Residential volunteering can be in a variety of forms - live-ins, working holidays, youth camps and volunteering week-ends. They vary in length from a few days to several months or a year.

Organisations such as Toc H run activity breaks where groups of volunteers get involved in community work and events in different locations around the country. In many cases these are open to families as well as individuals. The activities range from conservation working weekends, outdoor pursuits, kids clubs and working with animals.

Longer term volunteering can be with any of a number of organisation across the UK. For example BTCV offer conservation holidays ranging from 1 week to a year. Community Service Volunteers have residential volunteering for 4-12 months, where volunteers support children with special needs, young offenders, young people at risk of exclusion from school and homeless people.

The World Service Enquiry Guide, which comes out annually, and should be available in local libraries, has listings of many UK and worldwide residential volunteering organisations.

When thinking of doing residential voluntary work there are a number of things to bear in mind:

• Do they pay an allowance? Can you financially support yourself?
• If you are on benefits, how will residential volunteering affect them?
• How will you juggle any family commitments you may have?
• How will the experience relate to your long term goals?
• What support and supervision will you get?
• Are you prepared to give the commitment for the amount of time asked for?

Try to talk to people who have been involved before

But most of all you should enjoy it!!

 

Call Nikki on 0151 644 7577 for more information