Volunteering during the cost of living crisis: Is it worth it?  

Hello!

It’s Amy here and I’d like to talk to you again about the benefits of volunteering and why it’s worthwhile to volunteer.

Lots of us might be thinking that it’s not affordable, especially in the current climate and that you can’t be giving your time for free. You might be afraid of spending more because of having to pay for fuel or buses to get to your volunteering location and so on.

We all need money, right?

Nothing is cheap these days and the price of living has caused problems for lots of people so I can see why many of us might not consider volunteering as a sustainable option these days.

BUT… There are lots of good things about volunteering too.

The Upsides of Volunteering

Volunteering somewhere that’s not at home will reduce the amount of energy that you use (so that you save money on bills).

Doing voluntary work enhances your employability (which gives you more chances to get better-paid jobs).

Expenses can usually be paid back (for travel and things that need to be paid for while you’re volunteering). If your shift is longer than 4 hours, then you may be provided with food (depending on where you volunteer and what their policies are).

If you choose to volunteer in a charity shop, then you might get first choice of the clothes and other things that they sell and a staff discount.

The NHS and CPFT (Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust) give you NHS staff discounts (which you can use in all sorts of places), like restaurants and shops.

Some places may give time credits which entitle you to discounts at cinemas and gyms, and much more.

Personal benefits to volunteering

There are also lots of personal benefits to volunteering.

I know from my own experience that doing voluntary work gives me something useful and productive to do.

Gives me a sense of achievement and increases my confidence. I also know from things that I’ve heard, that some people just like to be thanked (or want to give something back to the community) and volunteering makes them feel better about themselves.

Most importantly, volunteers are really the engines that are helping those struggling financially all over the country.

They are the ones helping to keep warm hubs open, distributing parcels at the food banks, cooking community meals and looking after community fridges, working in charity shops and making sure that people can find affordable items they need.

They also give advice in places like the Citizen Advice Bureau or money advisers services which guide and support so many struggling not only to deal with their finances but also to understand the financial support and benefits they are entitled to.

They are the ones making a real difference in people’s lives and being a guiding light during this difficult period.

I’m not saying all this to tell you what you should and shouldn’t do. It’s purely your decision and depends on what’s right for you.

However, it’s worth being aware of what your options are, that volunteering is just as valuable as paid work, if not more, and how important what volunteers do for others is right now.

Remember we are all going through this and we need to stick together!