The wellbeing benefits of Volunteering

The Big Help Out, May 8 2023 has been established to raise awareness of volunteering throughout the UK and provide opportunities for people to experience volunteering and make a difference in their communities. Whilst volunteering obviously benefits people in need, worthwhile causes and the community, it also benefits the volunteer’s mind, body and soul thus making it a wonderful self care activity too.

Benefits of volunteering

Connects you to others - helping you make new friends, expand your network, and boosting your social skills

Healthy for your mind and body - it reduces stress and anxiety especially when working with animals or in a creative role/organisation. Regular contact with others boosts your own support circle thereby helping manage depression. It gives you a sense of purpose. Research has also shown that the more you give , the happier you are. Physically, it gets you moving more.

Can progress your career - by helping you get experience in a new field you might be considering. It also helps you develop skills such as teamwork, communication, problem solving, project planning, negotiating, customer service and managing difficult people.

Is fun and fulfilling - bringing new fun activities into your life.

Would you consider volunteering?

What could you volunteer in ? Here’s some questions to ask your self:

Do you want to improve the area you live in?
Do you want meet people different to yourself?
Do you want to see a different way of life?
Do you want try something new?
Do you want to do something in your spare time?
Do you want to have a go at the type of work you might want as a full-time job? Do you something related to your interests and hobbies?
Do you want to share a skill you’re good at?
Do you want to work with adults, children, animals, plants, historic or art sites?
Do you want to work in a front line role or behind the scenes?
Do you want to work from home or at a venue?
What causes are important to you?

Try to find a match with your interests and personality.

Here’s how to search for opportunities

Go to Big Help Out website to find out what’s being organised in your area. You’ll find a range of volunteering opportunities with something to suite all sorts of skills, experiences, backgrounds and abilities.

Other places to look include:

Do-it.org - database of UK volunteering opportunities.

The Volunteering section on the UK Gov website where you will be able to find links to opportunities in Scotland, Wales, the NHS, Volunteering Matters ( for young, older and disabled volunteers), Reach Volunteering ( for volunteers with specific skills - like accountancy, marketing, law, management, mentoring or IT), the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action website and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) website.