Volunteering is when you provide a service to an individual or to an organisation, but when you are not paid a wage or an allowance (although you might receive some expenses).

You can volunteer for as little time as you want (perhaps a few hours every now and then); as regularly as you want (perhaps a few hours every week); for as long as you want (some projects might be long-term, lasting for a year or more, and enable you to spend a year out, perhaps before going on to university).

If you do full-time long-term volunteering on a residential basis, you may receive free board and lodgings, and sometimes a little pocket money. Some short-term residential projects, however, may expect you to contribute for board and lodgings.