Volunteering
Help with finding employment or improving your employment related skills
Volunteering can be a great way to build your confidence, learn new skills that will help you find employment and make new friends too. If you volunteer for a charity you support, you can also find a lot of personal satisfaction and enjoyment from it too.
It also looks great on your CV and can make you stand out and seem more appealing to a prospective employer. In a tough jobs market, this can make a significant difference to your chances of getting that job.
Whilst you will not be paid for your time, you will be paid for any out of pocket expenses, which usually includes things such as travel expenses. If any training is needed, this is also usually paid for by the organisation you volunteer for too.
Volunteer work would not affect your right to claim any benefits (although you would need to advise the relevant benefits office). For more information about volunteering whilst claiming various benefits, see the Volunteer England fact sheet.
You can find volunteer opportunities in Poole by contacting Poole Volunteer Centre at:
www.poolevolunteercentre.org.uk
Tel: 01202 675100
Poole Volunteer Centre, 54 Lagland Street, Poole, BH15 1QG.