Corporate volunteering builds leadership and career progression
Corporate volunteering offers aspiring leaders more than just a warm fuzzy feeling, knowing they are helping others. It strengthens resumes with a new set of skills and experience.
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CORPORATE volunteering programs are more than a feel-good endeavour, offering aspiring leaders the opportunity to gain experience and skills outside their workplace.
It is a chance to address professional development while giving back to the community.
Volunteering SA & NT chief executive Evelyn O’Loughlin said an increasing number of businesses and corporates were inquiring about volunteering opportunities.
For example, twice as many expressions of interest came from South Australia in the 2018-19 financial year compared to 12 months earlier.
Apart from being a good corporate citizen, aspiring leaders involved in volunteering activities gained leadership and people-management skills by working with others in a variety of settings and from a range of backgrounds.
They also learnt how to foster a culture of giving back to the community.
Ms O’Loughlin said there were two types of volunteering.
“Team-based volunteering can include such things as gardening, painting, renovating, furniture moving, etc.” she said.
“Skills-based volunteering is when individual volunteers offer their personal expertise and skills to help out a not-for-profit organisation. These skills can include HR, finance, IT, marketing, etc.”
She advised jobseekers to include all corporate volunteering experience on their resume and highlight the skills gained in job interviews and application letters.
Meals on Wheels SA chief executive Sharyn Broer said volunteering was an essential pursuit for any aspiring corporate leader.
“It’s an enjoyable way for professional people to build the social skills and awareness that are so important in leadership development,” she said.
“As leaders and managers of people, you need to interact and form relationships with a range of people from inside and outside your organisation.
“Volunteering builds morale and encourages teamwork among staff while enhancing the brand of the business and its role within the community.”
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In SA, Meals on Wheels delivers to 11,000 customers with the help of 7000 volunteers, but more lunchtime drivers are needed.
This is a role MRS Property director Michael Rouvray has taken on as he volunteers for Meals on Wheels in his lunch break once a month.
“It’s one of the highlights of my month,” he said.
“I’ve been a volunteer now for seven years and met some amazing people over that time.
“I have no doubt it’s also played a big role in my own professional development as a team leader.”
All 36 staff at the commercial property advisory firm volunteer with Meals on Wheels, taking turns each Thursday to drive to the Mitcham kitchen, pack their cars with meals and deliver them to people in need.
“It’s important to everyone at MRS that we give back to our community,” Mr Rouvray said.
“Volunteering also brings enormous benefit to our own workplace.
“It helps build a real positive attitude among staff.
“You can tell when someone in the office has come back from their volunteering – they are all smiles and invigorated.”
READ MORE WORKPLACE NEWS IN THE CAREERS SECTION ON SATURDAYS IN THE ADVERTISER, THE COURIER-MAIL, THE DAILY TELEGRAPH AND THE HERALD SUN.