be volunteering with a big national organisation or a small local one, and it might be the cause that enthuses you or the specific role, but you will still get much more out of giving your time if it is something you really want to do.

Volunteering has a habit of taking people in unexpected directions. Sometimes passion can bring better results than planning.

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