Volunteering is good for you

Gateshead written in white on purple rectangle, volunteer centre written in purple below on white background

With busy lives, it can be hard to find time to volunteer. However, the benefits of volunteering can be enormous. Giving to others can support your mental and physical health. It can reduce stress, combat depression, keep you mentally stimulated, and provide a sense of purpose. While it’s true that the more you volunteer, the more benefits you’ll experience, volunteering doesn’t have to involve a long-term commitment or take a huge amount of time out of your busy day. Giving in even simple ways can help those in need and improve your health and happiness.

Benefits of volunteering - 3 ways to feel healthier and happier:

  1. Volunteering can connect you to others.
  2. Volunteering can be good for your mind and body.
  3. Volunteering can offer fun and fulfilment to your life.

 

  1. Volunteering can connect you to others

Volunteering allows you to connect to your community and make it a better place. Even helping out with the smallest tasks can make a real difference to the lives of others in need. Dedicating your time as a volunteer helps you make new friends, expand your network, and boost your social skills:

  • Make new friends and contacts. One of the best ways to make new friends and strengthen existing relationships is to commit to a shared activity together. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, especially if you are new to an area. It strengthens your ties to the community and broadens your support network, exposing you to people with common interests, community resources, and fun and fulfilling activities.
  • Increase your social and relationship skills. While some people are naturally outgoing, others are shy and have a hard time meeting new people. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to practice and develop your social skills.
  • Volunteering as a family. Children watch everything adults do. By giving back to the community, you’ll show them first-hand how volunteering makes a difference and how good it feels to help others and enact change. It’s also a valuable way for you to get to know organisations in the community and find resources and activities for your children and family.

 

  1. Volunteering can be good for your mind and body

Volunteering provides many benefits to both mental and physical health:

  • Volunteering can help counteract the effects of stress, anger, and anxiety. The social contact aspect of shared aims and values, and helping others can have a profound effect on your overall psychological well-being. Meaningful connections to other people, as well as working with pets and other animals has been shown to improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety.
  • Volunteering can combat depression. Volunteering keeps you in regular contact with others and helps you develop a solid support system, which in turn can protect you against loneliness and depression.
  • Volunteering can make you happy. By measuring hormones and brain activity, researchers have discovered that being helpful to others delivers immense pleasure. Human beings are generally inclined to support others. The more we give, the happier we feel.
  • Volunteering can increase self-confidence. Doing good for others and the community provides a natural sense of accomplishment, as well as a sense of pride and identity. The better you feel about yourself, the more likely you are to have a positive view of your life and future goals.
  • Volunteering can provide a sense of purpose. You can find new meaning and direction by helping others. Whatever your age or life situation, volunteering can help take your mind off your own worries, keep you mentally stimulated, add interest and new experiences and knowledge to your life.
  • Volunteering can help you stay active. Studies have found that those who volunteer generally have a lower mortality rate than those who do not! In particular, older volunteers tend to walk more, find it easier to cope with everyday tasks, are less likely to develop high blood pressure, and have better thinking skills. Some research has suggested that volunteering can even lessen symptoms of chronic pain and reduce the risk of heart disease.

 

  1. Volunteering can offer fun and fulfilment
  • Volunteering is a fun and easy way to explore your interests and passions. Doing meaningful and interesting volunteer work can be a relaxing, energising escape from your day-to-day routine of work, school, or family commitments. You can make time for hobbies outside of work through volunteering. So if you have a desk job but  want to spend more time outdoors, you could volunteer to help in a community garden or walk dogs for an animal shelter.
  • Volunteering can provide you with renewed creativity, motivation and vision. Not only can you offer your skills and experience, but volunteering can open up possibilities to learn new things and more about the wider world, that can carry over into your personal and professional life. 

 

Look for current volunteer opportunities on OurGateshead - Gateshead's community website or contact Gateshead Volunteer Centre at volunteering@connectedvoice.org.uk for any queries regarding volunteering.