04 June 2004

Stirling, Scotland: Volunteering a few hours of your time, lending a hand and improving the plight of starving people in the developing world, may seem like a good idea. But in between picking the kids up from school, impressing your new boss and slotting in a session or two at the gym, the truth is that you just don’t have time.

True, the demands of work and family life has depleted that willing army of volunteers who help prop up society. But in a bid to win new and time-poor recruits, it seems charitable organizations are making volunteering more flexible than ever before.

"The fact is that many organizations have realized people today lead extremely busy lives and that for them, volunteering has to be convenient and flexible," says Lesley Greenaway, the deputy chief executive of Volunteer Development Scotland.

"There are more opportunities than ever before to give of your time and skills in a way which suits you. This might mean a few days per month or just a few days a year, helping out in your lunch hour or in the evening. You could even work from home as an e-volunteer."

Staff at Nicoll Russell Studios, an award- winning architectural practice in Dundee, recently offered design advice on the refurbishment of the Twa Semis, a youth drop-in centre in Charleston, Dundee. Architects met with young people at the centre on two occasions and the practice devoted working time to helping develop designs to improve the indoors environment for the youths.

"I think there is a degree of pride among the staff that they are getting involved in helping the local community," says Willie Watt, an associate with Nicoll Russell. "As architects we are involved with the built environment. It is unfortunate that not everyone can enjoy surroundings as nice as those of others. If we can do something to help with that, we feel we should. In addition, it is good to introduce young people to the ideas of design in the environment."

It seems there are other attractions of volunteering too. A recent survey undertaken by Reed Recruitment and the volunteer charity TimeBank found that 75 per cent of employers surveyed prefer to recruit candidates with volunteering experience on their CV. They viewed volunteering as a great way to develop new skills, build confidence and show future employers that you have drive and initiative.

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From: Scotsman.com <http://news.scotsman.com/>