Create a Volunteer Record
Don't just volunteer! Keep a record of what you get up to by logging the skills you develop along the way. Creating a Volunteer Record can help you:
- capture your experiences
- build an evidence base to support your skill development
- reflect on your activities and what you have learnt from them
- discover your own strengths and weaknesses
- develop your c.v.
- prepare for job interviews
All of these things improve your Employability.
What Do We Mean by Employability?
The current concept of employability has been defined as:
"A set of achievements - skills, understandings and personal attributes - that makes graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy." Yorke, M. and Knight, P (2003). Employability in Higher Education. Learning and Employability Series. ESECT:LTSN Generic Centre
How does volunteering help? Well...
You’ll come across as motivated and driven - 80% of employers value volunteering on a CV. (http://timebank.org.uk/key-facts)
The skills you’ll develop are just as important as your degree - 85% of employers say good communication & team-working are the top two skills they look for in graduates. (www.volunteernow.co.uk/fs/doc/Volunteer%20Now%20Youth%20Peer%20Research%20Document%20incl%20front%20and%20back%20covers.pdf)
It can help you get a job and progress in your career - 87% of UK employers think that volunteering can have a positive effect on getting a job and career progression for the 16-25 age group.;www.volunteerscotland.net/policy-and-research/data-and-graphs/local-area-profiles/edinburgh/
This is what your record could look like:
