Volunteer Peterborough’s Post

Volunteering is essential to the community, your career, and life. The bad taste some have has more to do with not setting boundaries, than the benefits of volunteerism. Therefore before agreeing understand your limitations, especially time. Learn to let your 'no' mean 'NO'. Non-profits focus on the least. Those of us who have more (knowledge, money, relationships, time) can enhance the impact on the community. Yet, the gems in volunteering are career and personal development. The relationships with clients served to develop essential soft skills. Your under-utilized talents are enhanced (there is always a need for talent). The connections made under the banner of cause can be life-changing. Do not allow people to tell you it is a waste of time. Ensure you are aligned with the cause and communicate your availability. After 30 years of volunteering, I am still touched by the impact and relationships. Yet, I am forever thankful, that nonprofits provided me a platform to highlight talents that were under-utilized in the corporate environment. Thankfully, they noticed. The Bible teaches us to help the least. What better way than volunteering? Let's be GREATER! #volunteers #volunteering #nonprofits #careerdevelopment #personaldvelopment #softskills #whatinspiresme

I used to be so ignorant to the importance of volunteering. In all honesty, I thought it was something people often did to boost their career, put on their CV, or just to say they’ve done it. It wasn’t until recently, I realised just how much non-profits rely on volunteers. As soon as I got my own house, I knew I wanted to foster cats. I’ve had cats my whole life so it was a no brainer really. 🤣 But since starting as a volunteer for Cats Protection, it’s opened my eyes to just how stretched these non-profit organisations are. Their ability to continue the work they do, totally relies on volunteers and donations (which don’t often come in abundance). People think that to volunteer, they need to be willing to give up so much of their free time. Which is not true at all! If you have a few hours you could give up per week, there are so many organisations that would be more than grateful for that. So many companies (like hireful) offer a certain number of days or hours of paid volunteering to employees. But it’s your responsibility to make sure you use it. And yeah, sometimes you’ll be able to find something that is mutually beneficial too… I support my local cats protection branch with social media management, which gives me a whole load of extra experience. 👩🏼💻 (And this is a great option for any of my network that work in marketing!) But I promise you will learn so many more valuable skills and lessons when you volunteer just because it’s a good thing to do, and not for how it looks on your professional profile. And if you can’t volunteer, you can support your local nonprofit organisations by sharing their social media posts to help them raise their profiles, or by donating goods or funds where you can. Here’s a photo of me and one of my foster kittens. Have you ever tried to get a cat to look at a camera? It’s near impossible 😂 #volunteering #volunteer #fostering

This past weekend, I had the privilege of stepping into the boots of Santa Claus at my local church Craft Fair. For the fourth year in a row, I donned the red suit, greeted excited children, and posed for pictures that brought smiles to both kids and their parents. But this role goes beyond spreading holiday cheer—it’s an opportunity to give back. Our Santa photo sessions raised funds for the church’s Outreach program, ensuring that children in need will have presents under the tree this Christmas. Volunteering has been a constant in my life, and during my job search, it’s become even more rewarding. It reminds me of the importance of: ✅ Purpose: Supporting meaningful causes keeps me grounded and focused on the positive impact we can all have. ✅ Community: Connecting with others, whether they’re children excited to meet Santa or parents supporting a great cause, strengthens my relationships and network. ✅ Leadership through service: Volunteering is a great way to demonstrate commitment, reliability, and the ability to bring people together for a common goal. For anyone currently seeking their next opportunity, I encourage you to find ways to volunteer in your community. It’s a powerful way to build skills, expand your network, and make a difference—all while lifting your own spirits in the process. What are some ways you’ve given back recently? I’d love to hear your stories! #Volunteering #JobSearch #CommunityImpact #LeadershipThroughService #GivingBack

Hey, friends. Grab a seat and have a coffee. Or tea. We need to address an elephant in the room. We know that there have been some changes proposed that could very negatively affect your ability to stay solvent or keep your doors open. We saw the proposed list and know a lot of our friends are on it. We hope there's a change of heart. But whether it happens or doesn't (or partially happens), we are here to help you. If you have an account with us, paid or otherwise, you can post any and all volunteer needs with us. It costs nothing but a few minutes of your time. We even have office hours with Genevieve if you are having trouble with the technology. (Wednesdays from 1-3) If the outcome either way means you need more volunteers, that is why we exist. Registered agencies also have access to our volunteer lists. There's nearly 1500 people signed up to volunteer through us. See the chart! That volunteer that you've been searching high and low for has been drumming their fingers, waiting for you to contact them. You can do that! There is a lot going on out in the world, both inside our borders and outside. But we all win when we work together. Remember the US Army motto, TEAM. Together, Everyone Achieves More. Let us help you Achieve More. Either register your agency or sign in and peruse the lists for your perfect volunteer. https://buff.ly/48p5ewI #TimeSaving #NonprofitLife #FundingProblems #KeepCalmAndCarryOn

🧡 Looking for Everyday Heroes! 🧡 Do you have a few hours to spare each week? Our volunteers are the heart of ellenor, from helping in our shops to supporting events or working behind the scenes. Volunteering isn’t just about giving; it’s about gaining too new friendships, skills, and the joy of making a difference. 👉 Interested? Get in touch today and join our amazing team of change makers. Check out our website here ellenor.org #ellenor #hiring #volunteering #volunteers #hospicecharity #hospicejobs #charityjobs #charity #teamellenor #jobhunting #jobsearch #kentjobs #recruiting

🤚 Planning to volunteer? Start your journey with advice from the Reach community🤚 If volunteering is part of your plans for 2025 (and we really hope it is!), take a look at our latest blog featuring advice for first time volunteers from those in the know. We asked people who had volunteered before, what they would have liked to have known when they first volunteered - and they’ve come up with eight awesome tips! Ranging from how to choose the right opportunity, to managing time commitment and expectations, we’ll be focusing on some of the key points over the next few weeks to help you on your way to a rewarding volunteer experience. “Even small contributions can inspire positive change in society, so never underestimate the power of your role as a volunteer.” Read the full blog by Holly, our Head of Service and Operations, here: https://buff.ly/40xcGE6 💜 Let’s work together for a better society💜 #Volunteer #Advice #NewVolunteers #Charity

💓 Keeping your volunteer team happy and engaged is essential for the success of your nonprofit! Retain more volunteers with these 3 tips: ✨ Show Appreciation ✨ Regularly express gratitude for your volunteers' time, effort, and dedication! Send personalized thank-you notes, recognize their contributions publicly, and celebrate milestones to make them feel valued and appreciated. ✨ Provide Opportunities for Growth ✨ Offer opportunities to grow into new positions, enhance their skills and expand their knowledge. Empowering volunteers to learn and grow within your organization brings a sense of fulfillment and loyalty. ✨ Foster a Sense of Community ✨ Create a supportive and inclusive environment where volunteers feel they are a part of a close-knit community. Encourage teamwork, collaboration, and social connections among volunteers through group activities, networking events, and volunteer appreciation gatherings. By prioritizing volunteer happiness and fulfillment, you'll cultivate a loyal and dedicated volunteer base that's committed to making a difference in your organization's mission! Out of the tips mentioned above, which one resonates most with you and why? Please share your thoughts below! 💬 #kblimpactpartners #frameupforfunding #nonprofitgrowth #volunteers #missiondriven #nonprofits

🎉 We have some news to share 📣 We were contacted by a company. Great guy named Nathan. They are interested in volunteering to help us and they're also doing a two day employee drive to raise some funds 💰with an employer match behind it ❤️ The volunteer day will be at their physical site. They will assembly cat towers, stairs, cat houses, etc. 🐈 I've also really wanted more art inside the condos & cottage, so we brainstormed - the employees have the opportunity to paint some canvases for us!! 🎨🖌 I can hear Lisa now- "paint me like a pretty French girl" This will all happen in mid June which is only a little ways away. We have created a "special, stand alone" wishlist where I'm hoping some of our supporters will help us. Every item purchased on the special wishlist is set to ship to......drum roll please 🥁..... Google 💥 Ideally we'd love to have wishlist items to them by the end of May so they can see what they're working with. After the event, delivery will be coordinated. 🚚 The Google data center about an hour out from us. My new friend Nathan follows and supports The Knot Burger Pub, as well as our page, saw the support exchange between us and reached out. Ripple effect. Karma. Sending good stuff into the universe. This is exciting stuff for our mission in caring for senior cats like Momo, Lisa, Ashley, Athena, Thomas, and Noel 🌈 as well as that one hound dog Henry 🐕 If you are not able to donate an item, please give a "like" 👍to the post to help with visibility. Dropping a link below to our special wishlist ♡ #goldenyearssanctuary #goldenyears #givingback #community #communitysupport #volunteering #seniorcat #sanctuary #rescue #rippleeffect #dogoodfeelgood #supportsmallbusiness2024 #501c3 #501c3nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #catsanctuary #catrescue #dogsandcats #catlifeisgood #catlifestyle #catcommunity

❗ If volunteers have not worked out for your organisation in the past - remember perseverance pays off ❗ Skills-based volunteering can be such a huge asset for any charity or social purpose organisation, adding capacity and capability. All the stats and research show this and we have countless case studies to prove it too. If you’re thinking, “we’ve tried that and it didn’t work for us”, you could be missing out! It’s true that not every volunteer recruitment works out. But those who recruit volunteers regularly and successfully advise you not to be put off. There are plenty of things you can do to optimise the chances of success in your volunteer recruitment ranging from setting clear expectations to being realistic about your role profiles. Watch our video with tips from Holly, our Head of Service and Operations or visit our website to explore how volunteers could help you create a better society. https://buff.ly/30mD70I 💜 Let’s work together for a better society 💜 #Charities #SocialPurpose #Skills #Volunteering

When you picture a “volunteer,” what do you imagine? Someone who dedicates countless hours a year to volunteering? Hundreds of hours, 50 hours? More? While that’s true for some, the reality is different for most. ⏰ On the Benevity platform, nearly 80% of employees volunteer less than 10 hours annually—58% clock in at under 5 hours. Clearly the reality of employee volunteerism is quite different. So don't let the myth of the “full-time” volunteer hold you back from getting involved; even a small amount of time can have a meaningful impact. Just ask a nonprofit! #Nonprofits #Volunteering #SocialImpact #CommunityEngagement