Apprentice star says giving time increases job prospects

Nine out of ten people say ‘volunteering increases job prospects’ according to a new survey by CSV (30 March 2009).

The survey carried out amongst former volunteers, by the UK’s leading volunteering charity, shows that giving up between 4 – 12 months improves employability and much needed skills.

Key survey findings include:

• 91% say the experience boosts job prospects

• 84% say the experience increases employability

• 96% say the experience develops skills

• 77% say the experience helps distinguish you from other job seekers

• 73% say redundancy would make them more likely to volunteer

The findings reveal that by giving between 4–12 months of your time for the good of the community gives job seekers the edge in the jobs market, with 71% of survey respondents agreeing ‘volunteering is a positive way to ride out the credit crunch’.
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"Volunteering widens your social network and new contacts always lead to new opportunities."
Claire Young, from BBC TV's 'The Apprentice'
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With the UK facing the sharpest cuts in graduate vacancies, and thousands of young people making tough choices about their careers, BBC Apprentice star Claire Young is backing the drive to get people up to the age of 35 taking up volunteering as a positive way to ride out the credit crunch.

Claire says: "To run a business and be successful in work you need to be a good leader and have a wide range of interpersonal skills you can gain from stepping up to help others.

Volunteering also widens your social network and new contacts always lead to new opportunities.  If you are unemployed and volunteering it shows employers that you've done more than just sit around. It's really important to get the message out there, especially to young people, that volunteering is a great way to get you noticed in a competitive jobs market."

From Bourneville, Birmingham, Joanne Mackarill 26, volunteered with CSV for a year between 2002 & 2003. After dropping out of a college course and not knowing which way to turn, she wanted to do something positive that she could "stick at", which also involved living away from home.

"I know it sounds clichéd but volunteering really did change my life. I was living at home (again) after dropping out of a university course I hated, and I didn't know what to do with my life. All I knew at the time was that I wanted to do something positive in the community and was desperate not to end up just doing 'any old rubbish job'."
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"Volunteering helped me turn things around when I was really uncertain about my future ... I'm now in a job I love."
Joanne Mackarill, former CSV volunteer
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"When I started my volunteering I found it really challenging and I really had to step up and really push myself in a tough environment. My volunteering involved helping a disabled student live independently, so he could complete his degree.

The work was hard but I'm so glad I stuck at it. In fact, it was first thing I had finished properly for a long time and so the experience gave me a lot confidence that I didn't have when I started. This confidence helped me get back on track and get on a course at University, which I wouldn't have been able to do unless I'd volunteered."

"Volunteering helped me turn things around when I was really uncertain about my future. It also definitely helped me develop skills which I know helped me get the job I'm in now with the British Red Cross in Birmingham. In a job I love."

From London (originally Dorset), Lizzie, 25, volunteered with CSV for a year between 2004 and 2005 after finishing her degree in French and German at Bristol University. After graduating, Lizzie knew she wanted to work in the media, but didn’t have anything lined up and knew she had to get different skills post university. 

She joined a residential Scope school in Cardiff for children with cerebral palsy.

Lizzie, now living in London said it was the best thing she ever did. “I learnt so much from doing it and I had the opportunity to work with people who are really passionate about what they are doing. The work was really challenging and sometimes quite hard. Both my parents are registered blind but nothing prepared me for the challenge of working with children with multiple needs and disabilities.”
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"Volunteering definitely made me stand out at interviews because so many questions are competency based ..."
Lizzie, former CSV volunteer
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Now working in PR for Help the Aged, Lizzie adds: “My volunteering definitely made me stand out at interviews because so many questions are competency based around ‘how have you dealt with a challenging situation at work’, and you are able to draw on your experience, which I wouldn’t have been able to do unless I’d volunteered.  Volunteering definitely gives your CV a different angle too, and shows you haven’t spent your whole time at university working in a bar.”
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"Volunteering makes your CV stand out and proves your dedication."
Emily Cook, former CSV volunteer
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From Worcester, Emily Cook volunteered on a CSV project in York for 4 months in 2008 that combines project management, events, marketing, PR and youth work. The experience she gained has given her the skills to feel confident in interviews, and she is currently working as an Administrative Support Officer for the Fire and Rescue Services in Gloucestershire.

Emily says: “With the skills I developed, I managed to get a good job with responsibilities coordinating national meetings, so it helped me gain good interpersonal skills and increased my confidence on the phone and in meetings.”

Emily adds: “When searching for future work I will definitely compensate for any gap in my skill set by looking to volunteer, as it shows great commitment and is a great way of getting job related training without having to step in at entry-level work. In today’s climate when there are 30 people going for every job, volunteering makes your CV stand out and proves your dedication. What better way is there to stand out from crowd?”

From Leeds, David Fowles, 27, volunteered with CSV for 10 months in 2002 in a school for 11-18 year olds students with special needs. After graduating with a maths and physics degree, David felt uncertain about his future but is now teaching in a school in Leeds.
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"It built up my confidence, and through it I gained some life experience."
David Fowles, former CSV volunteer
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He said: “When I left university the one thing I said I would never do was become a teacher, because my mum was a teacher and I know the challenges she faced. But volunteering as a classroom assistant actually made me want to become a teacher, because I enjoyed interacting with the students and it was really fulfilling.”

When it came to applying for my PGCE at Leeds University, it showed my commitment to the profession and I know it helped in the application process. It built up my confidence, and through it I gained some life experience.

Melissa Kime, 23, from London volunteered with CSV between September 2006 and August 2007, at a day centre for people with mental health needs in Leeds. The experience and skills she gained helped her secure a place on a sought after two-year diploma course in mental health nursing.

Melissa said: “My previous degree was unrelated and so my volunteering experience with CSV really helped me get onto the accelerated nursing course. It was really good for me because it helped me focus on what I wanted to do. It also made me more independent and more assertive around people especially in the work place."
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"It definitely gives your CV the 'X factor' with job applications, because employers know you are more committed - and this counts for a lot in nursing."
Melissa Kime, former CSV volunteer
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"When I was volunteering at the day centre it was really tough at first, because I was living away from home and without the security of the university environment - which can get to you, especially not knowing anyone. But the experience really helped me grow up and it made me even more motivated about my career and it helped me plan for the future and just think more carefully about what I wanted to achieve."

"Volunteering is a really good thing because it helped my college application stand out above the rest. It definitely gives your CV the 'X factor' with job applications, because employers know you are more committed - and this counts for a lot in nursing."

"It also helped me improve my skills in communication and group work which I've been able to use with clients while on placement."

Melissa is now in her final year of nursing training at Kings College London. She expects to graduate in September when she will hopefully work in an inpatient setting/mental health ward.

The CSV survey is boosted by a rise in the number of ‘volunteering’ applications with the charity seeing a 20% increase in applications since January 2009 compared with the same period in 2008.

Is Szoneberg, Director for Full-Time Volunteering at CSV said: “Our survey shows the benefits volunteering gives people in securing work. With a tougher employment market we are seeing renewed enthusiasm and a demand for more volunteers, and the experiences of our former volunteers have shown us how important giving up time to help others is, as a route back to work.

To anyone worrying about jobs now our message is clear – volunteering improves employment prospects and is a chance to do something really worthwhile to ride out the worst of the credit crunch."

With financial experts predicting that the credit crunch will last until 2010, and leading employers already predicting a cut in graduate vacancies for 2009 by 5.4%, CSV is challenging people up to the age of 35 to take up to a year placement and start re-applying for jobs when the worst is over.
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"The graduate who can point to having worked in a volunteering capacity will certainly stand out in a positive way."
Carl Gilleard, Chief Executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters
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Carl Gilleard, Chief Executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters, said: “Employers, especially these days, are on the lookout for the candidate who stands out from the crowd. The graduate who can point to having worked in a volunteering capacity will certainly stand out in a positive way. The volunteering experience helps to develop important ‘employability’ skills which not only strengthen job applications but also enhance the ability of graduates to ‘hit the ground running’ in the working environment.”

CSV offers full-time volunteering opportunities to people between 16 years and 35 years of age who commit to between 4-12 months on community projects. They receive free accommodation, food and travel expenses, plus money to live on.

For further press information:
CSV Press Office 020 7812 0037,
mobile 07866 757 389

Latest press releases at www.csv.org.uk/press

Notes for editors

1) The CSV survey was carried out between 02 March 2009 and 20 March 2009.  The survey interviewed 276 ‘former’

volunteers, who have volunteered with CSV between 2000 & 2009.

2) According to the Graduate Recruiters Survey (2009): ‘financial experts are predicting that the credit crunch will last until 2010

3) CSV (Community Service Volunteers) is the UK’s leading volunteer charity and creates opportunities for people to take an active part in the life of their community through volunteering, training and community action.  Each year 164,000 people give 4.1 million hours of their time as volunteers through CSV. www.csv.org.uk

To find out more about volunteering for people aged 16-35 call 0800 374 991 or visit the website www.csv.org.uk/standout to apply online.