Case study
Volunteering at VAC to Gain Skills for Employment
We are able to offer varied volunteering opportunities to people wanting to improve their skills whilst doing something constructive to support the local community and voluntary sector in Camden.
This volunteer had never had a job in an office. She volunteered at VAC for 1.5 years which helped her develop essential skills to help her in her search for paid employment, including skills in IT, admin and communication.
Volunteering for VAC has improved my confidence and I believe it has helped me to gain experience to assist in my vocational development in working towards employment. The various trainings provided by VAC for volunteers have also helped me to learn new skills and brush up my knowledge about various topics.
Q. Why did you decide to start volunteering?
I decided to start volunteering because I believe it will help me to get work experience, build up my confidence and prepare me for employment. I heard about VAC through a volunteering fair which was organised by Volunteer Centre Camden.
Q. Can you tell us a little bit about what you have been/ were doing as a volunteer?
My tasks included updating the organisation’s database (lamplight) profile and other organisational details and to make sure that the data recorded was accurate and up-to-date before publishing it on the OneCamden directory. Also to provide data-entry support to enter VAC and VAC project work outcomes and evaluations on the database.
Q. Can you tell us a bit about what it was like being a volunteer at VAC?
As a volunteer at VAC I have developed a lot of skills. I have never worked in an office environment before, so I have developed skills like administrative skills and organisation skills. It has also improved my communication skills and IT skills. I have met new people have learned to work well as part of a team. I have also learned a lot about the voluntary sector i.e voluntary organisations and how they provide such great help to local communities..
Volunteering for VAC has improved my confidence and I believe it has helped me to gain experience to assist in my vocational development in working towards employment. The various trainings provided by VAC for volunteers have also helped me to learn new skills and brush up my knowledge about various topics.
Q. Would you recommend VAC for other people wanting to volunteer?
Yes, I would recommend VAC for other people wanting to volunteer. VAC is a good place to volunteer as it helps volunteers to gain more experience, to learn new skills and to boost their confidence.
