The importance of volunteering in the local community

30 April 2009

The following was written by Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for environmental and land-based industries.

Volunteering is a very valuable economic and social asset, not only to the environmental and land-based sector but also for wider society.

Volunteering is an excellent way for individuals to boost their career prospects, increase self confidence and to socialise.  For many, it provides an opportunity to road test different types of work in different industries, whilst providing invaluable evidence of employability.  Volunteering is beneficial to communities and the environment by bringing together a set of like-minded individuals who are selflessly willing to donate their time, labour and skills.

Individuals volunteer for different reasons but the impact of volunteering is always constant; they help to sustain the organisations they volunteer for and are an invaluable source of additional (and low cost) labour, often filling skills gaps and shortages.

Lantra conservatively estimates that around half a million individuals volunteer within the environmental and land-based sector across the UK.  Volunteers perform activities affiliated to most of the environmental and land-based industries within Lantra