This Student Volunteering Week (7 – 13 February), Community First Yorkshire is reminding young people of the benefits of volunteering and encouraging them to pick up the volunteering gauntlet.

Volunteering helps improve wellbeing, develops skills for employability and gives students a chance to make a valuable contribution to their local community.

Jane Colthup, Chief Executive of Community First Yorkshire, a charity that promotes volunteering across North Yorkshire, said: “We know that doing good makes us feel good; why not start your volunteering journey whilst you’re a student and feel good now?

“Young people are passionate advocates for making a difference and a great way to do this is by volunteering. At the same time, as learning valuable skills to help employability students will be boosting their wellbeing.”

Findings from the Institute for Volunteering Research (IVR) showed that 51% of graduates under 30 who are in paid work said volunteering helped them to secure employment.

If you’re looking for volunteering roles, Community First Yorkshire has a ‘Volunteering in North Yorkshire’ directory listing volunteering opportunities across the county. Simply register and then you can browse by role, cause or location to find something tailor made for you.

Jane concludes: “Giving the gift of your time can be done to fit around your college or university work – we’ve seen a huge increase in flexible volunteering roles since the start of the pandemic. You can volunteer from home or get out and about, whatever suits you.

“From being a shopping angel to a volunteer youth worker, what better way is there to gain skills, boost your mental health and do something good for your community?”

Visit Volunteering in North Yorkshire to find a volunteering role to suit you.

ENDS

Media enquiries: contact Jo Fox, Marketing & Communications Manager on 01904 704177 jo.fox@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk