Volunteering helped boost my career and increase my confidence

Volunteer Katie Hayes says the investment CLI puts in to training volunteers really shows the value that the organisation places on them.  

The 28-year-old, who studied criminal justice and criminology at university, says her volunteer role with CLI played an important part in her career progression, working in probation and community rehabilitation.

“CLI really stood out for me because of the mentoring aspect of the role for a volunteer.

“After applying, I went on a two-day training course, which was really intense in a very positive way. I have been on courses before when you start a volunteering role but this was amazing. I thought I knew what I was doing before, but so much more was covered. I felt confident to start the role after the training and was really impressed with the investment in volunteers.

“My mum works in the police force and I have always been fascinated by her work and have always wanted to work with ex-offenders. I love what I do, and the experience I gained from CLI was invaluable.

“The CLI team are like a family and the training was great, part of it involved me writing down a fear, which for me was having no confidence and getting knocked back for jobs. But the CLI team showed that they believed in me and cared about my development to help support the service users.

“No longer can you just walk out of a degree into a job – you need to be employable and volunteering experience really helps with that.

“I would 100% recommend volunteering with CLI, and not just when you are on a specific career path but to boost confidence and to benefit from the training and support. It was a great way of networking, and I now have brilliant contacts for my current role. Volunteering is a safety net and a good practice before you go into paid employment because you will make mistakes – but you have time to reflect and get feedback to carry with you.”

Apply to be a volunteer here now.