Only eight per cent offer their time as a resolution

Volunteering is one of the least popular New Year’s resolutions, with approximately eight per cent of adults intending to make it their resolution for 2022.

Diverse Abilities, Dorset’s disability charity, is encouraging more people to take up the act of volunteering throughout 2022. There are a number of options available for volunteering time and some can be as short as 30 seconds.

Laura Stanley, fundraising administrator at Diverse Abilities, commented: “Many don’t realise just how valuable it is to lend your time to a charitable organisation. It’s also a great way to meet new people, learn new skills, and improve your mental wellbeing.”

The charity has a variety of roles available including helping at events, hosting bucket collections, DIY such as painting and gardening, and sharing skills with the services it provides. Opportunities are also available for corporate team building days and community organisations.

Laura continued: “Everyone likes to make the most of the New Year to change the ways they live and the things they do, and the buzz you get from helping others is genuinely a great feeling. We’d encourage everyone to take a moment and think about how they can do more to help their local community, whether that’s giving up an hour here and there, a few days over the year, or a more regular commitment.”

Anyone who signs up as a volunteer receives free training relevant to the role they wish to undertake and receive regular support and advice from the fundraising team to make the most of the opportunities.

Diverse Abilities also offers the option for people to sign up as Micro-volunteers. Launched during the pandemic, this option provides volunteers the chance to help from home with small tasks being emailed out to those who have opted in such as sharing a social media post, filling in surveys, or signing up to initiatives such as Amazon Smile.

Visit diverseabilities.org.uk/volunteer to find out more about the opportunities available.