Did you know that a volunteer opportunity could support finding paid employment?

Just like employees, volunteers build skills, communication, leadership, awareness, knowledge, and much more. These skills will help you prepare for the work environment as it gives you experience interacting with others to complete a task. It also places you in a position where you are connecting and collaborating with the community…which can be beneficial to your health and well-being.

I am currently working with a job seeker to find a volunteer site to build upon their strengths and skills. Their long-term goal is to secure paid employment where they can use the experience they gained while volunteering. Through my discussions with many volunteer sites, I learned that many volunteer roles can lead to paid employment if the volunteer meets the requirements of the open position.

Gaining experience as a volunteer is a great opportunity for people who are retired or who have been out of the workforce for a while, as it enables them to acquire new skills. Since volunteers are not being paid, people with other financial supports, such as social security retirement income or savings, can make volunteering more feasible. According to a Merrill Lynch study, retirees provide 45 percent of the total hours volunteered, even though they are only 31 percent of the U.S. adult population.

Overall, volunteering is a great opportunity to build your skills, connect with others, and/or find employment. To learn more about opportunities to volunteer at Daily Work, please contact Judy Sharken Simon, volunteer and operations manager. Right now we are seeking volunteers to teach computer skills, help deliver TECI computers, and improve data quality.