Volunteering Hobbies

Introduction

Volunteering helps others and ourselves. Most of us want to volunteer, but many don’t. Hobbies can help overcome barriers to volunteering.

Research has shown that while over 90% of us want to volunteer, only 1 out of 4 Americans actually do.—Three Reasons Why People Don’t Volunteer, and What Can Be Done About It – Stanford Center on Longevity
There is promising evidence that volunteering can improve wellbeing and alleviate loneliness in participatory arts, sport and physical activity.—Participatory arts, sport, physical activity and loneliness: the role of volunteering | What Works Wellbeing
Growing evidence documents strong associations between volunteering and favorable health and well-being outcomes.—Volunteering and Subsequent Health and Well-Being in Older Adults: An Outcome-Wide Longitudinal Approach – American Journal of Preventive Medicine
During the 4-year follow-up period, participants who volunteered ≥100 hours/year (versus 0 hours/year) had a reduced risk of mortality and physical functioning limitations, higher physical activity, and better psychosocial outcomes (higher: positive affect, optimism, and purpose in life; lower: depressive symptoms, hopelessness, loneliness, and infrequent contact with friends).—Volunteering and Subsequent Health and Well-Being in Older Adults: An Outcome-Wide Longitudinal Approach – American Journal of Preventive Medicine
[…] volunteering was positively related to [psychological well-being and self-reported health]—Health Benefits of Volunteering in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study∗ – Jane Allyn Piliavin, Erica Siegl, 2007
We found that those who volunteer 200 hours or more per year (roughly 4 hours per week) were 40% less likely to develop hypertension over a four-year follow-up of a sample of community-dwelling older adults.—A Prospective Study of Volunteerism and Hypertension Risk in Older Adults – PMC
According to a national survey on the volunteer experience, volunteers’ perceived benefits from being involved in volunteering are:
- I enjoy it (93%)
- It gives me a sense of personal achievement (90%)
- It makes me feel like I’m making a difference (90%)
- I meet new people (89%)
- It broadens my experience of life (86%)
- It brings me into contact with people from different backgrounds and cultures (78%)
- It improves my mental health and well-being (77%)
- It gives me more confidence (74%)
- It gives me new skills and experience (71%)
- It helps me feel less isolated (68%)
- It improves my physical health (53%)
- It improves my employment prospects (34%)
According to the same survey, the reasons for not volunteering are:
- I don’t want to make an ongoing commitment (33%)
- I do other things with my spare time (32%)
- I have work or study commitments (23%)
- I have not been asked (21%)
- I have never thought about it (20%)
- I haven’t heard about opportunities to give help / I couldn’t find opportunities (14%)
- I’d be worried I haven’t got the right skills or experience to help (14%)
- I’d be worried I might end up out of pocket (e.g. transport costs to go volunteer) (14%)
- I would be put off by all the associated bureaucracy / administrative processes (14%)
- I would be worried that I wouldn’t fit in with the other people who were involved (12%)
- I have an illness or disability unrelated to COVID-19 that I feel prevents me from getting involved (12%)
- I have commitments to look after someone (11%)
- I don’t think my existing skills/experience could be used (10%)
- I feel I am not the right age (9%)
- I would be worried about the risks (6%)
- My family/partner wouldn’t want me to get involved (4%)
- I have been put off by negative experiences of giving unpaid help in the past (3%)
- I have an illness or disability related to COVID-19 that I feel prevents me from getting involved (2%)
- Other (4%)
- None of these (6%)
- Don’t know / can’t recall (5%)
According to a Stanford Center on Longevity article, common barriers to volunteering are:
- “I don’t have enough time”
- “I don’t have enough information”
- “Most volunteer roles aren’t interesting”
- “No one asked me”