How you can build your confidence through volunteering

Whether you’re eager to develop your skillset, looking for something to fill your spare time with purpose, or wanting to contribute meaningfully to society, volunteering with Bookmark can offer many benefits.

Volunteering is not only a great way to support those who need it, but it can also increase your self-esteem and build your confidence.

By providing a sense of accomplishment, volunteering can help you feel better about yourself which can positively impact your life, abilities, and future goals.

Lets explore 6 ways to boost your self-confidence through volunteering.

1. Choose a cause you care about

By choosing a cause that aligns with your values, you can feel more motivated, engaged, and inspired to volunteer. Our Bookmark volunteers are driven by a shared passion for literacy and helping children spark the joy of reading. In our volunteer survey, an overwhelming 90% of volunteers felt they made a positive or somewhat positive difference in the lives of the children they work with.

Because of this shared passion and dedication to an important cause, our fantastic volunteers have reached over 1,200 children at risk of not meeting the expected standard for reading.

As a volunteer, seeing the child’s reading improve, strengthens self-confidence. Knowing that your individual impact is helping to empower a child, is highly rewarding and can boost your self-esteem.

2. Set realistic goals

Setting realistic goals is important so you can get the most out of your volunteering. Avoid overwhelming yourself with too many tasks, expectations, or hours, which could leave you feeling disheartened and knock your self-esteem. Giving your time to support the cause, is an amazing gift in itself, so be sure to go at your own pace.

Choose a role that suits your skills, availability, and comfort level, this will help to boost your confidence. At Bookmark, our easy online booking system means you have the flexibility to schedule reading sessions around your life.

All we ask is for you to commit to two 30-minute sessions per week, so the child can get the most out of each session and benefit from consistent engagement.

3. Learn and grow

Volunteering can offer many opportunities to develop new knowledge, skills, and perspectives that can benefit you personally and professionally.

Each reading session presents a unique learning opportunity, allowing our volunteers to develop critical thinking, communication and empathetic skills.

4. Connect with others

Building connections with fellow volunteers can have a huge impact on self-confidence. It’s a great way to share support, encouragement, and insights with like-minded people, building a sense of belonging within a community and bolstering social confidence.

At Bookmark, we recognise the power of community connection. That’s why you can participate in Bookmark’s online volunteer events, like Volunteer Tea Break or Bookmark Bookclub, to chat with other volunteers, share your storytelling tips and tricks and celebrate your volunteer journey.

Our dedicated volunteer team are also always on hand to ensure volunteers feel supported, ensuring that every volunteer feels valued and supported.

In our volunteer survey, many ​“volunteers spoke of their appreciation for Bookmark’s support whilst also highlighting the value of additional support from Bookmark volunteers”. This is a testament to the strength of our community and our commitment to fostering a supportive environment where every volunteer can thrive.

5. Reflect and appreciate

Taking time to reflect on your volunteering experience is crucial for personal growth and self-confidence. Whether you’ve just completed your first reading session or are celebrating the completion of a six-week programme, recognising the progress you’ve made, the challenges you’ve overcome and the contributions you’ve delivered can significantly build your confidence.

6. Have fun knowing you’re supporting a great cause

Volunteering is not only a great way to make a difference, but it’s also a chance to enjoy yourself. By having fun and approaching your role with enthusiasm, you will make your volunteering experience more enjoyable, memorable and meaningful for both yourself and your reader.

For many volunteers, seeing how well the child has progressed and how much their reading has improved, is highly rewarding and was described on the volunteer survey as giving them a ​“great sense of achievement”.