By Kenechi Eziefula
1. Fund-raising (street, door-to-door, phone)
Becoming a fund-raiser can be character defining. It sharpens your people skills and gives you highly valued knowledge, abilities and techniques to make sales pitches and negotiate. Fund-raising comes in many forms, street fund-raising, door-to-door, telephone, or even organising large and swanky events for donors and sponsors. The position of fund-raiser is almost always open for new additions, as you can never have too many funds. Find what type of fund-raising suits you, and just go for it.
2. Charity shops
Charity shops are always in need of new volunteers. There are many types of charity shops, but they all offer a quick progression and training from sales to managerial level. They pay travel expenses and their hours are very flexible, so volunteering for one can be a side hobby or a full time experience, and this shows future employers how dedicated you are to work, and that you have causes you are passionate about. They can be chaotic when busy, so your organisational abilities will be enhanced, and tested!
3. Libraries
Volunteering at a library is another way to prove your dedication and organisational skills. In addition, you can pick up a book on your lunch break and expand your interests, vocabulary and knowledge. Libraries often need volunteers, and from there, you can be trained to take up a long term position.
4. Community/Religious/Cultural centres
There are many opportunities in local communities to get involved in. All organisations need someone to help run events, spread the word, recruit others and promote events. The opportunities may be sporadic in some cases, but all experience is valuable.
5. Hobby groups
All hobby groups need funding, administrators and new members, too. If you have a hobby you participate in, sports, literature, music, games, then you probably have an avenue to join (or start you own!) a project that will build your experience and give you valuable skills. This may be as simple as setting up a local tournament, being the treasurer for your club, or organising their mailing list. Find opportunity in everything, as everything can become experience and skills.
