How volunteering can benefit you.

In America, November is inseparable from Thanksgiving. This is a time to focus on things that you are thankful for and express your appreciation. At Network, we’re incredibly thankful for our volunteers who donate their time and energy to help uplift and empower our community. But did you know that the volunteers get something out of it too? Helping others makes you feel good, but there’s more to it than just that warm feeling. Volunteering can help you develop new skills, improve your mood, and even improve your health.

Developing new skills

When you volunteer, you get the chance to do all sorts of new things that you might not experience otherwise. Whether it be building a home for a family in need or working to input data, you’ll learn all sorts of skills. This is extremely helpful for volunteers, as these skills can be carried on into their personal lives. You never know when someone will need a person to work with data entry software, and the skills you practice are often highly desirable. Volunteers also get the chance to practice soft skills that employers are looking for, such as communication, empathy and teamwork. This is a great way to practice new skills in a fun and low-stakes environment.

Improving your mood

You know the warm feeling you get when you volunteer? Well, it turns out it’s more than just a temporary feeling. Researchers have found that volunteering can improve your mental health. While it’s true that people with good mental health are more likely to volunteer, researchers found that volunteering helped to increase people’s moods across the board. It’s also a social action, so it can help you to build a network and make new friends. Having a support system is incredibly beneficial to psychological wellbeing, and volunteering is a great way to meet new, like-minded people. When you give your time, you’re not only making others feel better, but yourself too.

Health benefits

Researchers also found that volunteering can improve physical health as well. Volunteering gets you out of the house, encourages physical activity and can even result in reduced blood pressure and improved heart health. Researchers also found that people who regularly volunteer live longer than those who don’t. While it may seem like you’re not getting anything out of volunteering, you’re improving your health and possibly even increasing your lifespan. Volunteering is more than just giving back to the community— it’s a way to invest in your wellbeing and take care of yourself.

Everyone knows that volunteering is good for the community, but it’s also good for you! These benefits improve the volunteer’s quality of life and help them to be both happier and healthier. Here at Network, we are happy to be able to give our volunteers the chance to better themselves as they work to support our community. If you’d like to volunteer at Network of Community Ministries, please CLICK HERE or contact our volunteer manager Caroline Wold at cwold@thenetwork.org or 972-234-8880 ext. 126.