July 5, 2013
Volunteering boasts several positive attributes for participants, including improved mental health, the ability to help others and an opportunity to work for a cause that needs support. Nonprofits are often the beneficiaries of volunteer work. However, a recent study conducted by Corporation for National and Community Service showed unemployed individuals who donate their time on a consistent basis have a 27 percent better chance of landing full-time employment.
"Many of us in the volunteer sector have long felt volunteering gives a boost to those looking for work, but we've never had solid research to back it up," said Wendy Spencer, CEO of CNCS. "This report provides a definitive answer – volunteers are more likely to find work than non-volunteers."
Why does volunteering help the job search?
People who volunteer have the opportunity to acquire professional contacts, gain work experience and develop social relationships like they may have never had the chance to do before. This is especially true for Americans who didn't attend college or live in rural areas.
The study revealed people that don't have a college diploma have 51 percent better odds to land a job if they volunteer, while rural residents contributing their time to a cause can increase their chances of employment by 55 percent. Taking on these volunteers helps nonprofits get help, while also training professionals hoping to find gainful employment.
"We encourage nonprofits across the country to engage out-of-work Americans as volunteers, and to help them develop skills and contacts and take on leadership roles," Spencer said. "For those who are out of work, consider volunteering as one part of your job search strategy."
Volunteering quickly helps people gain valuable job skills
Some Americans have never had the opportunity to work in a professional setting, and volunteering is their first dose of being in an office environment or working with an organization. Nonprofits need all the help they can get, and may actually end up being the place that these people land their careers. The NonProfit Times stated many Americans often develop a connection to the organization they volunteer with and want the relationship to grow into a full-time career.
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We first started using First Nonprofit’s Unemployment Savings Program when we were a small startup nonprofit. We didn’t have an HR department and needed expertise in the event that an unemployment claim was made. We knew we were eligible to be a reimbursing employer, but weren’t sure how to navigate that process. They made it easy to set things up, plan for, and then manage claims when they came at a very reasonable cost. The amount of time and stress they’ve saved us dealing with all this has been worth way more than the cost. We’ve now grown to a large nonprofit and do have an HR department but have no plans to stop using their services. I highly recommend them to every nonprofit I come into contact with!
Throughout our membership in the Unemployment Savings Program, First Nonprofit understood our demands, community dynamics, and the importance of seamless services; that allowed us to serve our constituents better.
Because INCS advocates for the operating conditions that allow charter public schools to provide high quality public education, partnering with First Nonprofit was an easy decision. First Nonprofit’s unemployment programs provide our member schools two operating elements crucial to their ability to provide high quality public education: savings and budget certainty. Capable, committed teachers are the key to student success. By participating in the unemployment insurance savings plan, charter public schools gain peace of mind and are able to invest more money in their teachers.
It has been our sincere pleasure to maintain a strong, vibrant business partnership with First Nonprofit. We greatly admire their strong industry knowledge, technical expertise, constant professionalism, knowledgeable and dedicated staff. They are always extremely responsive, personable and provide us with the necessary guidance and recommendations on a numerous variety of employment scenarios.
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