WHAT HAPPENS WHEN

Sure, you’re instantly conferred ‘excellent person’ status, but there are plenty of mind and body benefits to be reaped from pro bono do-gooding, too

...you spend time volunteering

01 SCRATCH MY BACK

Basic truth: volunteering helps others. But there’s more in it for you than you might think, particularly when it comes to your social health. ‘Volunteering, particularly when it involves some kind of community outreach or befriending scheme, is a good recipe for improving your mental health and feeling more connected,’ says Jeffrey Hall, professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas.

02 DO GOOD, FEEL GOOD

Forget counting those Insta likes – if it’s a selfesteem boost you’re after, try volunteering. ‘Doing something positive gives you a sense of agency and makes you feel better about yourself because you’re making a difference,’ says Dr Justin Davis-smith CBE, senior lecturer in voluntary sector management at The Business School (formerly known as Cass). As well as a bump to your self-esteem, elation, exhilaration and energy are just some of the mental benefits experienced following selfless service to others.

03 PURPOSE LED

That feeling of fulfilment that comes from helping others? It’s backed by science. A 2020 study* found that people who had volunteered in the past 12 months were more satisfied with their lives than people who had not. ‘A sense of purpose is essential for life satisfaction,’ says Dr Sophie Mort, psychologist and author of A Manual For Being Human (£14.99, Simon & Schuster). ‘And volunteering helps increase that sense of purpose by giving you another meaningful role in life, separate from your daily work and relationship responsibilities.’

04 SOCIAL NETWORK

A 2020 study in the journal Social Psychiatry And Psychiatric Epidemiology found that volunteering was associated with increased quality of life and reduced symptoms of depression in those with relatively few (fewer than four) close relationships. ‘It’s because volunteering is typically quite social,’ says Robin Dunbar, study author and professor of evolutionary psychology at the University of Oxford. ‘You’re meeting new people all the time and building friendships with other volunteers – perhaps not intimate friendships, but friendships nonetheless.’

05 GOOD MOVES

Give more time and you’ll have more time. That’s according to research that suggests those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than their less philanthropic counterparts, as well as a reduced risk of heart disease and symptoms of chronic pain. That said, your heart has to be in it. One study found that participants who volunteered regularly lived longer, but only if their intentions were truly altruistic – in other words, they didn’t just do it for a pat on the back.