Becoming a Dot Dot Dot Guardian means stepping into a role that creates real social impact. Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer or just starting out, this is your chance to make a difference. Some of our guardians have been giving back for years, while others embrace this new opportunity for the first time. While the idea of volunteering 16 hours a month might seem challenging at first, it’s a brilliant way to inspire change and connect with your community.
Perhaps you’ve already got some skills that you could utilise for a good cause? We spoke with three current guardians about doing just that, and how they fit volunteering into their daily life.
Using your skills to volunteer
An interior designer and balloon decor artist, Cherry has incorporated her creative skills into her different volunteering roles. When she first became a guardian, Cherry helped to design spaces at the community centre, The Granville in Kilburn. More recently, she’s been volunteering at the local charity shop, Crisis, as a sales assistant.
“Volunteering at Crisis has been wonderful,” Cherry applauds her new gig. “My role involves steaming clothes, tidying the shop, managing the tills and occasionally dressing the shop windows. When I mentioned that I am a balloon designer to a colleague at Crisis, they suggested I use my skills to decorate the shop at Christmas. I’m really excited to put my creativity to good use again.”
Volunteering from home
Jessica worked as a student midwife before retraining as a software engineer. She chose to volunteer with a charity for infants, Bliss, knitting hats for premature babies. Her volunteering helps keep her connected to her passion for midwifery. But knitting clothes at home also allows her time to focus on her new career.
“I get to knit the hats at home so it’s really easy to fit in my volunteer work around my work schedule,” Jessica explains. “One of the best things about Dot Dot Dot is that they hold you accountable. I used to volunteer, but I stopped when life got too busy. As a property guardian, I’m now making the time to give back to my community. I love that I am able to still support the women I used to work with as a midwife.”
How to volunteer flexibly
Sam is a veteran volunteer and has been supporting others since starting his career as a video producer in Dublin. Since becoming a Dot Dot Dot guardian, he’s been able to volunteer more consistently by splitting his time between pro bono work and volunteering in his local community.
“I love being able to offer my professional skills pro bono to organisations that would otherwise be unable to afford my services,” Sam tells us. “As my work focuses on social justice communications, I enjoy volunteering my time with a range of projects linked to my primary work. I’ve also been volunteering locally with Friends of the Joiners Arms, an organisation passionate about protecting and creating queer spaces. They are now looking to open up the UK’s first community run queer venue.”
“16 hours can sound like a really long time but you can break it up by finding blocks of time that fit around your schedule,” Sam advises new guardians. “I’ve found it really useful to split my time across multiple different organisations.”
So, when you’re starting to think about how to volunteer, you may want to ask yourself: What are your current skills or what skills might you like to build on? Do you want to volunteer locally or is it easier to volunteer from home? Or would you like to do a bit of both?
To stay consistent with your volunteering, it’s key to find something you’re truly passionate about and that fits into your routine. You could explore remote volunteering for flexibility, or, mix it up by combining remote and in-person opportunities. Volunteering locally is also a fantastic way to build social connections and make a real difference in your community, especially if you’re new to the area.