If you’re looking to give something back to your community or a worthy charity this festive period, International Volunteer Day could provide the perfect opportunity.

Taking place on 5 December, the day is organised by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) as a way to promote solidarity and the collective power of humanity to effect change.

Once, UK volunteers might have turned to local charity shops to donate unwanted goods or to work behind the counter. You might have previously helped charities like Crisis who provide Christmas lunch to those facing homelessness. 

While all these options remain valid, the rise of technology has also led to new ways to lend your time or skills to those most in need.

Keep reading for a look at how you might take part in this year’s International Volunteer Day.

If you have skills that can be taught you’ll likely find plenty of willing pupils

Whether your skills have been acquired via your career or through a much-loved hobby, consider sharing your knowledge. You might be surprised how many people out there are keen to learn.

You could provide free watercolour and crafting classes or run photography workshops or music lessons. While these might be done face-to-face through charity initiatives like Crisis at Christmas, there are plenty of other community initiatives offering volunteer places.

If your skills lie elsewhere, in language, for example, you’ll likely be able to volunteer online. Those with a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (Tefl) qualification will find potential pupils all over the world. You might speak a language other than English, in which case your cohort might be closer to home.

Passing on your skills is a great way to meet new people while making a real difference in their lives.

Use your people skills to become a volunteer mentor or phone line operative 

As a mentor you could use your skills and experience to provide a positive role model, guiding and advising people in need. You might be helping disadvantaged children or vulnerable adults.

Mentorships are available in all sorts of areas. You might opt for a specific organisation like The Prince’s Trust or the Young Lives Foundation, or try searching by the type of mentoring you’d like to do. 

Equally, you might find that you have the skills needed to volunteer in a demanding role on charity telephone, live messaging, or video call lines. 

These often run 24/7 and can be extremely challenging while also hugely rewarding. If you have experience in a role where communication skills were vital, especially if this involved dealing with difficult, troubling or traumatic situations, this might be the volunteering role for you.

Your technical skills could help a charity be seen in an increasingly crowded online space

The rise of technology has led to a wider variety of volunteering options than ever. But it has also meant that a charity’s online presence is more important now than in the past. 

You might have technical skills in marketing or design that a charity could put to good use. 

As with all of our volunteering options, offering your time for free could be a great opportunity to use the skills you already have while meeting new people and helping a good cause.

Websites need designing, coding, and engaging text for charities to help those in need and you could provide them. Marketing materials can help raise donations and even acquire new volunteers, ensuring the charity can help more people, hopefully for years to come. 

A side hustle can easily become a fundraiser for a cause you care about 

Arts and crafts is a huge UK market and the number of Christmas markets soon to start makes now a great time to turn your side hustle into a charitable venture.

If you have a hobby – from painting to knitting or ceramics – you could sell your wares for the charity of your choice this winter.

Research local events and if you’re too late to secure a pitch you might find you can volunteer in another capacity, whether as a steward or behind the scenes in the marketing or admin teams. 

Get in touch

The number of monthly volunteers worldwide is more than 862 million, but if you don’t have time to volunteer directly, you might decide to make a charitable donation instead. Here, Expert Wealth can help.

Charity gifts can be an incredibly tax-efficient way to lower the value of your estate, and even the rate of Inheritance Tax (IHT) payable. Be sure to speak to us if you’d like to talk about the financial benefits of helping a cause close to your heart this Christmas. 

With decades of experience, our Chartered Financial Planners have the expertise to help so get in touch and speak to us today.