Volunteering 01

If the RNLI employed permanent lifeboat staff, the wages bill would be a lot more than its income from donations. Lifeboat volunteers have paid jobs but when they go out on a rescue, the RNLI does not pay them.

It is not only charities who have volunteers. Local councillors volunteer their services to help the local authority. Local people are then asked to elect who they want to be on the council from the volunteers. They are not paid for these services. Clubs and societies in cities, towns and villages depend on people volunteering to organise things. In inner cities, volunteers run schemes for local people in deprived areas, setting up communal gardens and other useful local initiatives.

Lots of people also volunteer to do something that will raise money for a specific cause e.g. for the RSPCA or to buy a local disabled child something that will help to make their life better. They contact as many people as possible, like friends, family and work colleagues, to donate a small amount of money when they have completed whatever it was they decided to do. The people who donate money in this way are called sponsors.