First Published 23 November 2023

To Volunteer or not to Volunteer?

As our friends in America celebrate Turkey day – oops, I mean thanksgiving… I am having a wee ponder about giving thanks and giving back.

I had a recent conversation with a family member about volunteering.  Earlier this year I took up a position on the Board of Trustees for a lovely charity. 

While I am not new to volunteering, this felt like a big change and a new challenge.

There are a number of reasons I chose to put myself forward for this position. 

A big part of the reason is that the charity is very close to a good friend’s heart and I can see how impactful what they do is, even though in the grand scheme of charities they are really small.  And this friend told me they need people with my skills!

But, another part was the ‘what’s in it for me’ aspect.  I have it on my plan to take up a couple of paid Non Executive Director’s roles over the next few years and felt that selfishly, this would be a great learning experience.  (what I didn’t realise until I joined was that many years of being a member of and then the administrator of a National Youth Network for a church and also being on their Global Partnership committee already gave me many of the skills and knowledge required).

So, back to the conversation with a family member. 

Their observation was that they didn’t really know anyone who would give up their time to take on a voluntary role using their skills and experience like this for free.

This, if I am honest, shocked me.  I’ve been volunteering my time for over 25 years.  I know lots of people who also volunteer (that could be because I spend a lot of time with these people…) but to be told this was unusual really had me stunned.

So my question to you is: Volunteering – a normal thing to do, or a very odd/strange thing to do?

Please do comment and let me know your thoughts!

And since it’s blog post from me – here’s a wee look, a bit deeper into volunteering (got a love a bullet point list… or two!)

What to look for when deciding if you want to volunteer:

• do you believe in/agree with the ’cause’?  Are you passionate about the organisation?
• do you have time to give – if so, it’s a good idea to work out in advance how much time you want to spend!  (in the past I have taken 2 weeks holiday from work to run a summer camp with one organisation, another is approximately 3 hours a week taking over my Monday evening’s and the odd weekend) it’s a good idea to work out your boundaries and be clear on them otherwise you could end up resenting the organisation.
• are you comfortable with communication and feedback – it’s going to be important to be able to discuss availability, and any impact on your mental and physical wellbeing depending on what tasks you will be doing – honesty and being able to feel you can be honest without repercussions/discomfort are really important.
• are you a good fit for them? Do you have skills, interests, and/or experience that will be relevant and useful for them?  Are you open and ready to learn new stuff?
• are they a good fit for you?  Do you agree with their ethos, mission, values and goals?  Is the culture and work environment a good space for you to be? Remember, charities and other organisations can have toxic work environments just like the corporate world so take this in to account!
• be patient.  You might not be ‘useful’ straight away, you might have to jump through hoops like getting a disclosure check (think that’s a DBS in England and Wales), go through mandatory training or even a probation period – if you have chosen the right organisation for you, it will be worth it!
• what’s in it for you? Take a moment to be selfish and work out what’s in it for you.  Over the past 25 years I have gained experience and skills, made friends, had more laughs than I can remember, gained qualifications from sailing, to archery instructor to first aid qualifications – you know me, I love a good certificate! While many of these have been happy bonuses they have then been used to further develop the lives of the teenagers I have worked with over the years.  Other things I have gained, are a sense of joy and a job well done when a teenager comes out of their shell, being responsible for kids having fun, helping them overcome challenges they thought impossible can also give a sense of the warm and fuzzy’s and sometimes that’s all the reward required!

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and if it is something that you are interested in doing I am more than happy to have a chat and share my experiences – the good, the bad and the ugly!

Speaking of the what’s in it for you from that last bullet point… there is growing evidence that volunteering can have a decent positive impact on your brain chemistry.  Studies are showing that volunteering can boost levels of the feel good chemicals that in turn will boost feelings of well-being.

• our brains release Dopamine when we engage in activities we find rewarding.  This leads to feelings of happiness and satisfaction.
• an increase of Oxytocin can come from social connection, bonding and trust.  This then leads to feelings of comfort, relaxation and a reduction in stress.
• an increase in Serotonin – this can lead to feeling calmness, well-being and contentment – and it regulates sleep and appetite which can be great if you normally are challenged in these areas.
• a decrease in Cortisol – the stress hormone that is typically responsible for feelings of anxiety and irritability.  When this is reduced we can feel more relaxed and find ourself able to focus and concentrate much more easily.

So, what are you waiting for?  Be selfish, look after your mental well-being, learn something new and make new connections by volunteering some of your time!

If you are interested in learning more about the charities I currently volunteer for, I am on the board for The Coach House Kilmuir Trust on the Black Isle not too far from Inverness (and featured in the photo above – well that’s the view from the Coach House when I was there 2 weeks ago!) it is a beautiful retreat house and has wonderful calming energy if you are on the look out for a place to go, to experience deep focus and relaxation.

Also, Airdrie & Coatbridge Sea Cadets where I am an adult instructor volunteer (this role comes with the most unflattering uniform ever!) – if you know of any kids from the age of 10 to 17 who are in the area we will be opening for new entrants soon – and we are always open to taking on new adult volunteers –  if you are not in Lanarkshire, this is a global organisation with unit’s pretty much everywhere!

If you are a volunteer, please do reply to tell me all about the organisations you have chosen, and what you give and receive from the experience!