With nearly a million young people unemployed throughout the UK, many are choosing a Gap Year in this country as a constructive alternative to claiming benefits and to bring them closer to the labour market.

A Gap Year with UK volunteering charity, CSV will boost a young person’s employability with many prospective employers impressed by their skills in problem solving, decision-making and communication.

Young people concerned by the difficult jobs market and rising cost of university tuition fees can opt to gain skills and improve their CV by volunteering to mentor young people, support homeless people and enable people with disabilities to live independently. A Gap Year with CSV lasts 6-12 months and does not cost a penny.  Volunteers live away from home in local communities throughout the UK and are provided with free accommodation, subsistence and travel expenses.

CSV surveyed former volunteers and found their Gap Year to have been highly positive with 9 in 10 stating the experience boosts their job prospects.  Other key findings are:
 
•    84% say the experience increases employability
•    96% say the experience develops skills
•    77% say the experience helps distinguish them from other job seekers

BBC Five Live Presenter, Rachel Burden, says: “I spent my CSV gap year being the hands and feet of an extraordinarily inspirational woman who lives a full and meaningful life despite being paralysed. Volunteers enable her to live independently and to retain control despite acute physical impairment. It had a profound effect on my life and the benefits of volunteering are endless! I found volunteering enormously rewarding; it increased my confidence, I learnt new life skills, I made friends and most importantly, I had a huge amount of fun.”

Is Szoneberg, CSV Director for Gap Year volunteering, says: “Unemployed young people wishing to volunteer can be an invaluable resource to tackling real need throughout the UK. A common misconception of unemployed young people is that they are lazy and a problem to society but as volunteers they bring an abundance of energy and enthusiasm. The benefits of volunteering are enormous; not only do people find their dream career, they gain personal development, learn to overcome challenges, they increase their independence and gain a real sense of achievement and responsibility; vital skills for any career.”

Recruiters say volunteering can plan a vital role in future careers, Matthew Parker, National Graduate Recruitment Manager at KPMG, commented: "If people have a gap year programme they are much better equipped to cope with our selection process for both our ‘School Leaver’ and ‘Graduate’ programmes, which focus on KPMG’s core competencies; many of which they would have developed during their GAP year. Applicants who have done volunteer work in their year off have far more experience to talk about and can draw on real life examples of how they have developed the skills we are looking for. A gap year is a win both for KPMG and the individual who does it."

Case studies

Charlie Prichard, 24 from Kent was determined to be an Officer at the Royal Navy, but he was told to develop his teamwork and leadership skills before they considered his application. He applied for a Gap Year with CSV and volunteered for eight months at a regional activity centre for GirlGuiding Anglia in Norfolk. During his time at GirlGuiding, he taught groups of young people of mixed ability to kayak, rock climb and various other tasks.  

“When I re-applied to the Royal Navy, my volunteering was commented by the Admiralty Interview Board. Due to a marked improvement in all areas that were being assessed at the board (team work, group management, leadership and communication skills) I received confirmation shortly afterwards that I had been successful at the interview and I am to begin training in January 2011 at Dartmouth, a result that I do not feel would have been possible had it not been for my experience in Norfolk.

“I would thoroughly recommend volunteering with CSV to anyone wanting to give something back to the community, expand their CV or just to try something a little bit different - however as with most things in life, you only get out what you put in. Although it is very hard work, both physically and mentally, the benefits far outweigh the negatives and I have already recommended to some of my friends that they look at volunteering with CSV."

Celine McCartney, 23 from Bournemouth graduated in Cardiff but found it very difficult to find a job. She applied to for a Gap Year with CSV and thought it was the perfect opportunity to develop some valuable life skills and work experience in social care. Celine was offered a placement at Womaston School in Wales; a residential school supporting students with learning disabilities, autism and challenging behaviour.

“My placement has helped me decide that I want to work in a caring profession to help improve and make a difference to people’s lives. I have now decided I want to be an Occupational Therapist.  I am currently in the process of applying to a Masters Course in Occupational Therapy and my experience of volunteering in a social care environment will help support my applications greatly as Universities often express a desire for experience in the social care sector. This placement has been an ideal opportunity for me to not only help others, but to develop myself and as well as to help confirm my future career path.”

Tracey Rayner, 27 from Stockton-on-Tees chose to do a Gap Year with CSV as she had been made redundant from her Guidance and Support Worker job. Her volunteering role involved supporting six adults with learning disabilities in their shared home as a live in support worker. After five months the organisation offered her a full time job. “I was responsible for administering medication, assisting to cook meals, a small amount of personal care and supporting tenants out in the community to lead an independent, fulfilling life.”
 
“I achieved a great sense of satisfaction and reward from the role. I gained experience of working with people with learning disabilities and enjoyed this very much.  My advice to people considering becoming future CSV volunteers would be to just do it, you never know where you'll end up, what you'll experience and whatever it is you're sure to learn something new. To begin with I was concerned about not having the salary I'd been used to for so long and being completely out of my 'normal' environment but I managed my money and loved the difference of being away from home, it was certainly different but by far an excellent decision for me personally.”

Joe Blacknell, 22 from Cambridge volunteered for 10 months supporting a PhD student with a disability, enabling him to live independently in halls of residence at Coventry University. “The volunteers assisted with day to day tasks but there was a lot of variety and on some days I helped out with typing some of an 80,000 word essay.”

“Volunteering has made me feel more confident in my own abilities, I have learnt a lot about other people and myself. I have gained invaluable experience in a care work role which is really useful for my future, as I now wish to become a nurse. My advice for anyone who is considering volunteering is that they should go for it. It is so rewarding to help someone else, and it’s a real adventure!”

For more information about gap year volunteering for people aged 18 to 35 call 0800 374 991 or visit the website www.csv.org.uk/gapyear to apply online.

For more press information contact: Francesca Toma or Jason Tanner on 020 7812 0037 / 38 or ftoma@csv.org.uk / jtanner@csv.org.uk or 07966 168686 / 07941 433598

Notes for editors:
 
1)    CSV (Community Service Volunteers) creates opportunities for people to take an active part in the life of their communities through volunteering, training and community action. Last year 165,666 people gave their time as volunteers through CSV. The charity trained 13,423 people of all ages. www.csv.org.uk

2)    Volunteers can start their 6-12 month placement at any time during the year.  Full-time volunteers are aged 18-35 years.  Volunteers are given the opportunity to work on exciting projects supporting homeless people, socially excluded people, disabled and elderly people.

3)    The CSV survey was carried out between 02 March 2009 and 20 March 2009. The survey interviewed 276 former full time volunteers, who have volunteered with CSV between 2000 and 2009.