Is volunteering something that I should try?
Give your city a fresh perspective.
Helping others, or just being there for people who need it, can be really rewarding for your mental health and happiness. Volunteering means that someone gives their time, unpaid, to something that benefits the environment or someone they are not closely related to (“Find a volunteering opportunity”, n.d.). It can improve your quality of life, boost your mood, or change how you see yourself (Nichol et al. 2023). But there's more to volunteering than just making a direct impact; it can also change your perspective of your community. If you feel lonely, isolated or if you are overwhelmed with all the negativity being covered by the media, volunteering is a perfect way to redirect your fear into something productive.
Volunteering starts with someone noticing an issue that needs to be fixed and then taking it on, perhaps because the government, local or state, isn't managing to do it. Should it be an individual's obligation to fix problems in a society? No. Should there be the best possible service responses in place to prevent any individual from being abandoned? A proper health system or a system for food waste? Absolutely! Should the government prevent and mitigate the impact of these problems? Yes. 100%. But does it look like anything will change soon? Not in many cases.
At the end of the day, it really takes a village to raise a child. Once you take a closer look, you'll see how many structures have been set up by people just like yourself, who live close to you and are like-minded. You'll see how many great and kind people are in your own community! People you might never speak with because they're simply not in your social everyday surroundings.
Volunteering and mutual help are direct care within a shared responsibility amongst many. Official Data from the Community Life Survey 2021/22: Volunteering and charitable giving’ [2023] states that in 2021/22, around 16 million people in England took part in formal or informal volunteering at least once a month.
But is it for everyone to try?
Absolutely! The good thing is, you can start small or - as for everything else - you don't have to do it forever. Whatever your age or background, whether you've just moved to a new place or have been there for years, volunteering is a wonderful way to make a difference and get involved in your local community. It doesn't have to be all formal or huge; you can simply try it out!
Volunteering is a great way to gain a better sense of your own values and confidence, and you'll also have the opportunity to support people in your neighbourhood or find new interests. You gain more insights into structures and laws and how to possibly change something. It can not only be inspiring but life-changing too. See how many people are willing to be a part of something good in the world.
There are so many ways to get involved, and plenty of ways to find the right one for you!
Volunteering Options
You could volunteer at a food bank, even just as a driver. Perhaps you'd like to work in nature and environmental protection or in landscape, doing small things like gardening. If you’re inspired by the environment, perhaps there’s a local beach clean up near you? You could also help with the organisation of activities for or accompany children and young people, sporting events or excursions. There are also lots of opportunities in the arts, such as supporting a charity exhibition suction, or maybe religious volunteering? You can also look for opportunities to support facilities for people with disabilities, as well as facilities for refugees, homeless shelters and homes for the elderly.
Sometimes, those organisations share ways on their websites to help out without interacting directly with people. Is there a dog in an animal shelter waiting for you to share some of your time and walk them? Or do you want to get involved by donating some much-needed clothing or food supplies to a meeting point?
If you're looking for a more structured way to get involved, there are often events posted online and in supermarket bulletin boards where you can find and network with like-minded people.
Even by just looking into all that, you'll find out more about yourself and what's important for you. Researching which forms of volunteering you would like is a great way to reconnect with your own values and build self-confidence. Drawing on these initiatives, you will be able to see parts of your city in a whole new light. Not only do you get to explore places you've never been to before, you also get to peek behind structures, support systems and discover hidden gems you never knew existed. It's a fantastic way to shake up your daily routine, recognise your own ability to act, make new friends and meet like-minded people.
Neighbourhood work contributes to the development and improvement of the quality of life in your district, and seeing your own city and community with the eyes of a volunteer can change so many things you didn't even know existed before.
So yes! Find out how to find the right volunteer opportunity for you:
Get in contact with us to see how you can also be trained as a Lived Experience Expert volunteer with Freo Wellbeing, or with LINCC Foundation; our Charitable Organisation.
Written by Isabella Kumpf