Find your purpose by volunteering like Natasha

Posted on 11 March 2026 • Career planning

OU student Natasha shares how her voluntary experience with Action Tutoring has improved her employability skills, boosted her confidence and even helped her mental health and wellbeing. Find out how volunteering can help your career and increase your chances of success.

Volunteering boosts confidence and skills

“I think the most valuable skill I’ve developed is being a more reflective communicator,”  Natasha says, reflecting on her time as a volunteer Tutor.

Voluntary work can:

• Build your confidence and self-awareness, enabling you to talk to employers about your skills more effectively.
• Improve your skills and develop new ones such as communication, problem solving, self-management and resilience.
• Increase your knowledge of a new sector, helping you to develop commercial awareness.

Unexpected positive effect on mental wellbeing

Natasha also discovered some unforeseen benefits:

“Volunteering has had several unexpected positive effects, especially on my mental health and wellbeing.”

Connection and confidence unlimited by disability

Natasha strongly advocates for volunteering and has found the experience freeing:

“The sense of purpose I get from contributing as a volunteer has… improved my confidence, has made me feel less isolated and more capable. Most importantly, it reminds me that having a disability doesn’t limit me.”

Volunteering improves job prospects

Research carried out by volunteering charity Timebank through Reed Executive found that:

“73% of employers would employ a candidate with volunteering experience over one without”

“94% of employers believe that volunteering can add to skills”

Next steps

Read more about Natasha’s experience of volunteering on the Action Tutoring website.

If you’d like further support to explore volunteering opportunities or your career plans in general, contact Careers and Employability Services. We’re here for you throughout your studies and for 3 years afterwards.