Go Volunteer Glos celebrated its first birthday on the 1 June. Since its launch, there has been a huge demand for volunteering opportunities across Gloucestershire, with over 1200 applications made in the last year alone.
Emma Snell, Manager of Go Volunteer Glos said “We have hundreds of different roles on our platform, from nature walks and gardening to helping at homework clubs, mentoring and even roles in social media. The opportunities on Go Volunteer Glos vary in time commitment too, we have everything from a one-off event to evening opportunities right through to those who can make a weekly commitment – no matter what time you have to give, there will be something that suits – even volunteering from home!”
Volunteers’ Week is a national campaign to celebrate the positive impact that volunteers have within their communities and encourages organisations to thank their volunteers. This year, hundreds of organisations took time to appreciate their volunteers during a week-long celebration from 1 to 7 June. Go Volunteer Glos travelled across the county, joining in the festivities, and asked some of the organisations registered on the platform what their volunteers mean to them. A local organisation said: “They create a better environment for now and future next generations”. Another said “Our volunteers literally change lives.”
Emma continued “There are many benefits to volunteering for both the volunteer and local communities, such as meeting new people, gaining new skills, supporting employability training and improving your overall wellbeing. We encourage everyone to give it a try, you never know what you might gain from the experience!”
Upon asking volunteers what advice they would give to someone thinking about volunteering for the first time, a local volunteer said: “Everybody has the right skills and experience to volunteer; everyone can help out and it is incredibly rewarding to spend time volunteering”.
To find out more about volunteering and volunteer opportunities across Gloucestershire please visit www.govolunteerglos.org or find us on Twitter: @GoVolunteerGlos and Facebook: @GoVolunteerGlos
