What has been your favourite voluntary job?

Another vote for Citizens Advice. I have been doing this for over ten years and it still ticks lots of boxes for me.
I go in two days a week, which gives me a pattern to my week. There is excellent training, then you continue to learn on the job. You meet people from all walks of life, clients and colleagues. There are more volunteers than paid staff, and you get tremendous support from the staff supervisors, I enjoy using my computer skills and developing my knowledge and skills. Above all, it gives me the opportunity to help people who really need it. (I do a lot of Personal Independence Payment claims and Appeals)

genie I would like to do that too.
My early voluntary jobs were similar - I used to support children one to one who had learning problems.

I used to listen to children read at the local junior school a couple of afternoons a week and that was really nice. I got to know the children and was sometimes asked if I'd help on days out too.

I have enjoyed volunteering in a charity shop and in the library because it means lots of interaction with people. But perhaps the most rewarding is as a befriender to disadvantaged youngsters - giving them a few hours a week just for them away from their troubles is amazing.

I help with RDA, love the ponies and horses and the children and few adults we have all seem to get so much benefit from riding, it doesn`t matter if they don`t progress.
You don`t have to be a `horsey` person, lots are there to help with the riders.

Lots of opportunities out there to use existing skills or to develop new ones. I am with Grammaretto that often voluntary roles grow arms and legs and you are treated and expected to act like a paid member of staff. Just be careful what you look for and ask lots of questions to make sure it is right for you. Volunteering should be a two way process in that it is not only about what you put in but what you get out of it too. Many areas of volunteering have a high turn over especially in the charity sector, they appear to be good at recruiting but not retaining staff. That is because they don't spend time on induction or training, only consider the needs of the charity and not the needs of the volunteers. My experience as a Charity Trustee has been that often the Board are stuck in their ways, do not want input from a new Trustee but just want them to comply with how things have always been done. Sorry not for me anymore!

CAB adviser. I gained a certain amount of expertise through the excellent training and met a huge variety of people with many different problems, some easy to help with, others very difficult, but we never said 'impossible'. It was good to be able to help people to solve their own problems with a bit of advice from us.
I eventually gave up after 11 years, as the benefits system was becoming more and more complex and I had acquired polymyalgia rheumatica which left me very tired.

Registering with Age UK to help in their local offices advising people of the services available to them.
Going to the other end of the spectrum you could register at schools to help one to one with pupils who are experiencing problems and need that bit of extra help,very rewarding.

Sorry my favourite was taking disabled young people out sailing, absolutely loved it.

The joy on their faces when we sailed fast through the water was a delight to behold.

Taking my dogs to young adult disability day care.

It all depends on her interests as far as voluntary work.

I loved the mother and baby group I helped to manage

and

The monthly Lunch time for the elderly group.

There are so many things you could do.

My hubby does work for Age UK as a be friender he goes out for a chat with men who are not able to get out for medical reasons. He finds this very rewarding.

Sorry I deviated from the subject!
However there is a website called .... do-it.org
I haven't done anything through it but it may be of interest?

Bradfordlass what a wonderful job you did but aren't we grateful that these places no longer exist.
Your story reminded me of a New Year's Eve many many years ago. At the time I worked as an auxiliary nurse on the nurse bank.
I had not planned on working on NYE as we'd been invited to a party, but that morning DH woke with 'Man flu' We then heard that the party hosts had also been struck down so the party was off. I was absolutely fine!
Not in a voluntary role as I was employed, but I rang the nurse bank to ask if they needed anyone anywhere (silly question on NYE!) and was sent to the maternity unit for a night shift.
I spent most of the night cuddling tiny babies while their anxious parents took a well earned break!
Call that work!

I did work for Homestart which involves visiting a family once a week to chat for a couple of hours. The family are in difficulties and need a friendly face. The first family needed help with an unruly boy and I was able to help them get him back on track. Also acted as a listener for his wonderful mother who became a good friend.
I had to get her out of the house.and help her cope with him in public. He was a sweet boy and was able to settle well into school.

The next family had a very disabled toddler and she needed help to take him out and to cope.generally. Interesting work.

A friend of mine volunteers at her local hospital and loves it. She started as a volunteer guide for visitors, has worked on the reception desk and is currently working in the pharmacy checking outgoing medicines. There are many opportunities and she's found it a friendly and worthwhile place and certainly very busy, which suits her.

When my kids were young, I was a hospice volunteer and it was the most meaningful "job" I've ever had, paid or not. This was actually the consensus of my volunteer group, as well. We had monthly support meetings and I remember us sharing how people would ask things like, "How can you do it? Isn't it too sad? Don't you get depressed?" We all felt quite the opposite and everyone talked about how close they felt to these families and how meaningful the experiences were.

My favourite volunteer job doesn't exist any longer, nor would it help your friend....but I'll answer your question anyway

It was working in what we used to call an, 'Abandoned Baby Home'.
The children I took care of had been abandoned because they were eiher physically or intellectually handicapped.

My job, as a working teenager with only weekends to spare, was to provide social interaction.

I sang to them, played with them, read books, took in toys (there were none at the home) and in some cases, even took them to my home for the day.

Their day to day life was simply to sit or lie in cots, so my weekends were the highlight.
Physically they were well cared for by efficient but impersonsl staff.

That was in 1962-4 and, thank goodness, a lot has changed since.

I loved those children and they broke my heart but it was a wonderful job because I saw huge changes in their lives and attitudes.

Monica. You are describing my last 10 years with DWP. it was very rewarding to actively help people. In many cases their income was doubled. And everyone wanted to give me tea and cake!

My own experience of voluntary work is that it grows arms and legs. What begins as a couple of hours one morning a week becomes all day and some weekends with responsibility akin to a paid job plus emails galore and fund raising events.
Despite saying that, I have met some wonderful friends through volunteering; have done things and been to places I would never have otherwise seen. I learned a lot.

I was going to suggest Adult Literacy classes but I see that Washerwoman has probably given more up-to-date information than I could.

The CAB .

As an advocate for people with learning difficulties, challenging but oh so rewarding.

I help on Carer's courses with the Alzheimers Society and find it really worthwhile and absorbing!

Oh thanks. What a wonderful selection.
Perhaps I should have asked if there are any jobs she should avoid!
I shall suggest a couple of these incase she hasn't thought of them.
I can't imagine her doing RDA. I used to do that and also loved it. Gardening isn't for her either.
The Age Concern work would be up her street or the Hospice.
You are right about distance though. That is important. No good having an hour's commute every time.

My favourite time was with Riding for the Disabled, leading ponies or horses while children or adults had a ride. So much fun and very rewarding.