A quarter of the UK’s unemployed are currently involved in volunteering projects, according to a survey carried out by volunteering platform OrangeRockCorps.

The survey, which questioned over 3,000 16 to 65-year-olds across the UK, found that 45% of those volunteering are taking part to gain work experience and to boost their CVs. Forty-three per cent of those questions believed that this would increase their chances of getting a job.

And they may be right to think so, as 61% of bosses questioned said that they actively look for skills learned from volunteering projects and 55% recognise that volunteering improves a candidate’s job prospects.

Richard Taylor, divisional director of Reed Graduates, says: “Having life and work experience skills along with the right mindset can really help candidates to stand out, particularly at a junior level where lots of very similarly qualified individuals are going for the same roles.

“Volunteering provides the opportunity to learn these essential life skills and demonstrate that you have interests outside the workplace, and as a result can be a very valuable trait on your CV.”