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FAQs Frequently Asked Questions
 Who is CSV?
Community Service Volunteers (CSV)
has been organizing volunteering in England,
Scotland, and Wales for over 40 years so they are pretty good at it by now!
It is the UK's largest volunteering and training organization. Each year CSV
helps over one million people transform their lives. They will involve you
in high quality volunteering and learning opportunities that tackle real
need and enrich lives.
What does a CSV
volunteer actually do?
CSV offers many hundreds of different volunteer opportunities throughout
Britain. Depending on the nature of their activity a volunteer’s tasks
can include giving pupils with special needs a boost with their reading,
helping homeless people move into permanent accommodation, befriending a
young person to help prevent their re-offending or going clubbing with a
student with physical disabilities.
Can I go on the
same volunteering project as my partner?
It is unlikely. CSV treats everyone as an individual when finding the
most suitable volunteering project for them. It would be impractical to
find placements that would be suitable for two people, whatever their
relationship.
Can I take a
part-time paid job while I’m volunteering?
Your first commitment is to the people who need your support.
Volunteering and living in new surroundings can be very demanding and
you may be volunteering at irregular hours. If you are a non-UK national
you cannot take paid work while you are volunteering in the UK.
What
qualifications do I need?
None. At CSV we believe that everybody has something to offer as a
volunteer. Whatever your skills or experience, if you make the
commitment we will offer you an exciting volunteering activity in
Britain.
Do I have to
volunteer over the weekend?
CSV places and supports volunteers in many hundreds of different
projects. Volunteering is around 35-40 hours per week. Your actual
timetable may include weekends and evenings and you will get two days
off per week. This will depend entirely on the type of volunteering
activity you are involved with. For example, the timetable for a
volunteer in a school for children with special needs may differ from
that of a volunteer supporting people in a homeless hostel.
Will I be given
training?
When you arrive at your volunteering placement you will receive
practical help, advice and training from your local supervisor, a member
of staff on your project. Your supervisor will arrange an induction
programme that will include any training you may need such as how to
lift people correctly and safely.
What kind of
support will I get?
You’ll have plenty of back-up. There will be a local supervisor, who’ll
be on hand for practical help, advice and training. You will also have a
named volunteer director at CSV to call if something comes up that you
can’t discuss with your supervisor. Of course, we’ll help you to meet
any other CSV volunteers living nearby.
Can I take a break
during my full-time volunteering?
After four months you are entitled to one week’s break during which you
will continue to receive your weekly allowance of £32.00. Volunteers
receive an allowance for the cheapest form of travel to a mainland
destination in the UK.
What will I get
out of volunteering?
Our volunteers tell us how much they gain, such as valuable work
experience, the chance to develop skills, to live independently, to
build up their confidence, to explore a different way of living and have
a lot of fun.
Will I get my own
room when I’m volunteering?
The type of accommodation varies from one volunteering project to
another; from a university hall of residence to rooms in a school for
children with disabilities to a flat situated a short distance from the
project itself. In many cases a number of volunteers share facilities
such as kitchen, bathroom and living room.
Isn’t volunteering
just slave labour?
No, although volunteering is certainly hard work. That’s why we ensure
that, as a volunteer, you are supported by both a local supervisor and a
CSV volunteer director. You are not a substitute for a paid employee.
CSV will ensure that you will carry out rewarding and challenging tasks.
The experience will help you to develop insight and skills that can only
enhance your CV.
Can I specify
which town I want to volunteer in?
We try to match everyone to a project that has most need of their energy
and enthusiasm, so we cannot guarantee to place you in a specific
location. Similarly we cannot guarantee to place you in a particular
type of volunteering.
How long can I
volunteer for?
The choice is
yours. You can volunteer for any time between six months and a year.
I’m vegetarian.
Will I be provided with vegetarian food?
Please mention your dietary requirements during your interview with CSV.
This will be taken into account when you are offered a volunteering
placement.
What if I don’t
like my volunteering project?
As a CSV volunteer you receive practical help, advice and training from
a local supervisor on your volunteering project. You will also have a
named volunteer director at CSV to call if there are any matters you
can’t discuss with your supervisor. At the end of your first month of
volunteering you will have a meeting with your volunteer director to see
how things are going, and to sort out any queries or problems you may
have. We match you to a volunteering project that has most need of your
help so, wherever possible, we do try to resolve any issues that can
arise.
Can I volunteer
for longer than I originally intended?
As general rule, yes. The maximum total time that anyone can spend as a
CSV volunteer is 12 months. Once you have started on your placement you
can extend your initial period up to this maximum limit. We do ask you
to tell us as soon as possible once you have made your decision.
Contact
John Plumpton
jplumpton@yourworldtodiscover.ca
Telephone: 416-315-4825
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