New Forest volunteering can be the key to employment

Feb. 28, 2012 - PRLog -- This free event will have over 30 organisations with potential volunteering opportunities that may help people gain future employment.
Claire Shepherd, who works for CABI (Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux International) in Oxfordshire, started volunteering in the New Forest in 2010. She said: ‘I was studying biology at university but I wanted to get some hands-on, practical experience. I worked with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust as a summer volunteer on a project monitoring invasive plants across the New Forest for four months.
‘In the current economic climate getting a job can be difficult, but volunteering meant I had real examples I could draw on to demonstrate skills to potential employers. Working with other volunteers, communicating with staff and the ability to present data clearly have all been important skills to learn. The project allowed me to work independently which was great for building my confidence and proving that I could work under my own initiative.
‘Volunteering is also a great way of getting really involved in the work of an organisation, and it has really helped me to focus on how I could develop my future career too.’
Jim Mitchell, the New Forest National Park’s Interpretation Officer, said: ‘Volunteering can really make the difference in securing that job you really want. The Volunteer Fair offers a wealth of opportunities  to get new skills and experience that will help you stand out when applying for employment in a difficult jobs market.’
Organisations signed up to attend the Fair include the Forestry Commission, which is looking for new volunteer rangers; the National Trust, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust; Friends of New Forest Airfields; Sir Harold Hillier Gardens; New Forest Transition; the New Forest Centre; Hampshire Conservation Volunteers; Hampshire Scouts and many more.
The New Forest National Park Authority will also be promoting its new project - 'New Forest remembers: untold stories of World War II'. Volunteers are needed to help record the stories of those who were in the New Forest, either living, stationed or evacuated, during World War II.
The Volunteer Fair will be held on Saturday 3 March from 10:30am - 4pm at Lyndhurst Community Centre. For more information visit http://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/volunteer-fair.
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Notes to Editors:

Protect - Enjoy - Prosper

The New Forest National Park Authority’s statutory purposes are to:
Conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the Park - Protect
Promote opportunities for understanding and enjoyment of its special qualities – Enjoy.
We also have a duty to:
Seek to foster the social and economic well-being of local communities within the Park –Prosper.

The New Forest National Park was designated in March 2005. Its unique landscape has been shaped over the centuries by grazing ponies, cattle and pigs which roam free. Majestic woodlands, rare heathland and a spectacular coastline provide fabulous opportunities for quiet recreation, enjoyment and discovery.

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The New Forest National Park lies mainly in south-west Hampshire; it is famous for its stunning landscapes,wildlife,coastline & picturesque villages. It is the eighth national park in England and the first in the south-east to be created for nearly 50yrs.