What are the benefits of volunteering?
Louise Aldridge | 23 May 2023With The Big Help Out campaign continuing throughout the summer and Volunteers Week (1-7 June) fast approaching, now is the perfect time to think about volunteering. However, you might be wondering, "What are the benefits of volunteering?"
Free webinar recording on the benefits of volunteering
Join us for a free lunch and learn session on Tuesday 6 June at 1pm BST, where guests Bethan Richmond, Digital Inclusion Programme Manager for Capgemini UK, and Joe Tunesi, Community Relationship Officer at AbilityNet will be sharing information on ‘How volunteering can benefit you or your organisation’.
In the webinar, we discussed:
- The advantages of corporate volunteering for your organisation, your employees, and the people that volunteering supports
- The volunteer opportunities that Capgemini provides for its employees
- How volunteering can boost your mental health
- Volunteers' experiences of volunteering and the values of doing so
- Answered your questions about volunteering and corporate social responsibility (CSR) to the panel
What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?
CSR is a means for businesses to contribute to or engage in activities of a charitable or ethically oriented nature, that support the communities and environment in which they operate.
CSR can simply be a day where employees can get out of their usual work environment and bond as a team whilst volunteering and giving back to their communities.
For example, Consol Partners completed the National 3 Peaks Challenge in aid of AbilityNet, which in return contributed to their own CSR. Detailing why they chose to support AbilityNet with their challenge, the team said:
"We are supporting AbilityNet, a charity close to our hearts helping people do things so many of us take for granted... As a Company that drives innovation through talent, ConSol Partners believes that by promoting diversity, equality and inclusion, the power of technology can be accessible to all!"
Why should I become a volunteer for AbilityNet?
As one of our volunteers, Piotr Wikarski says: "It is heartwarming to experience the gratitude of the people I help when volunteering. Sometimes I might be the only IT help available for them. I feel that my service sometimes really makes a significant impact, even it is only a very basic IT support on my part. Today I work in IT professionally, but I continue my volunteer service as this is an amazing experience that enriches my life."
Why not join Piotr and AbilityNet's community of over 300 volunteers, and help support older people and disabled people with their technology?
Find out more about volunteering