Why volunteering is important
Why volunteering is important
By Jarif and Jawwad, work experience placements
Volunteers’ Week is all over social media right now. However, when you are sixteen, life is already packed with exam revision, coursework and stress. When you move on from school too, it is easy to look at volunteering as just another activity to make your CV look good but volunteering is important to us all for many reasons
Being at ELBA on work experience placement, we get to see behind the scenes. A lot goes into making corporate volunteering happen. By definition, volunteering means choosing to give your time, skills and energy to help others without getting paid for it. But when you find the right role, the experience is completely different from a standard school – or work – chore. For example, you could help out at a local adventure playground, a city farm or a digital media workshop. Seeing a local project succeed because of your help is a great feeling. It lets you use the skills you actually care about – like sports, music or design – to make a real difference. Plus, it gives you real-world experience that makes it much easier to get a job later, which is massively important for young people like us and everyone else too
Being here at ELBA on work experience, we get to see the different volunteering that is taking place and it is not a boring box-ticking exercise. Volunteering is a powerful way for people (whatever the age) to build workplace connections, learn key skills and create positive change directly, in east London communities and beyond.
ELBA provides 12 work experience placements per year – an important way to also build workplace connections, develop skills and create meaningful change. ELBA encourages other organisations to also offer work experience opportunities to young people just like us too.
Through our local education, employment and community programmes, ELBA connects you with volunteering projects where your talents and voice truly matter. If you are unsure about starting, consider a cause you actually care about and get in touch. Volunteering offers is a great chance to take control of your future and do something real. Please explore the ELBA website further to see the kind of opportunities we provide.
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