The following is an attempt to identify the key skills that can be developed through volunteer work. All of these skills are generic in the sense that they are required for a wide variety of jobs in the labour market. Skills related to specialized types of jobs or specific occupations have not been included, although they may be relevant to some volunteer positions.

Please note that the lists of `core' and `transferable' skills are not necessarily exhaustive. Also, any of the skills cited below can be dissected more finely.

There is, as yet, no generally accepted method for identifying and classifying workplace skills. However, several frameworks for classifying skills have been published, and there is great interest in continuing this work to advance policy in the area of skills development in Canada, the USA and Great Britain.

The scheme developed for this guide is unique, although it owes much to the thinking on this subject that has gone beforehand. (For the key sources, see the references in the bibliography to the work of Sidney Fine, RN Bolles, Howard Figler, Bernard Haldane, Anthony Carnevale, and Neil Yeager.)

Core Skills

Core skills are the basic skills needed to work and learn in the workplace of the 1990s and beyond. They form the foundation necessary to find and keep almost every kind of job today. And, they will likely be the entry-level skills for most positions in the labour market of the future.

Young people who are still developing the core skills are able to become more proficient through volunteering. Young people who have already acquired a reasonable level of proficiency in these skills will have the opportunity to polish them in their volunteer assignments.

It must also be recognized that, because of disabilities or special needs, some young people may have great difficulty acquiring certain skills. In these cases, special accommodations will have to be made to ensure that these individuals have the support they require to be successful in volunteer positions. (For further guidance in this area, please see Bridges to the Future: Supported Programs for Volunteers with Special Needs, which is cited in Section II of the Resource List.)

Reading skills

• interprets and understands written information aimed at a general audience, including schedules and basic manuals
• able to identify the essential ideas and relevant facts in a written text

Writing skills

• able to present information, thoughts and ideas in written form
• able to record information accurately and completely
• able to draft letters and instructions
• able to edit texts to ensure proper spelling, syntax and grammar

Numeracy skills

• performs basic computations
• uses basic math concepts in practical situations (eg, measurement, percentages, ratio and proportion)
• able to make reasonable estimates
• understands graphs and charts
• able to handle cash and do stock inventories

Speaking skills

• organizes and presents information or ideas in a clear and concise way
• communicates messages in a way appropriate to the situation and the listeners
• participates effectively in conversations and discussions
• gives and receives directions and instructions effectively

Listening skills

• knows how to listen to others effectively
• open to the ideas and perspectives of others (ie, can listen to and evaluate them without feeling defensive)

Social skills

• relates well to both peers and superiors in familiar and new situations
• able to work cooperatively with others
• treats others with respect; avoids demeaning words and actions
• able to demonstrate friendliness and politeness
• able to interpret the body language of others

Thinking skills

• understands ideas and assimilates new information with relative ease
• uses logic to draw conclusions, predict results and evaluate ideas
• makes sound decisions and judgements
• evaluates alternative courses of action critically
• able to analyze problems and find solutions
• able to infer the meaning of unknown vocabulary
• uses imagination and ingenuity; able to think creatively
• able to use foresight and be resourceful
• able to learn from experience and use this knowledge in other contexts

Memory skills

• remembers information and details on a short-term and long-term basis
• able to follow multi-stepped instructions

Motor skills

• manual dexterity and agility
• hand-eye coordination
• physical coordination

Self-management skills

• thorough and reliable (ie, has good work habits)
• self-discipline; motivation and drive to get the job done
• works well without supervision
• keeps emotions and impulses under control
• self-confidence
• able to manage time well
• able to plan and complete projects
• able to set goals and priorities in personal and work situations
• shows initiative and able to solve problems independently
• takes responsibility for and accepts consequences of own action
• recognizes when to ask for assistance
• accepts authority
• able to accept constructive criticism
• able to remain calm and to cope with deadline pressures
• develops coping strategies to deal with new or stressful situations
• self-awareness (insight into personal feelings, needs, abilities, strengths and values)
• moral reasoning skills

Transferable Skills

Transferable skills are a higher order than core skills. They are required for a wide variety of jobs and can be transferred from one task, job or workplace to another. Transferable skills are thus very marketable.

Each job requires its own unique combination of skills. The skill set required for a given job will cut across these skill categories and possibly even within the categories. In addition, some position demand the use of specific skills at a higher level than others.

The following is the spectrum of new skills that young people could acquire through volunteer work.

People skills

Interpersonal skills

• able to interact successfully with others (co-workers, supervisors and clients)
• knows how to express feelings warmly and sensitively
• gives and receives feedback in a constructive manner
• `hears' what is said and implied
• knows how to interpret and use body language
• knows how to use tact and diplomacy
• recognizes and values the uniqueness of individuals
• works well with a wide variety of people: males and females; people from other social, educational, religious, cultural and racial backgrounds; individuals who have disabilities or special needs

Teamwork skills

• shows respect for the perspectives, ideas and opinions of others
• works cooperatively with others
• contributes to team or committee efforts with ideas and suggestions

Oral communication skills

• presents information and ideas clearly and concisely, with content and style appropriate for the audience (whether one-to-one or in a group)
• presents opinions and ideas in an open, unprejudicial way
• responds effectively without preparation in spontaneous situations (able to `think on feet')

Public speaking skills

• able to make a formal presentation
• presents ideas, positions and problems in an interesting way
• maintains poise in public appearances

Counselling skills

• responds to what others have said in a non-judgemental way (`active listening')
• builds trust and openness with others
• able to demonstrate empathy
• able to help others to understand themselves better and to build self-esteem
• able to help others to solve their problems
• gives sound advice in an effective way

Coaching/mentoring skills

• works and communicates with others to satisfy their needs and expectations
• gives appropriate advice in a persuasive way
• gives feedback in a constructive way
• helps others to increase their knowledge or skills

Teaching/training skills

• able to help others acquire knowledge and learn specific skills
• able to motivate people to learn new things and to perform well
• able to adjust content and teaching style to the audience
• able to create an effective learning environment

Supervising skills

• identifies and uses human resources as effectively as possible
• motivates individuals to perform well
• able to coordinate the assignment of tasks appropriately
• delegates responsibilities and establishes an appropriate system of accountability
• able to monitor progress and assess the quality of job performance
• engenders trust and respect
• able to build effective teams

Leadership skills

• motivates and empowers others to act
• involves others without coercing or cajoling
• promotes open discussion and involvement of all participants, while not dominating
• able to facilitate and manage group interactions
• able to delegate effectively
• able to gain cooperation from unreceptive people
• able to run a formal meeting well
• challenges existing policies and procedures in a responsible manner

Persuading skills

• communicates effectively in both oral and written from to justify a position or influence decisions
• effective spokesperson for the organization; able to explain goals and activities in a way appropriate to the audience
• able to sell products
• able to promote idea
• effective in lobbying for change
• able to recruit individuals in a proactive way
• able to build and maintain good relations with other organizations
• able to attract financial support (e.g., fund-raising for a voluntary organization)

Negotiating skills

• able to negotiate skilfully
• knows how and when to make compromises

Mediation skills

• able to resolve conflict that stems from divergent perspectives or interests
• helps those with opposite viewpoints reach mutual agreement (through consensus or compromise); encourages give and take from both sides
• able to deal with conflict in an open, honest and positive way; can persuade others to agree to disagree or can find a compromise position that both sides can live with

Interviewing skills

• asks and responds to questions effectively
• able to make others feel relaxed and create a feeling of trust

Client service skills

• builds a relationship of mutual trust with clients
• able to understand or perceive clients' needs
• gives or finds appropriate services
• helps individuals develop new attitudes/skills
• helps clients cope with stressful situations
• acts as an advocate for clients
• develops ways (tailored to individual needs) to help people reach personal goals
• able to handle complaints and concerns

Care-giving skills

• able to identify and respond appropriately to the need for care, counselling, treatment or therapy
• patient and empathetic with others
• sensitive care of people who are sick or elderly or who have severe disabilities
• custodial care (eg, feeding, washing)
• able to perform Cpr and administer first aid

Mind skills

Analytical/logical thinking skills

• able to draw specific conclusions from a set of general observations (ie, deductive reasoning)
• able to draw general conclusions from set of specific facts (ie, inductive reasoning)
• able to identify an appropriate framework for analysis and evaluation
• examines data to understand inter-relationships and correlations
• able to compare and contrast details and options
• able to synthesize information and ideas

Critical thinking skills

• able to review different points of view or ideas and make objective judgements
• able to examine underlying assumptions
• able to formulate a question, analyze a problem or define a situation with clarity, accuracy and fair-mindedness
• investigates all possible solutions to a problem, weighing the pros and cons
• able to review or develop policy and programs

Creative thinking skills

• able use imagination and intuition freely
• able to suspend logical thinking and judgement to find new paths for action
• able to generate new ideas, invent new things, create new images or designs
• able to conceive new interpretations and to combine ideas or information in new ways
• able to solve an unstructured problem
• designs new approaches to solve existing problems
• able to make connections between seemingly unrelated things
• able to reshape goals to reveal new possibilities
• able to use wit and humour effectively

Problem-solving skills

·able to clarify the nature of a problem, evaluate alternatives, propose viable solutions and determine the outcome of the various options

Decision-making skills

• able to identify all possible options, weigh the pros and cons, assess feasibility and choose the most viable option

Planning skills

• able to plan agendas, projects, events and programs
• able to determine the need for action
• able to lay out a step-by-step process for achieving a goal
• establishes objectives and needs, evaluates options, chooses best option
• analyses all the requirements (i.e., human, financial and material resources) to accomplish specific goals
• establishes a realistic timetable

Organizational skills

• able to organize information, people or things in a systematic way
• breaks down an activity into component tasks and coordinates resources (human and financial; assigns appropriate people) to undertake them
• able to establish priorities
• understands the inter-relationship between the parts of a whole
• develops or streamlines procedures
• monitors progress and effectiveness
• operates effectively within an established organizational system

Applied or practical skills

Advanced writing skills

• able to communicate in writing for maximum impact
• able to select, interpret, organize and synthesize key ideas
• able to adjust style, form and content to a particular audience
• able to draft non-routine correspondence and complex reports
• able to write in a creative way for the general public (eg, publicity and advertising material)
• able to edit a written text to ensure that the message is as clear, concise and accurate as possible

Research skills

• able to design research projects
• able to define the scope of a topic
• develops appropriate methodology and implements the plan
• knows how to find and collect relevant background information
• able to identify people who have information relevant to the task
• collects and compiles data
• able to analyze data, summarize findings and write a report
• attention to detail; observation skills

Administrative/clerical skills

• operates computers and other office equipment
• able to do word processing and data entry
• compiles basic information
• designs and maintains filing and control systems
• general office work

Financial skills

• keeps accurate financial records
• able to manage a budget (ie, preparing sound budgets and monitoring expenses)
• able to establish and maintain accounting and auditing procedures
• able to compile financial and other numerical data
• able to prepare financial statements and reports
• able to interpret financial reports and audited statements
• able to calculate Gst and other taxes
• able to monitor inventory flow

Language skills

• knowledge of languages other than the one dominant in the group
• functionally bilingual (eg, knows French or English as a second language)
• able to translate or interpret in a given language(s)
• able to communicate in sign language

Computer literacy skills

• understands the basic functions of the computer
• able to operate a word processing system
• able to manipulate data in a computer
• able to operate special application software
• able to use electronic mail systems
• able to access a computer internet system
• able to learn new software with relative ease

Technological skills

• understands technical systems and operates effectively within them (eg, computers)
• understands technical specifications; reads technical manuals with ease
• maintains computer or other systems; regulates controls; analyzes potential malfunctions; troubleshoots for potential problems
• able to suggest modifications to an existing system or design a new system to improve performance

Performing skills

• able to make presentations for video or television in an interesting way
• able to entertain, amuse and inspire an audience
• able to act, sing or play an instrument in public

Artistic skills

• able to draw diagrams and illustrations
• uses colour and design creatively
• able to design displays and public relations material (print or video)

Perceptual skills

• able to visualize new formats and shapes
• able to estimate physical space

Mechanical skills

• able to install, operate and monitor the performance of equipment and mechanical devices
• able to repair mechanical devices
• possesses hand skills

Adaptability skills

• capacity to adapt to new situations and settings and to tolerate change well
• ability to work in ambiguous and flexible environments; tolerance for ambiguity
• flexibility to adapt to the needs of the moment
• a positive attitude towards change; sees change as a challenge rather than as a problem

Examples for selected volunteer positions

A skills profile is a list of skills that can be developed in a given assignment. The following are examples of skills profiles for a variety of volunteer positions that could be filled by young people.

These examples are based on the transferable skills outlined in the Inventory of Marketable Skills in Appendix A. In some cases, it maybe useful to break the skill categories into their component parts.

In some volunteer positions, young people may also have the opportunity to acquire more specialized skills relevant to a particular type of job or occupation. Where this is the case, the job-specific skills should also be added to the skills profile.