Why do alumni volunteer?

From boosting your skills, to getting that feel good factor, there are so many different reasons why people volunteer.

We asked our community of alumni volunteers why they do what they do, and it's clear to see that the main motivation is that people genuinely care about the next generation.

83% of our volunteers stated “I want to help young people” as their main reason for volunteering. 2% cited “meeting new people” as their main motivation, and the remaining listed specific reasons, including:

“I have discovered that it is of equal benefit to the volunteer from a mental wellbeing perspective.”

“As another avenue into schools to help spread the importance of STEM subjects.”

We also asked why they signed up to be relatable role models, and why they think volunteering to inspire and motivate young people across the UK is a good idea.

We had many great responses, here are three moving examples:

“I grew up in a challenging household and went to a primary school where I was bullied and started to lash out. I was told I would be a nobody and get nowhere in life by my teachers and ended up at a specialist school. I got the opportunity to go to a normal secondary school where I had a few teachers that believed in me and pushed me to do well in areas I was good at. Since leaving, I have had a successful career, and I joined Future First so I could show students at my old school that their background doesn’t determine their future.”

“I grew up in a low-income area; however, I want to help fight against the stereotypes people have of the individuals in our community as there are many people who have obtained great job opportunities. I want to show people that we can all succeed the same, despite your background.”

“I want to help today’s generation to see their potential. Not everyone is all about the ‘perfect education’, there are other ways forward in life. I am here to share my experiences.”

Our volunteer community also consists of people who want to connect with young people who share the same lived experience with them, whether it’s being neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, or struggling with mental health. It’s so important for young people to see people they relate to succeeding and achieving their goals.

Here’s what some our new alumni volunteers had to say:

“My journey through education has been a rollercoaster from leaving school with no GCSEs, and then going to college at 15. In less than two years, I became an award winning student working on my own business ideas. I went down the apprenticeship route after studying hairdressing at college. I have been working in education for 10 years this year and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I finally made it as a tutor and it’s something that I never thought was possible being dyslexic.”

“I think it’s important to inspire the future generation with my story. I came from a lower socio-economic background with no one having gone to university, and now I’ve got two degrees and I’m waiting to start my doctorate. I want to inspire others. I’m also an autistic woman so I want to inspire those who are neurodivergent to pursue their dreams too.”

As Schools Alumni Week comes to a close, we’d like to say a huge thank you to our outstanding volunteers and alumni communities, who are so passionate about boosting social mobility and improving resilience, motivation and aspirations in young people.