21/07/2026
✨WORK WORKS... BUT VOLUNTEERING WORKS TOO✨
Work Works and so does volunteering! They have the power to create and give purpose, direction, sense of belonging, community, cohesion, regulation, identity and more importantly joy and hope. That is why it is pivotal to individuals living alongside mental health experiences to seek volunteering and work placements and experiences.
To aspire and aim to reconnect individuals with meaningful work and volunteering that resonates with their values, behaviours, skills and attributes is a beautiful thing. It fosters independence and cultivates greater confidence, the outcome is self esteem and self worth rise; and pride and dignity return. These are precious commodities we all treasure and nurture.
With this in mind, we understand the nationwide narrative to invest and focus upon initiatives that support, help and move individuals out of work, back to work. These initiatives are well received, regarded and commendable.
But...and Yes there is a but; WHERE is the conversation, dialogue, rhetoric for volunteering as a key essential, pivotal and vital tool in moving individuals towards work. Why is volunteering as a tool for getting individuals work ready still not at the top of the agenda.
Volunteering is the "gift that keeps on giving" it provides skill development, self development, community, purpose, direction, connection, training, networking, being present and open to opportunities and yes employment opportunities; however for the most and many it provides JOY! Volunteering for the many quickly turns into "passion projects" and a personal investment into "giving back" to the community in which you live and reside. For those living alongside Mental Health Experiences it is "Recovery through Purposeful Activity".
Volunteering fills gaps in resource and gaps in wellbeing. We have an acronym NEET - Not in Employment Education or Training; so let us work towards moving those individuals into volunteering. Let us help them reconnect, develop, grow and build confidence and be present in their own lives once again and help them Step Forward onto the next step of their journey.
We rely upon volunteers in our essential services, they are the backbone to the society upon which we depend. So Let us change the perception and perspective, let us champion and celebrate the words Volunteer (noun) and volunteering (verb). Let us begin in the classroom, embedding it into our education, culture and children's vocabulary.
"Who wants to volunteer to...?" Children hear this every day almost and need to understand the value and purpose of what they are doing.
It is important the child knows they volunteered, showed willingness, initiative and stepped forward into the unknown to do something for the benefit of others, not just for the benefit of oneself.
Then let us collectively transfer this to the end of the academic journey and let the children/young people know, how important volunteering is on a CV. Companies who have Social Impact and Social Value money at their disposal want to hire people who have volunteering on their CV. It shows the organisation/company cares about their community in which their business operates, it demonstrates that the business recognises the value of volunteering and the value of those who volunteer. Volunteers take pride in their community demonstrating kindness, compassion, selflessness and are passionate about forward movement and being solution focused. This in turn gives the business in which they work the confidence to say our employees have integrity, direction, purpose and a strong moral compass for good.
SO, the question is not -Why should volunteering be considered as part of the employment journey? The question is - How can volunteering not be considered as part of the journey into meaningful employment, a try before you buy experience and approach into a vocational path.
Let us celebrate the Volunteers and say THANK YOU.
