How Volunteering Can Boost Your CV

When people think about volunteering, they often think about giving their time to help others, and  that is certainly a huge part of it. However, volunteering is much more than that; it can also give you valuable experience, skills and opportunities that can help you stand out when applying for  jobs, apprenticeships, college, university or future career opportunities.  

At DBC Club for Young People, our volunteers get the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of activities, work as part of a team and support young people in their local community.  

Gain real-world experience  

One of the biggest benefits of volunteering is gaining practical experience outside of school,  college, university or your existing job.  

At DBC, volunteers can get involved with activities, sports, games, events, trips, fundraising and  much more. You might help organise an activity, support younger members, set up equipment,  welcome new members, or help ensure an event runs smoothly.  

These are all real responsibilities that can demonstrate to future employers that you are willing to  get involved, take responsibility, and contribute to a team.  

Develop skills employers are looking for 

Volunteering can help you develop a wide range of transferable skills that are useful in almost any  career.  

Communication  

Working with young people, parents, volunteers and other members of the team gives you  opportunities to practise communicating with lots of different people.  

You may develop your confidence in speaking to others, listening, explaining things clearly and  working through problems together.  

Teamwork  

Running activities and events is not a one-person job. It takes a team of volunteers to work  together to prepare activities, support members and make sure everything runs smoothly. This  can help you develop your ability to cooperate, share responsibilities and contribute positively to a team.  

Leadership and responsibility  

Volunteering can also give you opportunities to take on responsibility.  

You might lead a game, help organise an activity, support a younger member or take responsibility  for a particular task at an event.  

These experiences can provide great examples to talk about when an employer asks about your leadership skills.  

Organisation and time management  

There is plenty to organise behind the scenes at a youth club. From preparing equipment and setting up activities to helping at events and making sure things  are ready on time, volunteering can help you develop your organisation and time-management skills.  

Problem-solving  

Things don’t always go exactly to plan. Volunteering gives you opportunities to think on your feet,  adapt activities and find solutions when something unexpected happens.  

Being able to demonstrate that you can remain positive and work out a solution is a valuable skill  in almost any workplace.  

Confidence  

For some people, volunteering can be a great way to step outside their comfort zone. Talking to new people, helping run activities or taking on a new responsibility can gradually build  confidence, and that confidence can carry over into school, university, interviews and the  workplace.  

Gain experience working with different people  

Volunteering at a youth club means interacting with people of different ages and backgrounds.  You may work alongside other volunteers, support children and young people, speak with parents  and help members who have different interests, personalities and needs. 

This can help you become more adaptable and understanding when working with others,  something that is useful in almost every career. 

Find out what you enjoy  

Volunteering isn’t just about making your CV look better, it can also help you discover what you  actually enjoy doing. Perhaps you discover that you love working with children and young people.  Maybe you enjoy organising events, running sports activities, fundraising or working as part of a team.  

Your volunteering experience could even help you discover a career path you hadn’t previously  considered, such as youth work, teaching, sports coaching, community work, events, charity  work or another people-focused career.  

Build your CV before you have a job 

One of the hardest parts of looking for your first job can be being told you need experience when you haven’t had the opportunity to gain it yet. 

Volunteering can help bridge that gap.  

Instead of simply saying “I have good communication and teamwork skills.” You can give an employer a real example of how you developed and used those skills.  

For example, when giving an example of having good teamwork skills, “I volunteered at a local  youth club, working alongside other volunteers to organise activities and support members.”  

When talking about your leadership skills, you can say “I took responsibility for helping to run  activities and encouraging younger members to get involved.” 

With your organisational skills, you can say “I helped prepare equipment and organise activities  and events to ensure they ran smoothly.”  

These real-life examples can make your CV and interview answers much more meaningful, and  help make you stand out amongst others. You are not just listing skills; you are proving how you  can do those skills efficiently.  

Volunteering can support applications too 

Volunteering can be particularly useful for young people applying for their first job, apprenticeship,  college or university place.  

It can provide examples for: 

- CVs 

- Personal statements  

- University applications 

- Job applications  

- Interviews  

- Duke of Edinburgh’s Award volunteering  

- Future training and career opportunities  

It also demonstrates something that cannot always be shown through qualifications alone: you  chose to give your time and get involved.  

You don’t have to be an expert 

You don’t need to be a qualified sports coach, youth worker or experienced event organiser to  volunteer at DBC.  

Our volunteers come from different backgrounds and have different skills and experiences. What matters is being reliable, enthusiastic, willing to learn and happy to get involved.  

There are lots of different ways to contribute, from helping with activities and sports to supporting  events, fundraising, trips, set-up and general activities.  

You can learn as you go and build your experience along the way.  

Start of something bigger 

Volunteering can give you much more than something to add to the bottom of your CV. It can help  you build confidence, meet new people, develop practical skills, discover new interests and  become more involved in your local community.  

And while you’re helping young people create friendships, learn new skills and make memories,  you could be building valuable experience for your own future too.  

Looking for your next role? 

If you’re looking for a way to gain experience, develop your skills and make a difference in your  local community, volunteering at DBC Club for Young People could be a great place to start.  

Email the team, and let us know you’d love to get involved!