Volunteer experiences

The reasons why people get into volunteering are as varied as the individuals themselves.

The old idea of a volunteer being somebody with lots of time to spare who is looking for something to do is a long-vanished stereotype. Primarily, people volunteer because they want to help others — it’s a valuable and important motive — but their reasons are frequently more complicated; they volunteer because they want to be active and involved as well as useful.

Volunteers may want to learn new skills, share a skill they already have, or practice a skill in order to be ready for a paid job that needs it. Some are devoted to a particular cause, others have a passionate attachment to their local community, while many just want to do something they love.

Taking on a job that needs doing for a few hours a week can be an excellent way to build self-esteem and confidence after a period away from work. And everybody benefits from meeting people, making new friends and having new experiences.

Most people get more out of volunteering than they expected. Find out from some of our volunteers what volunteering has meant to them, how they have used the Volunteer Centre and the organisations we work with, and see how volunteering can change your life.

Are you an active volunteer in Thornbury or nearby? We would like to include your account of volunteering. We know that most people have an interesting story to tell that will resonate with potential volunteers. We have prepared a short questionnaire in PDF format. Download it, print it out, complete it and post it to us. Thanks!