2024 marks the 40th year of Volunteers’ Week (3-9 June), when Volunteer Centre Dorset will join hundreds of charities and voluntary organisations across Dorset recognising the contribution volunteers make.
“Volunteering is an act of kindness that reaches into many aspects of our lives – but we just might not recognise it. It is thanks to the thousands of volunteers who give their time every day, that our environment, schools, courts, sports clubs and emergency services such as the police and RNLI, benefit from this help, and organisations can continue to provide the wonderful and necessary services that they do. We are proud to be part of something so special, and would like to thank everyone who gives their time and knowledge freely to make Dorset a better place.” Marie Waterman CEO – Volunteer Centre Dorset.
The contribution of volunteers is often unseen and unrecognised by many, so taking the time during Volunteers’ Week to celebrate their efforts and all they contribute to our local communities, the voluntary sector and society, has never been more important.
We hope to inspire others and they are encouraged to find a role that best suits them. So many people have skills, experience and knowledge that would be useful to a charity or community group. It is an ideal way for people to be engaged in their community, reduce social isolation and really make a difference.
This Volunteers’ Week we want to remind everyone that volunteering is not just working in charity shops or standing on the high street shaking a bucket. There are so many ways to get involved, from helping at one-off events, dipping in an out as a Community Volunteer doing some shopping or mowing a lawn, or a role that is longer-term or more involved. Lots of people choose to volunteer with an organisation that is close to their heart, where there is an emotional connection.
No matter how you help, it makes a difference to someone’s life. We want anyone who is a volunteer, or benefits from the help of a volunteer to share messages of thanks on social media using the hashtag #volunteeringdorset. We want to pull all the amazing stories and messages together and show Dorset’s volunteers how much we appreciate them.
There is good evidence that volunteering is not only good for our community, but it also helps the people who volunteer. The saying ‘doing good, does you good’ really applies here. Volunteering improves mental health and wellbeing. It can be the reason for someone to get out of the house, connect with their community, learn new skills, make new connections, and try new things.
Volunteer Centre Dorset believes there is a volunteering role for everyone and we are here to help you find the role which best suits your interests and availability.
Volunteering Stats During 2020 (UK Civil Society Almanac 2022)
- 16.3m people volunteered through a group, club or organisation in 2020/21.
- Levels of formal volunteering fell significantly from 2019/20 to in 2020/21.
- More than a quarter of the population were regularly involved in informal volunteering and about half did so at least once in 2020/21.
- Most people have formally volunteered at some point in their lives, dipping in and out of involvement over time.
- People volunteer in different ways, reflecting their lifestyles, values and priorities. The way they get involved has changed during the pandemic.
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