7 reasons to volunteer for an animal welfare charity

To celebrate National Volunteering week, we wanted to share stories and experiences from our incredible volunteers. Without them, we simply couldn’t achieve change for animals on the scale we do. So, in their words, here’s the range of benefits volunteering can bring.

1. You can learn new skills as you volunteer

As you volunteer, you’re likely to be doing new things and learning about how a non-profit works. It’s a great opportunity to develop skills that will help you in your personal and professional life.

The experience you can gain from volunteering may push you out of your comfort zone, but it could be the most rewarding thing you try.

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Before volunteering with THL, I was not a very confident public speaker. At the start of this year THL put on an Activist Bootcamp series which covered public speaking, amongst other things. The session on public speaking was incredibly useful and it did wonders for my confidence. So much so that I decided to put myself forward to co-lead a presentation about THL UK to the University of Manchester Effective Altruism Society.

~ Matthew Sparks, THL Volunteer

At The Humane League UK, it’s not just a one-way street. We want to give you something back, as you give your time for animals. That’s why we offer an in-depth induction and lots of training sessions for our volunteers to develop their skills.

We even have Lead Volunteer roles so you can specialise in areas that most appeal to you. At all times, we keep flexibility at the heart of our volunteer roles to support you to help animals.

Of course it’s also an opportunity to grow existing skills you have. Many of our amazing volunteers have contributed exceptional skills and knowledge that we are incredibly grateful for.

2. Volunteering can help your wellbeing

Research has proven that volunteering can actually make you happier! From reducing anxiety, to growing confidence, from helping you make connections with others and empowering you to do good in the world, volunteering has lots of benefits to your mental health and wellbeing.

Of course, this is all down to the right environment. At The Humane League UK, my role as National Volunteering Lead is to look after the people who are generously giving their time.

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I believe volunteering is one of the most powerful and fulfilling things people can do. We can’t always choose what we do for a living, or have money to spare for good causes, but we all have a voice. ...Everyone gets a warm glow from doing good things, like random acts of kindness, but there’s also the sense of flow you get from choosing to spend a sustainable amount of time each day or each week to volunteer in a more laser-focused way.

If you can get all those good happy feels while also effectively advancing an important cause then it’s a win-win!

~ Thomas, THL Volunteer

3. Volunteering can help you meet new people and make friends

Whether you volunteer for a local or national charity, you’ll likely meet and work alongside lots of new people. The best thing is, you’re all interested in the same cause, so it’s a great place to grow friendships from.

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I’ve had such an amazing experience volunteering with The Humane League UK so far and have met so many lovely, like-minded individuals!

~ Natasha, THL Volunteer

At The Humane League UK, we’re a remote team, which means we don’t have an office based in one place. This is great for our volunteers because we’re truly set up to support them, wherever they are in the UK. We have lots of virtual meet-ups and training, but we also do try to meet up in person when we can.

Our volunteers are also all-round lovely people! They are exceptionally welcoming and friendly, and are always glad to make new connections with others who are just as passionate about animals as they are.

4. You get to find out the things you enjoy.

Whatever your stage of life, or wherever you are in your career, it’s always possible to find new things you find interesting or fun.

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I’ve learned lots, but one thing I found interesting is lobbying. It was always just a word associated with politics to me but I attended a webinar, and realised how useful it could be to charitable organisations.

~ Tracy, THL Volunteer

When you volunteer with us, we’re on that journey with you. We want you to explore new kinds of activism, and offer you new experiences as your interests change and grow.

5. Volunteering will help a cause you love

It may seem like an obvious one, but volunteering for a charity really can make a difference.

Charities can have limited funds and resources to achieve change and help those most vulnerable. So the time that volunteers generously give is vital, and this could not be more true for us.

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Volunteering gives you so much and it is super engaging and uplifting to see companies adopting changes in their policies as a result of your actions!

~ Andrea, THL Volunteer

It’s easy to feel bogged down by the problems in the world. The news is full of sad stories and, if you’re an animal lover, the sheer amount of animal suffering in the world can be overwhelming.

But it can help if you become part of the solution and you can do this by supporting a charity.

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It can feel a bit hopeless when you first learn about the horrors of factory farming. After all, what can you do to help other than cutting meat out of your diet? THL has shown me that it’s possible to greatly help these animals through volunteering too!

Since I’ve joined them so many companies have signed up to make a positive change to their supply chains for the animals. This is at least in part due to the actions I’ve helped THL with as a volunteer.

~ Max, THL Volunteer

Our volunteers power everything we do, from behind the scenes research through to organising protests. Our message is amplified as a result of the time they give so selflessly. And every hour spent helps us achieve huge change for animals.

6. It’s fun!

We know the cause that we are fighting for can feel heavy for us to carry on our own. But, when you’re surrounded by people with the same driving passion as you, you can’t help but feel uplifted by the change you’re helping to create alongside your peers.

I’m not sure whether it’s the supportive, collaborative culture of the organisation or the fact that volunteers can get involved in a variety of different activities, but volunteers at The Humane League UK seem to have a lot of fun.

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I really enjoy the campaigns THL UK run to apply pressure to companies. Although we are all working remotely, there is a real team work feeling about the campaigns. It is a chance for everyone to chip in no matter how much time they have to offer and it has a real community feel about it!

~ Ellie, THL Volunteer

I am truly grateful for the time our volunteers give so I want to make sure their experience is positive for them too. I work closely with the whole organisation to make sure we’re keeping volunteers engaged with fun, interesting and impactful activities.

7. You get to make a difference for animals

At the Humane League, our supporters and volunteers are the lifeblood of our campaigns. Without them, we couldn’t achieve the successes we do for the animals.

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Volunteering with THL UK helps you feel like you’re making a difference for animals because we all together can put enough pressure on retailers to make the change happen.

~* Darius, THL Volunteer*

One of The Humane League’s key values is effectiveness, so we ensure that volunteers’ time is spent where it can be the most valuable and achieve the most for animals. That’s why our volunteers really get to see the impact they’re making.

Interested in volunteering for an animal charity?

The Humane League has won awards for its effectiveness so it’s a great choice if you want to make a difference for animals. We’re also nationwide so you don’t need to live in a specific place.

If you’re interested in volunteering for The Humane League UK, find out more here.