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    • Volunteering for health
  • Volunteering for health

Volunteering for health

Eastbourne has a strong volunteering heritage – the 3VA is an umbrella organization for the many and diverse charities and groups in East Sussex -  3VA supports the recruitment, support and training of volunteers and contributes millions of pounds each year into the economy through volunteer work.  

One aspect of this research can be described as ‘implementation science’ – dissemination of existing research into the health effects of volunteering, which is extensive.  A systematic review of the literature has revealed how volunteering can improve physical health by active participation, it can even be seen as a ‘cure’ for depression.  Volunteering has been shown to widen social relationships and interpersonal connections, facilitating meaningful purpose in life.  

Volunteering might thus become ‘on prescription’ but more research into the motives and activities of local volunteers needs to be carried out.

Project aims

  • To carry out a detailed literature review into how volunteering enhances health (completed).
  • To produce a factual report that can be accessed by the local community and used by local voluntary agencies such as 3VA to promote the benefits of volunteering.
  • To disseminate the researched benefits of volunteering widely and locally
  • To develop a collaborative research project with 3VA

Project impact

A detailed examination of current literature revealed strong evidence that volunteering improves physical and enhances mental health, reduces social isolation and improves social networks.

The review also identified the need to fully explain more precisely the core elements of what it is about volunteering that improves health.  The who, why and where of volunteering needs to be more deeply understood through a major survey of local volunteers, qualitative interviews, and quantitative measures of outcomes such as physical activity levels and depression scales.

Research team

Professor Gaynor Sadlo

Ms Lisa Hodgson

Output

Initial outputs have been a Literature review – Volunteering enhances health information booklet

Presentation of current literature and evidence

Partners

3VA
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