As a volunteer, you give your time to improve the lives of others – whether it’s helping a neighbour or tackling a big community project. It’s a great way to try out new skills and experiences without making a long-term commitment, and it can help you find your passions and discover potential future career paths.

The definition of volunteer work remains relatively stable, but it is constantly evolving in response to social, economic and technological trends. However, there are five broad categories of volunteer work that can be broken down into:

Helping the poor and vulnerable. This includes organisations that support the homeless, provide basic healthcare services, and tackle issues such as poverty, hunger, and climate change.

Working with children or youth programs. Examples include helping with scouts or other youth organizations, or working as a camp counselor or children’s sports team player.

Providing counselling or other support to crime victims, people with mental health problems, or people who are going through criminal justice proceedings. This is a common role for volunteers who have training in this area.

Providing logistical support for events, such as acting as a marshal or registering participants at sporting events, or working on committees to coordinate areas such as communications, coaching or recruitment. Many major sporting events rely on volunteers to run smoothly, including the London Marathon and Spartan Race.