My son and I are both struggling to find work at the moment. He’s just finished university and looking for his first job, and I’m retired but need to top up my income. We’ve both been sending out applications for a while now, could unpaid work help us find something?
Whether you’re trying to get into work for the first time or after time off, finding a job can be really challenging. It’s always a good idea to think about what skills or experience you could be missing for the kind of work you want, especially when feeling stuck after weeks or months of sending out job applications.
If you can afford to take unpaid work, it can be a good way to plug gaps in your CV and get a taste for different types of jobs. These sorts of roles usually come in the form of volunteering, work experience, or internships.
If you receive welfare benefits, you should check the Citizens Advice website before taking unpaid work. And because the rules around unpaid internships are complicated, you should also check the Citizens Advice website before applying for this type of role. If you would prefer to speak to someone, our Advisers can help.
Volunteer roles are often well-defined and can expose you to specific types of work, whether you’re looking for experience in an office or something more practical like supporting people in your local community. Charities, including Citizens Advice, usually have a range of opportunities available. For more general information visit the Citizens Advice website.
Being a volunteer doesn’t just give you a chance to learn and improve skills that are transferable to paid work, it can also help you gain confidence and self-esteem in a professional setting, and provide structure to your day or week. This can set you up well for job applications and interviews by showing employers you’ve got transferable skills, relevant experience, and are ready to enter paid work.
Volunteering at Citizens Advice Charnwood
Our volunteers are at the heart of our service and we welcome people from all backgrounds.
We currently have 54 volunteers who live in and around the Charnwood area and who give over 200 hours per week to run our core service. They volunteer with us for different reasons but most would agree they find the work both challenging and rewarding, particularly when it can have such a positive impact on local people’s lives.
For more information, including how to apply, please visit our volunteer page or you can email: training@charnwoodcab.co.uk and our Volunteer Support & Training Officer, Denise, will be happy to give you a call.
For people living or working in Charnwood and needing help & advice our LOCAL ENQUIRY LINE is 01509 649605 – open Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays 9.30am – 3.00pm