By Lauren Bailey-Barber, Volunteer Development Officer
Volunteering is often recognised for the positive impact it has on communities and local causes. However, it also plays an important role in supporting the health and wellbeing of those who give their time. From increased physical activity to improved mental wellbeing, volunteering offers a range of health benefits that are sometimes overlooked.
Physical Health
To improve your physical health, you don’t have to take up a volunteering opportunity that will see you lugging huge lumps of wood around, wielding a pickaxe or running up and down Dumyat (unless that’s what you’re after in which case we can probably find it!) but nearly every volunteering opportunity provides a level of physical health improvement within it.
Some roles naturally involve higher levels of physical activity. These might include gardening in community spaces, such as Tullibody Community Garden, supporting cycle groups like Cycling Without Age or Recyke-a-Bike, or taking part in conservation and woodland management with organisations such as The Conservation Volunteers or Alva Glen Heritage Trust. Opportunities like leading a health walk with RSVP or Wee County Walks can also help volunteers stay active while supporting others.
However, even less physically demanding roles can contribute to improved physical health. Volunteering in a charity shop, for example, often involves sorting and moving donations, while supporting a community café or food larder can involve being on your feet for extended periods. All of these things might seem insignificant, but they get you moving and all movement can help improve your physical health.
Mental Health
Volunteering has the ability to improve mental health and wellbeing in ways that other activities don’t because of the rounded nature of volunteering itself. Getting out of the house, chatting with people and making new connections, helping your community and gaining a sense of achievement, learning new skills, all of these benefits individually make a huge positive impact on your mental health. While each of these benefits is valuable on its own, volunteering brings them together in a single, meaningful activity. The combination of social connection, purpose, and personal development can make a significant difference to how people feel day to day.
Whilst volunteering, of course, has big benefits for others, your community or the cause you’re supporting, it can also make big differences to your physical and mental health making it a win for everyone!
