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Make a real difference to real people – volunteer
Approximately 14 million people in England took part in formal volunteering opportunities at least once in the last year (2020/21), which is an incredible statistic. Every year Volunteers’ Week is celebrated from 1-7 June and is the perfect chance to recognise the fantastic contribution volunteers make to the community and say thank you!
Zetetick Housing provides specialist accommodation for vulnerable adults with learning difficulties, complex needs, autism and mental health issues. Our supported living properties help our tenants to lead happy, independent lives in homes of their own, while being able to access the support they need. Over the past two years, volunteers have played an integral part in us being able to reach more families, and help more people.
We are so lucky to have a team of dedicated social media, copywriting and gardening volunteers who dedicate their energy and spare time making a difference. Everything they do has a direct impact to us a charity; our digital presence is vital to attracting new partners to work with and communicate our mission to a wider audience, the regular web articles allow us to delve further into the issues that matter to us and giving some TLC to the gardens at our properties give our beneficiaries a haven to spend some downtime.
The volunteering opportunities with Zetetick make a difference not only to the people we support and the community but also to you through the invaluable experience gained and professional growth – it really is a win-win situation!
Volunteering opportunities near me
Volunteering opportunities near meVolunteering can really broaden your horizons – perhaps you are looking for more experience to help you land that dream job or are considering changing career path or sector.
Your time spent volunteering will allow you to learn new skills and sharpen old ones whilst honing your teamwork, communication and time management skills. You will also have the chance to network with a whole new team of people and boost your number of professional connections.Β All of this will enhance your CV and increase your employability.
According to CharityJob, here are the top five things volunteering reveals about you to potential employers:
- It shows you’re passionate
- It shows that you have a growth mindset
- It shows you like to spend your time proactively
- It shows you have more than just role-related skills
- It shows you have connections
Research conducted by the professional service network Deloitte revealed that 82% of hiring managers are more likely to choose a candidate with volunteering experience, and 85% of those are willing to overlook other CV flaws when a candidate includes volunteer work.
Gain fulfilment and new friends
As well as all the professional benefits, taking up one of our volunteering opportunities will give you the satisfaction of knowing you are doing something which makes a real, tangible difference to people’s lives. You are doing good for others and the community, which provides a natural sense of accomplishment; a healthy boost to your self-confidence and self-esteem makes it more likely you will have a positive view of your life and future goals.
Volunteering is also a great way to meet new people, boost your social skills and make lifelong friends, especially if you are new to an area.Β It can also help to ease the symptoms of depression, as a key risk factor is social isolation. Volunteering keeps you in regular contact with others and helps you develop a solid support system, which in turn protects you against stress and depression when youβre going through challenging times.
The physical activity and spending time outdoors involved in gardening volunteering can also be good for your health at any age.
Don’t just take our word for it!
The benefits of volunteer roles are profound – have a read of testimonials of some of our volunteers, past and present:
Emma, engagement volunteer turned employee
“Volunteering with Zetetick has been an amazing experience for me. Browsing through doit.life for volunteers wanted I found Zetetick Housing Charity and immediately connected with the mission, as I understand the importance of supported living and how it transforms the lives of those who benefit from it.
I was made to feel very welcome and as part of the team immediately and felt that my contribution was valued by the charity. I have been involved in areas such as social media strategy and engagement, planning/creating/scheduling social media content, as well as regularly writing articles on a range of subjects for this website!
Throughout my time at Zetetick, I have been given the opportunity to develop my professional skills in a wide variety of areas whilst also knowing that my work is contributing in some way to improving the lives of our tenants. I have also really enjoyed meeting some lovely people. I am so happy to now be working as a permanent member of staff as Engagement & Development Officer!”
Isabel, political communication postgraduate and social media volunteer
“Volunteering for Zetetick’s social media was a fantastic opportunity. It was great to work for an excellent charity that helps those marginalised by society, while also gaining valuable work experience that enabled me to get the graduate role I wanted. Zetetick gave me training for programmes like Hootsuite and WordPress, while also giving me the freedom to trial different social media posts and see what did well. I would recommend anyone hoping to work in marketing or communications to take a look at the volunteering opportunities and get in touch with the lovely team at Zetetick.”
Jennifer, psychology postgraduate and copywriting volunteer
“Charity Volunteering for Zetetick has been such a rewarding experience. I love being able to contribute to the amazing work the charity is involved with and make a positive difference.
The team have been very supportive and given me the opportunity to learn new skills which I have added to my CV. I now feel much more confident applying to my first job in digital marketing.Β Volunteering has helped my CV stand out and has been an important talking point in interviews to demonstrate my relevant skills and experience. Β
I am very happy that I have been able to volunteer for Zetetick.”
Want to get involved? Make a difference – check out our current volunteer jobs!
For full details on our volunteering opportunities, take a look at our profile on Do It:
We can’t wait to hear from you!
