Volunteering

There are endless opportunities to volunteer in the UK. Did you know, for example, that there are 160,000 registered charities in the country, many of whom rely on volunteers to help in a variety of different roles?

The benefits to the recipients of volunteering are usually self-evident; but what about the benefits to the volunteer. Are there any and if so, what are they?

There has been much research undertaken into this subject. A report which summarises much of the research can be found here :-

https://fds.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/07_0506_hbr.pdf

To quote from the document :- 

“Research has established a strong relationship between volunteering and health: those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer. Comparisons of the health benefits of volunteering for different age groups have also shown that older volunteers are the most likely to receive greater benefits from volunteering, whether because they are more likely to face higher incidence of illness or because volunteering provides them with physical and social activity and a sense of purpose at a time when their social roles are changing. Some of these findings also indicate that volunteers who devote a “considerable” amount of time to volunteer activities (about 100 hours per year) are most likely to exhibit positive health outcomes.”

What experiences have you had from volunteering and how have you benefited? Are there any downsides? Let us know.