Take a look at our updated, revamped volunteering pages.
I first volunteered for the RSPB at the age of 17 - as a voluntary warden at Arne. The then warden, Bryan Pickess, handed me the envelope with me A-level results in it. That was long before the days of texts and emails!
I enjoyed the experience, learned a bit, and contributed a bit too. I dimly remember counting cars passing by on the road, counting birds, spotting colour-ringed Dartford warblers, carrying the battery for the warden's moth trap (!) and hacking at some scrub for hours.
But I clearly remember the smooth snakes and sand lizards that I saw.
That experience didn't put me off thinking about working for the RSPB years later twhen the chance came up. And it demonstrated to a variety of employers in between that I had done something useful with me time.
there are lots of ways that you can volunteer for the RSPB at any age. Help the Big Society for the Protection of Birds.
A love of the natural world demonstrates that a person is a cultured inhabitant of planet Earth.
One of the things that really impressed me was RSPB's recognition that not everyone wants to - or can - hack scrub - and that many who don't have equally - or more valuable - skills. The RSPB 'jobs ads' for volunteers - including computer work, fund raising & all sorts is brilliant. My one complaint is that having helped manage several countryside/ bird charities I always seem to end up doing the grubby bits - finance, personnel etc and never get anywhere near the birds ! They also serve who just sit in committe meetings I suppose.....