The Benefits of Volunteering

Dictionary publisher Oxford Languages defines a Volunteer as ‘a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task.’

‘Freely’ doesn’t mean there is no benefit to the volunteer.

Volunteering can make you happier and healthier. It can open doors to friendship, career opportunities and a good time. You can really benefit from your altruism!

The Mayo Clinic has identified the health benefits of volunteering. 

Volunteer activities can keep you moving and thinking, at the same time benefiting your physical health and reducing your risk of Alzheimers.  Volunteers report better physical health than non-volunteers, and a study released by Johns Hopkins University revealed that volunteers actually increased their brain functioning, especially for people 65 and older.

The National Alliance for Mental Health (NAMI) adds the mental health benefits to be hadby volunteering, including reducing stress – another boost to your physical health, increasing happiness and developing your self-esteem.

Volunteering helps you manage stress by diverting attention away from yourself and focusing on the greater good. Doing something meaningful to you can take your mind off our worries. Reduced stress not only decreases the risk of depression and anxiety, it also reduces your risk of heart disease, stroke, and general illness.

Volunteering increases positive, relaxed feelings by releasing dopamine. It’s the same feel-good rush you get after a good workout at the gym. The more you volunteer, the happier you become!

Volunteering helps you build confidence and self-esteem. Learning new skills or accomplishing goals while helping others? That really boosts your sense of self-worth.

The National Society Of Leadership And Success (NSLS), a student leadership program that helps them achieve personal and career success while empowering them to have a positive impact in their community, published a list of the 15 Unexpected Benefits of Volunteering That Will Inspire You.  Echoing the physical and health benefits, it adds personal advantages of volunteerism. 

One in ten adults report that they have no close friends. By volunteering you’re not only interacting with the people you are helping, you’re engaging with other volunteers who share your goals and interests.  We build closer relationships and stronger connections to people when we work together; so, if you’re looking to form attachments and build friendships, volunteer. 

Volunteering brings together different views and different experiences into a community with a common interest. For students, volunteering helps them build social job skills that can help first with their college applications and then later with their job and internship searches.

By volunteering you’ll be able to tap into your network for other opportunities. Volunteer work on a résumé can illustrate your skills and your teamwork ability, a real asset in the workplace.

As wonderful as it is to change the world and make your community a better place, there’s no reason you can’t just do it for fun! Making new friends, learning new skills, doing a task you enjoy - all are great reasons to volunteer. Walking dogs at a shelter, painting a mural or reading to children are all valuable, needed volunteer opportunities.  

If you are ready to make friends, improve mental and physical health, and maybe develop new skills along the way, start volunteering. You can change your life and the lives of others when you do. Don’t overlook the benefits of volunteering. Embrace them!

Research shows that 2 or 3 hours a week provides the most benefits, so find an activity that’s rewarding or enjoyable and sign up today!