About Us

Becomeavolunteer.org.uk is an organisation set up to give charities in northern Ireland the ability to search for volunteers instead of waiting for volunteers to come to them.

Research into 100 charities found that over 75% of charities rely heavily on volunteers for the day to day duties and events throughout the year, without volunteers many of these charities would simply not be able to survive.

Why Volunteer?

People choose to volunteer for a variety of reasons. For some, it offers the chance to give something back to the community or make a difference to the people around them. For others, it provides an opportunity to develop new skills or build on existing experience and knowledge. Regardless of the motivation, what unites them all is that they find it both challenging and rewarding.

Below are some of the reasons people choose to volunteer. For some it provides an opportunity to:

Give something back to an organisation that has impacted on a person's life, either directly or indirectly
Make a difference to the lives of others
Help the environment
Help others less fortunate or without a voice
Feel valued and part of a team
Spend quality time away from work or a busy lifestyle
Gain confidence and self-esteem

For some, volunteering can be a route to employment, or a chance to try something new which may lead to a career change. From this perspective, volunteering can be a way of:

Gaining new skills, knowledge and experience
Developing existing skills and knowledge
Enhancing a CV
Improving one's employment prospects
Gaining an accreditation
Using one's professional skills and knowledge to benefit others (usually described as pro bono)

For others, volunteering appeals because of its social benefits. These include:

Meeting new people and making new friends
A chance to socialise
Getting to know the local community