Volunteering is viewed as an act of giving back to our community – but in reality, it’s a two-way street. As we spend time enriching our community, we gain a sense of fulfilment, foster important values, and develop an understanding of self-worth.
In other words, by helping others, we improve our mental wellbeing, too.
How Volunteering Promotes Personal Growth
Volunteering builds values such as empathy, kindness, and patience, all of which contribute to our personal growth.
Immersing ourselves in the community allows us to meet people from all walks of life. As we interact with people from different backgrounds, we learn about their needs and struggles. At the same time, we develop empathy as we begin to understand and share another’s feelings.
We also gain new perspectives by seeing how other people experience the world. For example, in volunteering to tutor children, you witness the difficulties they face in adjusting to school curriculum. To help them effectively, you’ll need to spend time understanding their challenges.
Volunteering also nurtures kindness. Even the simple act of joining a community clean-up can make you more aware of the environmental problems in the community and encourage you to think more about how to improve the environment.
Yen-Lu, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Over-The-Rainbow, agrees that volunteering promotes personal growth. “When we give, that’s when we receive… when we’re able to help other people, we are able to help ourselves.”
Having gone through deep personal loss himself, Yen-Lu advocates for helping others as a means of helping ourselves. He turns his suffering into empathy and compassion for others, helping him find solace amid the pain. Those who have gone through hard times like Yen-Lu are in a unique place to help others because they understand what suffering is about.
The “Helper’s High” Is Real and Good
Have you ever wondered why volunteering makes us “feel good”? When we help others, our body releases the same hormones associated with pleasure, leading to a “helper’s high.” Plus, studies have shown that helping other people lifts our spirits, makes us feel more competentand increases life satisfaction.
Professor Andy Ho, a health psychologist, social scientist, and educator from Nanyang Technological University, says, “Research on happiness has often reported that one of the best things we can do to make ourselves happy is to make another person happy. That’s because when we bring joy to a person, we’re able to create a sense of purpose and meaning in our own lives that bring us a sense of accomplishment, contentment and mastery.”
There’s more. In one study, participants who spent more time helping people with their problems also reported a greater decrease in depression. Other research has shown that individuals who volunteer often achieve better physical health and less depression.
This is because volunteering keeps us in regular contact with others, giving us a strong support system that helps us in times of distress. It ensures we refrain from endlessly dwelling on our problems and helps us recognise the aspects of our lives that we are grateful for.
Volunteering Provides A Sense of Purpose
Amos, a volunteer with Resilience Collective, was inspired to give back to his community after gaining support from his peers in his recovery journey.
Resilience Collective describes itself as “a peer-powered platform focused on empowering peers or persons with the lived experience of a mental health condition.” Through community-driven engagement, it aims to drive meaningful dialogue based on equal partnerships between peers and society.
Previously diagnosed with depression, Amos started sharing his story at public events to spark hope in those still struggling with mental health conditions.
“Being involved in a community is very good for your mental health because you’re taking part in something bigger than yourself. You’re not so self-focused. To know that you’re making a difference in someone else’s life gives you a sense of self-efficacy and accomplishment that you’re touching somebody’s life,” he says.
Similarly, Yen-Lu finds fulfilment in being able to extend his reach to others who are grief-stricken from tragedy. “Feeling needed — that is pretty important for our own well being,” he says.
Just like Amos and Yen-Lu’s experiences, giving back to our community will give us a sense of purpose and fulfilment that will motivate us to give back even more.
Sharing time with others is not just an act of kindness and generosity; it makes a difference in our lives as well.
You can volunteering by giving your time or talent. Are you ready to make a difference in someone’s life today?
Explore volunteering opportunities at Giving.sg. You might just find “your people”, too—a community of like-minded, passionate friends!
For Your Reflection
- Who is someone you could reach out to today?
- How has giving back to society helped you?
- How can you be more intentional about developing a culture of care in your community?
This is part 2 of a three-part series on the link between mental health and community. Read parts 1 and 3 here:
Part 1: The Important Link Between Community And Mental Health
Part 3: Taking Part In Community Helps You Discover Yourself
