Volunteering and the Community
We wouldn’t be here without our amazing volunteers!
Our volunteers help with many different aspects of running the ship, including helping with events, stock takes, looking after our garden, serving on our committee, and serving customers in the shop.
October Books has been built on the time and expertise volunteered to us by the community. From the very start, the collective ethos has always pushed us forwards. Many of the amazing people who helped October Books first open are still involved today, some 40 years later! This goes a long way to showcase the importance of volunteers both to us, and to other community businesses and organisations like us.
Although the value of volunteers is clear to those who work with them, it can often go unseen by others. We want to shine a light on not just the impact of the wonderful volunteers at October Books, but all the amazing community-based organisations and groups across the city and beyond.
Volunteering is a vital resource that can have so many positive impacts on a community business:
It can be a way of utilising skills nobody on the current worker team has
It can raise awareness of the organisation and what they do
It can help the organisation reach more people
It builds relationships with the local community
It brings in outside perspectives
But volunteering is also a two way street–we believe volunteering should be just as valuable to the volunteer as it is for the organisation!
Offers people a way to be involved in their local community business
Training in new skills they can use in other areas of their life
Build confidence and experience
Satisfaction of helping the community
Meeting new people and making new friends
If you’re interested in volunteering with us, you can find out more and how to apply here.
