Why Volunteer?

Some people think that charity should be done as a completely selfless pursuit. Perhaps it should be! But the reality is that we’re all busy and want to enjoy our free time at Imperial, so why bother to do not-for-profit work? Here are a few reasons. Some of them are obvious, some are not…

1. You can make a contribution to people who need our help –whether it’s refugees or drug addicts or people in extreme poverty; the charitable groups at Imperial offer you an opportunity to make a difference. And what’s more, you’ll always be given the opportunity to see what the difference that you’ve made is, whether that means going to Kenya to see the Orphan Project work, or going out to see Richard House’s amazing work with terminally ill kids.
2. You will meet some pretty cool people. Some people see it as a networking opportunity, others just like the socialising. I find that talking to other people at RAG helps me stay sane! If it gets you out from behind your desk and your laptop at Imperial, then it is good.
3. You never know, you might end up finding out that you want to go into not-for-profit work. I started my first year wanting go into Physics but now I think something along the lines of science for development could be interesting. ‘Social Entrepreneurship’ is one of the new big things in the world, and there’s a huge amount of funding for people interested in such ventures. Charity work can be a great introduction to the field and can help you find a product that needs developing.
4. You can travel loads. RAG organises charity trips to Kilimanjaro; I’ve just got back from an attempt at climbing up Everest. That… didn’t go so well… but it was still a great experience! Friends of mine have been off to Kenya, South Africa and there was even a team that went to El Salvador to volunteer this summer. If you want to see the world and make a real difference too, then sign up for one of these trips now.
5. Volunteering recognition – not-for-profit work is something that people are sometimes uncomfortable being rewarded for, but you can work towards an Imperial Plus volunteering certificate or a National Volunteering Qualification. Whilst these are just bits of paper, they recognise the development of important skills like communication and delegation that are key to not just charity work but also jobs in general.
6. It will make you more employable! I hate to use the ‘CV’ word but you don’t want to be one of those people that end up sitting behind a desk at their first job and can’t communicate with their office mate to save their life. Volunteering will expose you to all kinds of situations that are unfamiliar and will force you to develop your own skills. I don’t think I would be nearly as confident writing for Felix if I hadn’t done any charity stuff!

Feel free to email me if you have any questions! Ben

rag.treasurer@imperial.ac.uk