What is volunteering?

Volunteering is when we offer to do something free of charge without being forced to do it, motivated by free will and a desire to help others. For example, we might volunteer to help plant trees in the botanical gardens, make a cake for a colleague’s birthday, make some food for a church morning tea or hand out flyers for an organisation. It can be offering our time, our expertise or skills, or helping out with something we have never done before but want to learn.

What are the benefits of volunteering?

When we think of the benefits of volunteering, we often think of the benefits to an organisation or cause through our altruistic acts. But there are lots of positives to being a volunteer. Research has shown that volunteering, whether it involves doing something for someone or an organisation, benefits a person’s mental and physical health as well as their social wellbeing. Volunteering often makes us feel good, gets us interacting with others and involves moving the body.

Think about the reasons why a person might volunteer their time or their skills. Sometimes we think a person volunteers because they’re a good person, which is often true. However, a lot of the time a person volunteers because it gives them a sense of purpose and meaning. They do it because the cause is important to them and they feel positive emotions from engaging in the activity. People usually volunteer because they enjoy it, and it doesn’t have to be connected to an organisation, it can even be helping a friend move to a new house.

When a person volunteers their time to a cause that’s close to their heart and important to them, they feel they are giving their time to something personally valuable. That not only makes them feel worthwhile and satisfied, but it adds to their sense of autonomy. Older adults are much more likely to volunteer, often because they have the time, can control what they do and are clear on their values.

People sometimes volunteer to learn new skills by volunteering for something completely different from their area of paid employment. Others want to use their competence in an area such as helping with a political campaign.

Connecting with like-minded people is a big part of the fulfilment of volunteering, including getting to know new people and developing friendships.

The warnings about volunteering

We have to set boundaries and be mindful of how much time we want to give, and also be reliable if we commit to something. People volunteer for many reasons and the why is important. Feeling obligated to volunteer doesn’t have the same satisfaction as choosing to do it because you genuinely want to.

So, if you’re thinking about volunteering, choose something that is important to you and decide how much time and effort you want to invest in it.