Oxfordshire Community & Voluntary Action (OCVA) is sad to wave goodbye to Marigold, who has been volunteering for OCVA for over a year. First as a Community Ambassador for Abingdon, and then as an Assistant Volunteering Advisor in Abingdon Job Centre.


Marigold’s experience of volunteering has been very positive. Her first role after university was volunteering for Community Service Volunteers (CSV). Her placement was at a hostel for homeless men in Bristol, which she credits for teaching her so much about life. She would never have learnt so much in such a short time in a regular job – volunteering is less pressured and allows a volunteer time to look and learn.

The six-month volunteer placement led to a permanent job in the hostel. All the work that she had completed as a volunteer and all the times she had watched the more experienced Project Workers meant that the transition was relatively painless. There were no surprises as she already knew the staff and the setting. Marigold’s volunteering for OCVA has provided her with interesting tasks which have helped her to develop in different areas and she has enjoyed learning new skills.


Marigold says: "I feel very passionately about voluntary work as I believe that a volunteer gains just as much if not more than they put in. Volunteering is a chance to give something back to your community, whether that is time, enthusiasm, specific skills – this in itself makes you feel great. You in return gain skills or improve on ones you already have, meet new and different types of people, and often get to try out novel and interesting types of work.

Volunteering can be a great confidence booster, if you have been out of work you can gain some experience in a chosen field which you can then add to your CV. If you feel that your social life could be improved, you can use it as a way of meeting people who are interested in the same things you are interested in."


It’s certain that with her energy and commitment, Marigold’s future after OCVA will be bright.
To see if volunteering could be for you, contact OCVA’s Volunteer Centre Oxfordshire which has information about volunteering in a wide range of different roles. These include working with young people, families, disabled people, older people and animals. You could work on environmental projects, in a charity’s offices or in a charity shop. There will also be roles for volunteers with management, IT, marketing and other professional skills.


For more information, go to www.do-it.org or contact Volunteer Centre staff on 01865 251946 or email vol@ocva.org.uk.


After all, in Oxford alone 5 percent of the population volunteer at least one hour per week, which is higher than the national average of 4.7 per cent, so come on, why not join them? Source: http://www.oxford.gov.uk/PageRender/decC/Volunteering_occw.htm