When talking about volunteering the focus usually falls on how a volunteer may help others and improve their lives or give them valuable support to deal with a particular challenge.
It may be an older person, someone who feels lonely (of any age) or it may be helping with the running of a group or club where others participate.
This can miss an invaluable benefit and one that has been proven through multiple research projects – the value to the volunteer themselves.
This is especially true for people who are active and mobile but also feel lonely or isolated.
In research conducted by the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), an organisation with 18,000 volunteers nationally, 95% of their volunteers said they’ve gained additional knowledge and skills from their volunteering and 80% of those that have gained knowledge felt this has helped them in other areas of their life.
Also, 81% reported volunteering makes them feel better about themselves, 68% felt more confident and it made 84% feel more cheerful.
I’m sure we would all endorse the value of these benefits but it extends further.
Research shows that loneliness and social isolation are harmful to our health: lacking social connections is a comparable risk factor for early death to smoking 15 cigarettes a day and is worse for us than well-known risk factors such as obesity and physical inactivity.
Loneliness can increase the likelihood of mortality by 26%, as reported in the government’s strategy for tackling loneliness.
Volunteering as a befriender, for example, could fix this for two people at once if someone feels lonely but is able to volunteer their time.
This is where Link Visiting can help, supporting both the client and volunteer, or through The Wokingham Volunteer Centre where one of our services involves taking older or disabled clients shopping, for example, or to other activities when they resume.
The Friendship Alliance is a group of charities working together specifically to address loneliness and is seeking Friendship Champions, to actively encourage friendships and connections through community involvement; to provide information and encourage people to participate in local initiatives; to promote friendship, look out for others and develop a community spirit.
If any of these opportunities appeals, or you are simply looking for something to occupy some spare time, add purpose to your life or simply ‘give back’, then contact us at The Wokingham Volunteer Centre on 0118 977 0749, send an email to: volunteer@wok-vol.org.uk or visit our website www.volunteerwokinghamborough.org.uk to find out more and have a look at all the roles we have to offer.
