Volunteers
Information for Volunteers
Eager to Volunteer?
Many Welsh speakers, unbeknown to themselves very often, are volunteers. They usually 'help out' with a local Welsh organisation such as the Urdd, the Young Farmers Club, Merched y Wawr, the chapel, the village hall etc. But with an increasing number of regional and national voluntary organisations calling out for bilingual volunteers, it is important to ensure that Welsh speakers who are eager to volunteer and contribute to their communities seek 'formal' opportunities to do so. This may be an unfamiliar and strange concept for many Welsh speakers, but voluntary organisations across Wales are recognising that they cannot offer a complete bilingual service without the dedication and skills of bilingual volunteers.
By searching for 'formal' volunteering opportunities that will allow you to use the Welsh language, you will be helping voluntary and community organisations to make greater use of the Welsh language and you will be enabling members of the public and clients of voluntary services to use the Welsh language with the organisation and receive services through the medium of Welsh.
How to Discover Formal Opportunities
There are volunteer bureaus across Wales, working very closely more often than not with County Voluntary Councils. You can find the contact details of your nearest bureau and a list of locally available opportunities by visiting www.volunteering-wales.net.
Remember to tell the bureau's officers that you are eager to use your Welsh language skills in a voluntary setting. This will enable the officers to search for voluntary organisations that have asked specifically for bilingual volunteers.
If you feel more comfortable contacting Estyn Llaw's officers in the first instance, please feel free to do so, and we will contact the relevant volunteer bureau on your behalf.
0800 9177 969