As well as having an impact on children’s lives, meeting new people and joining a warm and fun-loving community – volunteering with Over The Wall can help you to gain valuable experience, develop new skills and build your self-confidence, helping you to advance in your chosen career…
Creating Confidence
92% of volunteers ‘strongly agreed’ or ‘agreed’ that volunteering with OTW increased their confidence and self-esteem*
Volunteering with OTW means you are immediately introduced to a wonderful new group of likeminded people of various ages and backgrounds. Whether you are leading activities, playing an integral role within your team, or simply encouraging campers to join in, your experience of volunteering at camp will certainly enable you to develop self-confidence.
The responsibilities and roles you are given within your team will also encourage personal development and immediately elevate your sense of self-confidence. For example, understanding when a child may require specific medication or remembering when to have an emergency bag close at hand will help you to develop a strong sense of responsibility that promotes confidence and allows you to personally develop.
At camp, you are also a part of a huge family that will happily aid and encourage its members to reach their full potential. Camp is a supportive environment where your peers will help you to find solutions to any challenges you may face and will be there to offer you the support and guidance that will allow you to grow.
“I still get confidence and inspiration from camp – but now it’s as a volunteer and through the achievements of the campers I work with and support.” – Molly, former OTW camper and now volunteer.
Gaining leadership skills
81% of volunteers ‘strongly agreed’ or ‘agreed’ that volunteering with OTW has helped develop their leadership skills
During the application progress, if a candidate has volunteered previously, our volunteer recruitment team will have a good understanding of whether that person has the ability to progress to become a Team Leader. If they do have that potential, we often suggest that these volunteers re-apply as Team Leaders.
If those volunteers lack the confidence to lead a team, then we’re often able to encourage, help and support them as a leader allowing them to develop and grow in their camp roles.
“I couldn’t put into words how much I have gained personally from being a volunteer. It has given me an ability to work so well in a team and the confidence to step up to the plate and lead the team forward.” – Courtney, OTW volunteer
Developing communication skills
89% of volunteers ‘strongly agreed’ or ‘agreed’ that volunteering with OTW has improved their communication skills
Nearly all jobs require employees to have a good level of communication skills. Volunteering with OTW will certainly give you the experiences you need to enhance such skills.
As a volunteer, it will be a part of your daily routine to help and encourage the children at camp to be involved and participate in as many activities as possible. Engaging with the campers and encouraging them to participate will inevitably allow you to hone both your communication and negotiation skills.
As well as this, camp also allows you to improve your methods of communication through the language you use, which will range from communication with clinical volunteers or doctors, to speaking clearly and simply to children, some of which may not be as advanced as others due to a brain injury or brain tumour, for example.
Volunteering also provides a unique environment that allows you to identify and respond to issues, whilst working with a variety of people from various age groups, careers and different ends of the social spectrum.
Make your CV super!
74% of volunteers ‘strongly agreed’ or ‘agreed’ that volunteering with OTW made them better prepared for future employment
Applying for a job and getting an interview can be a competitive process, so adding that extra experience of volunteering at camp can really become a vital part of your CV. Camp experience also provides you with the opportunity to talk about particular challenges, specific experiences, responsibilities, key skills and methods of management, outside of an ordinary working environment. It also demonstrates that you have worked voluntarily and given your personal time to make a positive impact on children’s lives, whilst connecting and establishing yourself within a community.
“The experience of camp has been great for my CV- in fact, I highly recommend volunteering to anyone that wants to work with children in roles such as nursing, teaching, care work and so on. Also, Zoe- the Director of Volunteering at Over The Wall- has always given me wonderful references that have already been so useful.” – Ellie, OTW Volunteer.”
*The percentages of the statistics were calculated by feedback provided by volunteers attending week long residential camps in 2018
