Volunteering as a group can be a great opportunity to support a local cause whilst also providing space for team building. However, finding an organisation that can accommodate a group of people all in one go can be challenging. Here are some top tips for finding something suitable for your team.
Step 1: Key Questions
- How much time can you offer? Knowing how much time you are able to offer (even if it’s just a rough idea) will help you to narrow down your search and filter out the ones that require more time than you’re able to give at present e.g. are you looking to help with something as a one-off, or as a regular commitment?
- How many people will be involved? The size of your group will influence which opportunities a community organisation is able to offer you. Consider whether you can split the team into smaller groups to take on different roles or to volunteer at different times. The more flexible you are, the easier it will be to find something that works for both you and the community organisation.
- What skills and knowledge do you have? Many volunteer opportunities ask that individuals have certain skills, therefore knowing where your team’s skills and experience lie will be really helpful in working out what you can help with or not e.g. if you don’t know how to drive then taking up a driving role would be difficult! However, volunteering can also be an opportunity to learn new things and sometimes organisations offer training for the positions they are looking to fill.
- What do you care about? Think about whether there is a particular group of people you want to help or issue you want to help to address. How will you get group agreement on this – it is important that everyone involved feels motivated to help your chosen organisation.
- What are the practical implications for your team? Before you start researching, it will be helpful to consider if you have any other practical requirements that might impact your search e.g. location, timing, etc.
Step 2: Research Available Opportunities
We have a wealth of amazing community organisations across the city who value having volunteer support to have a positive impact on their beneficiaries. Many community organisations will advertise volunteering opportunities on their own website or via central platforms. Here are some websites that might help you to find volunteering opportunities for your team:
- Use a search engine with the following term: ‘group volunteer opportunities in Bristol’ or ‘corporate volunteer opportunities in Bristol’
Some community organisations are set up with specific corporate volunteering opportunities where they are able to accommodate a whole team at the same time. This is not the case for all though, so be sure to ask in advance, be clear about your offer, and be flexible to make it work for both sides. Please note, sometimes charities will ask for a financial contribution from large groups to help cover the cost of any associated costs such as administration and insurance.
Disclaimer
We make every effort to ensure that our information is correct at the time of publication.
This is only intended as a brief summary of relevant issues and information. Legal advice should be sought where appropriate. The inclusion of other organisations in this information does not imply any endorsement of independent bodies, they are just for signposting purposes.
Voscur is unable to accept liability for any loss or damage or inconvenience arising as a consequence of the use of this information.
