I don’t know about being good for the heart but its definitely good for the soul ! It gets you out of the house , improves your self esteem and makes you feel you are doing something worthwhile for society instead of dwelling on your own problems !

What’s wrong with making yourself feel better? It’s a win-win situation. People get helped and the person volunteering feels good about themselves and I’m sure that spills over to family and friends.

people here who find negative aspects to other folk volunteering really need to catch a grip. it is in giving that we receive!

I’m Unemployed. Have been for a long time. Too long. But getting out & Volunteering with SVDP/SVP, Pan Celtic Festival, Bloom in the Park/Bloom & Eigse amongst other organisations whether it be regular, sporadic or seasonal means I’m networking, making new friends/contacts and generally bettering my and others lifes as well as my C.V. & increasing my chances of finally, eventually getting off the Live Register.
I don’t care how old one is (or how young), there’s always Volunteering Opportunities.
Too often the Unemployed lose the structure to their’ day, their’ week, their’ month, they get out of a habit. Volunteering is one way to counter-act that by making a regular commitment, knowing that on Day Y, at Time X, you have to be in Place Z. Gets one back into a routine.
If I saw somebody who’d huge employment gaps in C.V. and nothing to show for what they’ve done in between by way of Volunteering it’d raise serious suspicions about their’ ability to work, work with a team etc.
Indeed I’d almost google their’ name, lest they’d been doing porridge in the interim.

Really taken aback at some of the negative comments on here. I work for a volunteer based organisation and my job is brilliant. I have interested motivated people giving there time and energy to try help other individuals who are struggling. We give great training and support and experience for volunteers who need to get experience for cv’s, so what, it shouldn’t be one way beneficiary. Through support, on-going training and volunteers knowing they are valued helps you retain your volunteers. I have people going on 6 years now when we only asked for 2, they stay because they are making a difference and why the hell shouldn’t that make them feel good!

I’m very interested in radio I volunteer at a community radio station. It’s a win-win situation. I get to promote and be involved with many positive (mostly volunteer-based) initiatives as they all come to us to seek publicity and benefit-in-kind support. Through the station I also occasionally work with children, students and disabled people who come to us for a variety of reasons including education and social inclusion.

The other “win” is that I have gained a huge amount of experience and enjoyment from doing the work. It’s great for my CV and through the work I meet and network with lots of professionals in the industry who might just employ me or recommend me to an employer in the future.

I know the article is about the benefits to the heart, but like others on this thread I wanted to share a positive volunteering story.

Volunteering is up there with the most noble deeds anyone can undertake!
Who was the first Doctor – A volunteer
And the first Nurse? – Ditto
Who established and ran the first social or sports clubs even schools?
Who were the first entertainers ?
What makes you feel so alive! Increases self esteem! Boosts your health (according to World Health Authority) Is good for mind body and soul! And defines who or what we are?

So if I were against good health, entertainment, social activity, living life on purpose, defeating depression, pushing the envelope and enjoying oneself, and having new experiences. As well as utilising and developing talent.
Then I would agree with the people that imply volunteering is a negative!
But I’m not!
Q.E.D.

I voluntarily eat a breakfast roll every morning, it’s going to taste even better now that I know its good for the ticker.

Definitely true. It’s very rewarding for any person to see that your making a difference to someone else’s life

Ask the public sector because they may as well be volunteering……….

Volunteering is supposed to be about helping others, nowadays people do it to make themselves feel better…