Start volunteering

Volunteering is a great way to develop new skills, meet new people and boost your CV. Some young people volunteer as part of school work, part of a youth club, or at their local library. Lots of young people also do it for Duke of Edinburgh or National Citizen Service. 

Take Action: Young people aged 14+ in Oxfordshire can volunteer for the Reading Challenge. This is an opportunity to work with younger or reluctant readers and help them complete a reading challenge. Visit your local library and talk to staff about how you can volunteer.

Find local volunteering opportunities

There's lots of ways to find local volunteering opportunities, but many young people just start by visiting their local charity shops or volunteer centre to ask about what's available. There are also lots of places to look for volunteering opportunities online:

• Volunteering in Oxfordshire - a dedicated local website with lots of great ways to volunteer
• Oxfordshire Volunteers - local database of volunteering opportunities

You can also check out volunteering opportunities on our own opportunity database - these have all been checked to make sure that they are suitable for younger volunteers. 

Crucial: Wherever you volunteer, you will need to talk to the organisation, find out the rules, check the opportunity is right for you, and then agree what you are going to do, and when. There is often a full application process, including interviews.