Why volunteering is good for mental health

We spoke to Chris Read from Volunteer Centre West Berkshire about how giving your time can boost your wellbeing.

Millions of people volunteer their time for good causes. Their motivation might be because they want to give back to the community, support a cause they’re passionate about or to gain new experiences and skills. They may not specify wellbeing but it’s well recognised that volunteering is linked to better mental health.

Group of people smiling and putting their hands together at a central point

Last year, Charlie Waller Workplace delivered bespoke mental health training to voluntary sector organisations in Berkshire. One of those was Volunteer Centre West Berkshire, which matches local people to local volunteering opportunities. We spoke with Chris Read, their Volunteer Recruitment Officer, about why volunteering is so good for mental health.

“I’m a firm believer in the value of volunteering as a whole, including its positive impact on our mental health,” says Chris.

He’s backed up by the feedback of volunteers themselves: in the NCVO’s 2023 Time Well Spent survey, 75 percent of recent volunteers said that volunteering improves their mental health and wellbeing.

For many people, discovering activities they enjoy and skills they may not have been aware of can result in improved confidence and self-esteem.

There are many reasons why this might be the case. For some, volunteering provides an opportunity to learn new skills. For many people, discovering activities they enjoy and skills they may not have been aware of can result in improved confidence and self-esteem.

Doing something different, having something else to concentrate on, can also divert us from our worries and give us a break from them. Volunteering can also reduce isolation and loneliness by helping people to make new friends and improve their social connections.

Having regular, scheduled volunteering brings structure to the week and it also gives volunteers a sense of purpose. That can be particularly important for people who may feel lost or unsure of their direction, as it brings a renewed sense of meaning to their life. Research suggests that having a purpose in life can be associated with improved mental health.

A sense of purpose

Volunteering is closely linked to the NHS Five Ways to Wellbeing, in particular giving to others. Acts of giving and kindness can help improve mental wellbeing by reducing stress, creating positive feelings, giving a feeling of purpose and self-worth, and helping to connect with other people.

Chris started volunteering in his teens and says: “I supported children and young people during school holidays, some of whom had additional needs. I still have fond and happy memories of this time. It connected me with new people, I gained new skills and understanding, and the experience helped guide the early part of my career. All of this was good for my emotional wellbeing.”

The range of volunteering opportunities is huge. In West Berkshire, for example, their volunteer database has over 350 different roles, from befriending to conservation, charity trusteeship, caring for animals, driving and helping in museums. Each of those roles is likely to be contributing to a local volunteer’s wellbeing, volunteers like Rachel Jones, who says: “I have found volunteering to have a positive impact on my mental health. I have found I have met people and made friends, have learnt new skills and I believe that volunteering can have a positive impact on the community.”

One volunteer who had experienced mental ill health remarked to me that volunteering was the best thing he’d ever done.

Chris has spoken with other volunteers who have had similar experiences. “One volunteer who had experienced mental ill health remarked to me that volunteering was the best thing he’d ever done,” Chris says. “For another, who had been experiencing depression, volunteering gave him the confidence to apply for paid work and pursue further education.”

Volunteering at the Charlie Waller Trust

It’s fitting that volunteers should work within mental health charities too. At the Charlie Waller Trust, our volunteers support a range of functions, including fundraising and administration. Some have connections through the Waller family, others have had their own, or close family experiences of mental health issues.

Lucy Llewelyn, who volunteers every week for our communications team, says: “I came to the Trust at a time when I needed to find a renewed purpose after two close family bereavements. While I know the team appreciates my contribution, I feel I have gained just as much in terms of connection and self-confidence.”