Why volunteer?

Whether you are a student or a member of staff, whether you have two hours to spare every Wednesday or are looking for something to do once in a while on a Sunday morning, volunteering could be for you.

Volunteering is about giving something back to the community and helping others, but it's a great way to help yourself too. You can:

"I volunteered with the Children's Society facilitating focus groups as part of the Good Childhood Inquiry. As a Volunteer Facilitator, I planned and facilitated four sessions - two at a secondary school, and two at a youth offenders institution . I had a very positive experience in this role. It did not take up a lot of my time and thus detract from my studies. However, I was given a large amount of responsibility and I was able to use skills that I had developed in a previous job and knowledge I had obtained during my studies at LSE (qualitative research methods).

All in all, I found the experience worthwhile and rewarding.

Ben Bryant, MSc Government

Develop your skills

In today's competitive graduate job market, academic qualifications are rarely enough to get you to the top of a pile of applications. A first class degree from a top university shows your academic intelligence, but it does not necessarily demonstrate how well you work in a team or how you deal with difficult situations.

Employers want to see evidence of how you cope in situations that you may find yourself encountering in your day-to-day working life. Throwing yourself into a volunteering project will test your interpersonal, team-building and problem-solving skills, all while you are enjoying yourself, making friends and helping the local community.

Members of LSE staff who choose to volunteer during their evenings or weekends will also gain a huge amount and boost their CVs. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to learn new skills and use your expertise in ways that you may not have the opportunity to do in your day job.

A change of direction? Change your life?

Volunteering allows you to experiment and develop your interests by working in many different areas and sectors. According to Student Volunteering England, 40 per cent of student volunteers are so deeply affected by their volunteering that their career path takes a new direction. (See The Art of Crazy Paving: volunteering for enhanced employability, published by Student Volunteering UK.)

Give something back

Volunteering gives you the opportunity to give something back to the community and make a difference to people's lives. Many organisations that provide invaluable services to the community would not be able to function without the dedicated work of volunteers. You will find a huge sense of satisfaction knowing that giving up a little of your time can make such an impact.

Who can volunteer?

Volunteering is something that everyone can be involved in. Some projects may require certain skills, but most projects simply require enthusiasm!