Volunteering at The Ministry of Defence

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) actively encourages its Civil Servants to participate in a wide range of voluntary work throughout the UK and many do, making valuable contributions to their local communities. Activities include, but are not limited to:

• Cadets and Reserves.
• National Trust.
• Red Cross.
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
• School Governors.
• Parish Councillors.
• Royal Voluntary Service.
• Youth leadership training courses.

MOD Civil Servants are entitled to up to 6 days Special Paid Leave (SPL) a year for volunteering activities. However, other volunteering activities can attract higher limits of SPL:

• Reservists – 15 days.
• Cadets – 5 days.
• Mayoral Duties – 24 days.
• Special Constables – 12 days.

The benefits of volunteering to a Civil Servant in the MOD include:

• Learning New Skills – Volunteering can help you learn new skills, gain experience and sometimes gain a qualification.
• Confidence Building – Volunteering can help you gain confidence by allowing you the opportunity to try something different or new that gives you the chance to gain a real sense of achievement.
• Meeting New People – Volunteering can help you meet a diverse group of people from a variety of backgrounds, quite often with different experiences and knowledge. It can also be a wonderful way to make new friends.
• Making a Difference - Volunteering can have a real and valuable positive affect on people, communities and society in general.
• Being Part of Your Community. Volunteering can make you feel part of something outside your friends and family, helping you to make a positive impact on local community initiatives.

• Taking on New Challenges. Through volunteering you can challenge yourself to try something different, achieve personal goals, practice using your skills and discover hidden talents.
• Team Building – some work teams use volunteering in their local area to also help with team building whilst helping with a local charity.

Overall, participating in a volunteering activity is all about having real fun and becoming a civil servant in the MOD gives you the time to try out some volunteering opportunities.

Being an MOD Civil Servant is Anything But Uniform.