6 Great Reasons to Start Volunteering in Later Life

We know just how vital volunteers are to our charity partners here in the Wandsworth community, but did you know that by volunteering you're not just helping others, but helping yourself too? Our blog takes a look at the benefits of giving some of your spare time to others.

Volunteering is one of the most rewarding things you can do with your spare time. But did you know that a recent study suggests volunteering in later life could be particularly beneficial for mental wellbeing?

Whether you’re helping a local cause or a national charity, giving your time to others can give you a sense of perspective and purpose that’s truly life-enhancing, not just for you, but for those you’re helping too. So, if you’re an older person with some free time, here are a few great reasons to become a volunteer!
 

Health and Social Benefits of Being a Volunteer

1. There’s nothing quite like the feeling that you’re making a difference to someone. Research has shown that the sense of purpose we get from helping others can really boost our confidence, self-esteem and general mental health.

2. As a volunteer, you’ll have the opportunity to learn new skills, get training or take qualifications. You never know, you might even find a new hobby along the way!

3. The wealth of life-skills and knowledge you’ve gained over the years can be put to great use. If you’re retired, it might give you a chance to reemploy valuable talents perfected during your working life, whether that’s connecting with people one to one, sorting the office paperwork or the being the ultimate salesperson in the charity’s shop.

4. It’s easy to become more isolated as we age, particularly after retirement. Volunteering gives you an opportunity to get out into the community, become a valued part of a team, make friends and build lasting relationships.

5. It’s important to stay physically active and mentally sharp as we age, and volunteering can be a fun way to achieve both.

6. Seeing the challenges that other people are facing can often put our own lives into perspective. working as a volunteer makes us think about others, appreciate what we have and see the bigger picture.

So, there you have it! Give just a little bit of your time to others and you could transform someone’s life and make yourself feel pretty good too. It’s a win-win situation!

 

Becoming a Volunteer in the Wandsworth Area

As part of our work with the Carers' Partnership Wandsworth, we understand just how important volunteers are to charities striving to improve the lives of people throughout the Borough. Of course, the list of charities and organisations looking for people to help across London and the rest of the UK is almost endless, but that means that you’ll have more of a chance of finding something that suits your lifestyle and preferences. We’ve even included some handy links at the end of this article to get you started!
 

Turn Your Passion for Helping Others into a Career

As well as volunteering, if you have more free time and think you’d like to spend it helping others, you could always join our team and get paid to bring a bit of sunshine into someone’s life! We have a variety of roles and hours available for people of all ages. There really is something to suit everyone in a career with Bluebird Care Wandsworth.

If you’d like to find out more about working with our homecare agency, you can read about our latest recruitment campaign, phone us for a chat on 020 8877 4950 or drop us an email!
 
For more information on how you can get involved in helping others, take a look the volunteering pages of the following organisations to get a head start! Do-it, Alzheimer’s Society, Parkinson’s UK, MND Association, Age UK, Mencap, Headway, Mind