Whether you're figuring out your future career or looking for meaningful experience alongside your studies, volunteering can open doors to opportunities you might not have expected. 

Hestia are a charity supporting people in crisis or who have experienced trauma. They have an in-house volunteering team supporting their services with volunteers. 

We spoke with Amy, the Volunteer Team Manager, to find out first hand from a charity, how volunteering improves one’s prospects of finding a paid role.  

Why Volunteering Matters 

Volunteering is a great way to gain new skills and experience, increase your confidence, socialise, practice your current skill set and knowledge and to get a reference. These skills could include 

• Communicating with service users  

• Handling challenging situations  

• Teamwork across different services  

• Problem solving‑ and adaptability  

• Interview readiness (with real examples to draw on) 

The experience you gain from volunteering, is invaluable when completing job applications and attending interviews as you’re able to draw on real life examples with real people – experience that the lecture theatre does not equip you. Employers want people who are committed, and volunteering demonstrates determination and dedication as you’re investing your own free time to support a cause that matters. ‘Volunteering says a 1,000 words’ before you’ve even entered the interview room. 

From Volunteering to Paid Roles 

One student started as a volunteer yoga instructor with Hestia, a role frequently advertised on the City St George’s Volunteering website and became a paid bank worker whilst studying full-time which meant they were able to work flexibly around their studies, whilst building on their skillset.  

Hannah shared that at least 4 of the 21 employed team members, started as volunteers.  

Opportunities Across the Service 

As a result of Hestia’s partnership with services across London, there is a huge opportunity for volunteers to engage with a variety of volunteering opportunities. As well as that, volunteers gain valuable experience and insights they can use when applying to paid work at Hestia. 

What Volunteers Have that Others Do Not… 

Hannah explained that if you already volunteer with a charity, that means that you’ve undergone training and perhaps a DBS check, i.e. you have already completed the onboarding process. By the time you apply for a paid role, you already understand how the organisation works and may have experience across different services. Most importantly, you’re part of the community - something external applicants don’t yet have. This therefore means that you are more equipped for a paid role than an external candidate. This is because the organisation has already invested in you and you in them - by providing your time, motivation and skill set for free. You also have the first-hand knowledge and experience of the organisation you’re applying for a job at. If you’re unsure about anything or need some help with the application, you’re able to directly ask people at the organisation for guidance.  

Exploring Frontline Work Before Committing 

In the case of Hestia, working with clients can be challenging (and rewarding!) and volunteering is a great way to find what aspects you enjoy, before starting a client facing paid role.   

Training and Development 

As a volunteer at Hestia, whilst you are not required to complete the same amount of training as paid staff, you do have access to it. Therefore, whilst you’re volunteering, you’re able to build your knowledge and become better trained in specific areas. This not only shows motivation but also means that you’re capable of working in certain environments or with particular people.  

In addition, volunteers have access to all internal roles and receive a weekly newsletter, highlighting new roles. Unlike external candidates, volunteers also receive feedback on their applications and interviews, enabling you to strengthen areas in need of improvement for the next role you apply to.  

Hannah emphasised that volunteers possess visible traits such as openness, engaged and willing to learn. She also shared that volunteering is a great way to gain experience before committing. Volunteering at Hestia is a great way to gain experience working with service users and experiencing different services.  

If you’d like to apply to a volunteering role with Hestia, have a look at what roles they currently have available here. To find out what volunteering roles are available more widely, visit the City St George’s Volunteering website. If you’d like some further support on find an opportunity, you can book a 1-1 here.