Volunteering Opportunities in Publishing

Posted on October 14, 2024 in South West

Looking to start working in the publishing industry but feel like you need to gain more experience for your CV? Are you considering potential careers, and wondering whether publishing could be the right industry for you?  Or are you currently working in publishing and seeking more ways to gain experience outside your job? Then volunteering could be a great place to start!

By volunteering you can demonstrate and develop your skills, work to a flexible timetable, network with publishing professionals, and make a real difference in the industry. Read on to find out more about the variety of volunteering positions available, and how they can help you with your goals in the publishing industry.  

Society of Young Publishers:

The Society of Young Publishers exists to provide essential networking opportunities, insights and skills for publishing hopefuls. Volunteering in one of our branches is a fantastic way to get involved with the publishing industry, and to show employers how you have devoted your free time and energy to refining your skillset. You can apply for a role that targets specific careers – for example our Social Media Officer role gives employers a great portfolio of your work to display your proficiency at digital marketing! 

The other major benefit of volunteering for the SYP is networking. You will be surrounded by publishing hopefuls, early career publishers, and  have chances to meet people in the industry through our events. Having contacts in the publishing industry is a great way to stand out from the crowd when applying for jobs!

Keep your eye on our website for applications to be on the committee for 2025.

The Publishing Post:

Similar to the SYP, The Publishing Post magazine offers various roles for volunteers wanting to develop and demonstrate their skills. From displaying strengths in writing and editing, to analysing marketing campaigns, or showing off your graphic design skills, the opportunities found in The Publishing Post are varied and plentiful! What is great about this volunteering opportunity is that you can actually show employers proof of your skillset, by sharing your work on LinkedIn or highlighting some of your achievements in your CV for them to see on The Publishing Post website.

Applications for The Publishing Post are open year-round, so head over to their website to apply now. 

Festivals: 

There has been a flurry of festivals in the South West lately – from the Cheltenham Literature Festival, to the Africa Writes Festival in Exeter, to the Bath Children’s Literature Festival! These events provide plenty of opportunities to volunteer, giving you essential experience in author liaising, event planning, problem solving and communication. Plus, you never know what opportunities networking at events such as these can bring! 

Charities:

Volunteering with charities in publishing lets you make a real difference, all the while building up your own experience. Charities in the industry range from book publisher’s  such as  Arkbound, academic publishers like Open Book Publishers (which also provides training opportunities free of charge), and projects that help promote reading across the country, like The Children’s Book Project.   

Reaching out to these charities, offering your help, and showcasing your enthusiasm for publishing would be a great way to get a foot in the door and help make a difference in the industry!

Hopefully, this blog has helped you to find out more about volunteering in the publishing industry – from different types of volunteering opportunities, to the range of skills volunteering promotes, to the organisations that offer such experiences!