The Power of Volunteering. Give Happy Live Happy! Presented by Sue Noble CEO Volunteering Victoria

Impact of volunteering o 1995 & 2010 ABS stats show volunteer numbers doubled from 3.2 to 6.1 million o 2014 ABS stats show a 5% decline to 5.8 million o But these statistics don’t show the full picture o They only record formal volunteering o They don’t capture those people who don’t self-identify as volunteers o They don’t necessarily capture new & emerging trends in volunteering o An estimated 4.6 million volunteers support 600,000 NFPs across Australia o Only about 60,000 NFPs have paid staff o Volunteer hours in NFPs is equivalent to 317,000 fulltime positions o In Victoria: o 35.6% (1.5 million people) of those over 18 participated in formal volunteering o 38% of adult women & 33% of adult men volunteered o 90% of incorporated associations relied on volunteers to do what they do o Great breadth, depth, variety, ways of volunteering

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Impact on the community o Significant economic impact of volunteering o “Volunteering is worth more than 200 billion a year to the Australian economy, outstripping revenue sources from mining, retail & agriculture.” Dr Lisel O’Dywer, The Conversation o Volunteering contributed $16.4 billion in Victoria in 2006 & up to $42.1 billion by 2021 o Significant social impact o Strengthening communities & building networks o Supporting civic & economic participation o Improving quality of life & diversity of experience o Supporting social integration & connectedness o Mitigating isolation & loneliness o Imagine the cost if we had to pay to deliver services delivered by volunteers o Imagine what would or could not be done if we had to pay for volunteer services o Imagine our world without volunteers

Without volunteering….. o Many community support services will not be delivered o Community sport will grind to a halt o Many cultural institutions will close o Our environment will degrade & wildlife will disappear o Reduced protection & slower recovery from disasters o Service & social clubs could not operate o Breakdown in social connectedness, cohesion & resilience o People will live unsafe, unhealthy, lonely, isolated, disconnected & poorer lives o People will die The challenge is to support & build an inclusive, resilient volunteering culture o Address barriers to volunteering o Respond to volunteering trends o Leverage motivations to volunteer

HEALTH & WELLBEING BENEFITS

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Happiness, Health & Wellbeing A source of joy A 1996 study identified volunteering as the second greatest source of joy - dancing was first Favourable effect on depression Volunteering has a beneficial effect on depressive symptoms, life satisfaction & wellbeing Reduced psychological impact of low socioeconomic status A 2008 study indicates low socioeconomic status is associated with poor health - among those who volunteer & those who do not. However, low status is associated with unhappy states only among those who do not volunteer, while volunteers are likely to be happy whether they have high or low

Happiness, Health & Wellbeing Emotional & mental health A 2013 U.S. study of people who volunteered in the last 12 months found : o 94% of people said volunteering improves their mood o 78% of people said volunteering lowers their stress levels. o 96% of people said volunteering enriches their sense of purpose in life o Volunteers had better personal scores than non-volunteers on 9 well-established measures of emotional wellbeing, including personal independence, capacity for rich interpersonal relationships & overall satisfaction with life o Volunteers are more likely than adults overall to report they felt calm & peaceful most of the time & they had a lot of energy most of the time A 2003 survey of people with mental health illness, suggested volunteering improves people’s mental health by giving direction & meaning to their

Happiness, Health & Wellbeing Social integration o Volunteering provides social connectedness, sense of belonging & a pathway to social inclusion, which combat depression associated with loneliness o Volunteers are more likely than non-volunteers to socialize & do so more frequently. o By volunteering & building networks, bonds, trust & common values with others - thereby developing social capital - volunteering increases people’s access to help & support from others. This contributes to personal well-being because they have a support network to draw on to help them cope with difficult, stressful & potentially harmful situations. Good for your love life Singles may find love through

Happiness, Health & Wellbeing Feel healthier A 2013 study found: o 76% of people who volunteered in the last 12 months said volunteering made them feel healthier o 80% of people who volunteered in the last 12 months said they feel they have control over their health o About 25% of people who volunteered in the past 12 months said volunteering helped them to manage a chronic illness Lower risk of dying o A 2013 analysis of 5 studies identified a 22% reduction in mortality among volunteers compared to

Happiness, Health & Wellbeing Reduced blood pressure A 2013 study found those who volunteered at least 200 hours in the previous 12 months: o Were less likely to develop hypertension than non-volunteers. o Were more likely to have increased psychological well-being People in chronic pain A 2002 study found individuals suffering from chronic pain experienced reduced pain intensity & levels of disability & depression when they became peer volunteers for others also suffering from chronic pain People who have had heart attacks A study of individuals with post-coronary artery disease found those who volunteered after their heart attack reported reductions in despair & depression – 2 factors linked to an increased likelihood of mortality in this type of

Happiness, Health & Wellbeing Older people o An analysis of 73 studies into the psychosocial benefits of volunteering for people over 50 found better overall health & reduced risk of depression. Volunteering 2-3 hours a week is enough to reap health benefits. Doing more didn’t seem to lead to additional health improvements. People with chronic health conditions appeared to benefit most o An Australian study found volunteering gives older people a sense of a fulfilling & productive role with ageing - increasing their self esteem & self-efficacy. It also highlighted the benefits of social integration & gaining a sense of belonging o Analyses of longitudinal data from the Americans’ Changing Lives survey showed older adults receive greater physical & mental health benefits from volunteering than younger volunteers o A 2005 study found an inverse relationship between number of hours volunteering & the number of times older people visited a

/VOLUNTEERINGVIC Volunteeringvictoria.org.au