How to start your volunteering journey

Lauren Bravo is author of How To Break Up With Fast Fashion. Her debut novel Preloved, about a charity shop volunteer, is out 27 April (Simon & Schuster)

It’s been predicted that 2023 could end up being the year of the volunteer, if studies by Pro Bono Economics and Nottingham Trent University are to be believed. And it’s no wonder that, in our increasingly disconnected times, we’re seeking old-fashioned, face-toface ways to connect socially.

That’s one of the reasons I took up volunteering, and I adore my Thursday afternoons in a Crisis charity shop. As a secondhand clothes fiend and sustainable fashion writer, it felt like a natural fit to volunteer in a place where I’ve spent hours trawling for treasure.

If you’re thinking about getting into volunteering, first, consider your skills. Don’t force yourself to stray too far out of your comfort zone – you’re more likely to end up quitting. And I’d recommend choosing a charity that has some personal resonance or a political pull. It’s easier to haul yourself out of bed for a cause you believe in.

Volunteering can be a great antidote to the cult of productivity. It’s a relief to do something that isn’t competitive or career-focused; to step out of that hustle mindset. Pick something that contrasts to your day job. Is there a muscle you don’t get to flex very often? A hobby that makes you happy? Don’t make it an exercise in self-flagellation – you’re allowed to do something that benefits you as well as the community.

That said, organisations really depend on volunteers being reliable, so take it seriously. Don’t overpromise. Be realistic about what you can commit. People will be grateful for that.

And really, it’s all about the people. As a home-working freelancer, my shifts behind the till made me realise how much I’d been craving social contact – and it’s the same for Gwen, Preloved’s protagonist. Volunteering can become a whole new type of self-care.