Scottish Careers Week celebrates different career paths and opportunities across Scotland, and the support available to help everyone realise their potential.

Did you know there are loads of local and Scottish level volunteering opportunities that can help you build skills that matter? Whether you’re leading, organising, mentoring or supporting, you’re gaining experience that transfers to every area of life and work. We’ve been chatting to Lynda, the volunteer digital marketing editor for Girlguiding Dunbartonshire about taking on the role and how it changed her career path…

After 17 years working in newspapers, I was ready for a change. I’d always loved writing and storytelling, but I wanted to try something new – something that would let me be creative in different ways. Marketing and communications had been on my radar for a while as I had lots of transferable skills, but I didn’t have much hands-on experience.

So when the chance came up to volunteer as Digital Marketing Editor for Girlguiding Dunbartonshire – where I was already a Brownie Leader – I jumped at it. It felt like the perfect opportunity to learn new skills while doing something I cared about.

Pretty quickly, I was creating social media content, writing press releases, promoting events, and experimenting with tools like Canva and Meta Business Suite. I loved it. It was exciting to see our engagement grow and to share amazing stories from our Guiding community.

And the best part? Not long after I started the role, I landed a job in digital communications with a charity. The experience I’d gained through Girlguiding played a huge part in helping me make that career move. It gave me the confidence and experience I needed to take that next step.

Volunteering has been a brilliant way to learn on the job, build my skills, and support a cause I’m passionate about. If you’re thinking about taking your volunteering up a notch – go for it. You never know where it might lead!

Find out more about the opportunities available in Girlguiding here.