When teams come together and give their time the difference they make can be amazing.  They can turn something tired and neglected into something fresh and uplifting.  What might have taken a charity or community group weeks or months to complete can be done in a fraction of the time. This is what comes with the manpower of a team of people all working together towards the same end goal. There will always be a need for this type of volunteering and the teamwork that is developed through this type of activity is so worthwhile. 

But there is also a need for us to be sharing the skills and experience that working people have, with our communities.   Sometimes this is just about having a can-do attitude and communication skills that you have from being in an office environment.  Sometimes it is about using your specialist experience and talents.  To support a non profit organisation with your time can really strengthen it. You can help it grow and develop and help it achieve its goals.  Sometimes it can quite literally make the difference between prosperity and decline. 

This type of volunteering often involves applying creative solutions that are necessary for the challenging and changing world of non-profit organisations. This too, is a skill that is valuable in the workplace and many times there is learning for both sides and development opportunities that really make a difference to people’s lives. 

Employer supported volunteering needs to match the volunteer, the need in the community and the business goals.  When you get these things right, you change people and communities. And it is sustainable.  This is what we strive for.