Stepping StonesStepping Stones ProgrammeStepping Stones

Stepping Stones Programme

Volunteering – enhancing employability

A Career Development Programme for Grade 2/3 Staff

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What we’ll cover

• Why consider volunteering?

• How volunteering can enhance employability

• What’s available and how to get involved

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Volunteering – What is it?• The definition of volunteering used in the 1997 National Survey of

Volunteering is:"any activity which involves spending time, unpaid, doing something which aims to benefit someone (individuals or groups) other than or in addition to close relatives, or to benefit the environment."

• The definition of volunteering used in the Home Office Citizenship Survey, 2001 is:"Formal Volunteering - Giving unpaid help through groups, clubs or organisations to benefit other people or the environment."

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How does Volunteering help the community?• In 2003 42 per cent of people in England and Wales volunteered through a

group, club or organisation at least once, equivalent to approximately 17.9 million people.

• Each volunteer contributed an estimated 104 hours in a year and the total contribution was 1.9 billion hours. This was equivalent of one million full-time workers.

• At the national average wage their contribution was worth around £22.5 billion. This form of involvement takes place throughout the public, private and third sectors.

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Why do people volunteer?

• 47% of people volunteer because they were asked! 1

• Reasons for volunteering are extremely personal and motivations will vary from person to person.

• These could include….

– Personal and social reasons, doing something different, employability skills, giving something back.

1 Volunteering England – Building on Success document.

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So what did I do?

• Brace yourself…….

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Boost your Career Options

A survey carried out by TimeBank through Reed Executive showed that among 200 of the UK’s leading businesses:

• 73% of employers would employ a candidate with volunteering experience over one without

• 94% of employers believe that volunteering can add to skills

• 58% say that voluntary work experience can actually be more valuable than experience gained in paid employment

• 94% of employees who volunteered to learn new skills had benefited either by getting their first job, improving their salary, or being promoted.

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Benefits of Volunteering

• Experience

• Qualifications/Training

• Insight into potential future career

• Contacts/networking

• Enhance skills that employers are looking for such as leadership, teamwork and communication

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How can Volun-tees help?

• Co-ordinate volunteering at the University

• Identify, promote and develop opportunities

• Ensure volunteers receive training and support

• Help volunteers gain recognition and accreditation

• Enhance student and staff experience and skills

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Volun-tees website

www.voluntees.co.uk

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VIP Exercise

• Brief: To plan a fundraising activity for Victim Support who would

• like to buy personal safety equipment for Victims of Crime.

• Outcome: Plan a one day event to include

• Outline of event/activity

• Role for each member of the group

• Budget required for event

• Equipment required

• Publicity/marketing plan

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Thank you

• Contact: Jayne Villiers

• Email: j.d.villiers@tees.ac.uk

• volunteering@tees.ac.uk

• Tel: ext 4280