Volunteering with children can be incredibly rewarding, and it is a great way for you to develop and grow too. Being a volunteer gives you the opportunity to meet different people, teach skills whilst gaining additional ones, seize new experiences, and with plenty of local volunteering opportunities, make a huge difference to your community.
There are many ways to get involved. Whether it’s volunteering at local events for kids, becoming a volunteer for a children’s charity, or helping kids that come from underprivileged backgrounds and those with special needs. In many cases, you will develop new leadership and team-building skills, and you may find you gain more from volunteering than you expected. Wherever you volunteer, being a part of a team where other adults have also given up their spare time to help young people provides a family-like environment. Plus, you can build relationships that last a lifetime.
It can be hard to find the time to volunteer. But the benefits to you - the volunteer - make it worth sacrificing a few hours a week for, or more if you fancy! Volunteering can help reduce stress, teach you new skills, allow you to take part in community efforts, and even help further your career. Helping and guiding young people can also benefit your physical and mental health.
There are plenty of local youth volunteering opportunities, and with over 1500 detachments across the UK; the Army Cadet Force is one of them. Find out more about what the ACF does.
If you like inspiring and helping young people achieve things they never thought they’d do, then the ACF is something you should consider. With almost 40,000 12-18-year-old cadets, we are one of the country’s largest voluntary youth organisations. The role you will undertake goes further than being an adult volunteer at the ACF; you will build bonds with young people and be a point of contact if they need someone to talk to.
In addition to helping your community and making a difference to cadet’s lives, you can earn a range of respected vocational qualifications that can be great for your career. You can also gain fully-accredited qualifications through organisations such as St John Ambulance, Mountain Leader Training England and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Read more about the benefits of volunteering for the ACF.
If you think you’d like to volunteer with the Army Cadet Force and really make a difference to the lives of young people, then find your local detachment and get involved now!
