WHETHER you are looking for your first job, or you are a pensioner seeking to top up your income, finding a job can be really challenging.

Undertaking unpaid work can be a good way to plug gaps in your CV and get a taste for different types of jobs.

These roles usually come in the form of volunteering, work experience, or internships. If you are in receipt of welfare benefits, you will need to check to see if your benefits will be affected if you take on unpaid work.

Rules around unpaid internships are complicated, so get advice on being paid less than the minimum wage before applying.

Volunteer roles are usually well defined, exposing you to specific types of work, whether you are looking for office experience, or something more practical like supporting people in your local community.

Volunteering is also a great way to build confidence in a work environment, provide structure to your day or week and learn new skills which may be transferable to paid work.

It also gives you the opportunity to brush up existing skills, like typing and general computer skills.

Citizens Advice Torridge, North, Mid and West Devon always welcomes volunteers who all get comprehensive training and ongoing support.

Not all volunteers want to be advice-giving; some will fill in forms which, to the uninitiated, can seem very daunting at first sight.

Some volunteers take on administrative roles, and the beauty of volunteering with CA TNMWD, is that there are opportunities to apply for paid positions within the charity, so if you are ultimately looking for paid work, volunteering with us can be a useful stepping stone.

Even if you don’t end up working in a paid position with us, when applying for jobs elsewhere, as a volunteer you are demonstrating a commitment to utilising your time effectively, a willingness to undergo training and perhaps develop new skills, and whether this is is going to be your first paid job or you have retired and been out of the working environment for some time, as a volunteer, you will have been used to being in a work environment so should adapt easily.

So, aside from the knowledge that you are making a valuable contribution to the wellbeing of your local community, there are other benefits too!

If you would be interested in volunteering with us, take a look at our website: citizensadvicetnmwd.org.uk. You can also email [email protected] for more information.

For free, confidential, independent and impartial advice, telephone our local (freephone) advice line: 0808 27 87 999.

Rosanna Teale

CEO and Trustee Support Officer

Citizens Advice

Torridge, North, Mid and West Devon