IF you’ve ever thought of volunteering then get down to the Belfast Careers Resource Centre on Saturdays over the next few weeks.
Volunteer Now will be on-hand (March 23 and every Saturday in April) with local volunteering opportunities to complement advice from the careers team during its new extended weekend opening hours at their Ann Street premises in Belfast.
Fidelma Glass from Volunteer Now said: “We regularly hear how volunteering influences people in the work that they do and the career paths they follow. If you are unemployed and finding it difficult to secure employment or thinking about changing career, but not sure about making a move, volunteering can offer the opportunity to gain experience, develop skills and try out another sector.”
Donna Pitts, from the Department for Employment and Learning’s Careers Service, said: “There are many real professional and personal advantages to giving your time for non-profit work. It can also be an excellent way to gain valuable work experience for your CV and set you apart from the crowd.
“Past charity work says a lot about your character and highlights your good nature. Even more importantly, volunteer positions show potential employers your drive and dedication.”
Julie Meredith, volunteer development manager with Cats Protection, explained how volunteering helped her gain employment in a career she loves.
She said: “My interest in volunteering started at the age of 14 when I volunteered over the summer holidays at a local animal sanctuary. Volunteering has certainly influenced my career in that it allowed me to find out what working in a particular sector would be like and it equipped me with transferable skills and experience that I could use on my CV.”
Everyone is welcome to call in and speak to the Careers Resource Centre team and chat to Volunteer Now staff about volunteering opportunities currently available. For more, visit www.volunteernow.co.uk.
The Careers Resource Centre now provides an additional ‘drop in’ service on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. Appointments are not needed. Further information is available by calling 0300 200 7820 or by logging on to http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/careers