The power of giving
The power of giving
Volunteering doesn’t just help others – it helps you too. From lifting your mood to supporting your physical health, Vitality writer, Olivia Matsell, explores how giving your time does more than just give back
When we think of volunteering, we often picture helping others. But what if the act of giving your time could also transform your own health?
Recent studies and real-life stories show that volunteering can be a powerful tool for improving both your mental and physical wellbeing.
Whether it’s marshalling at parkrun or lending a hand at your local community gardens, volunteering creates ripples of impact – starting with you.
The ‘helper’s high’
According to Dr David Hamilton, best-selling author and a leading voice on mind-body connection, volunteering sparks a cascade of positive physiological responses in the brain.
“When we help others, our brain releases chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin, which help us feel good, and we also dampen the neurology of stress. At the same time, the nervous system relaxes, blood pressure lowers and there’s even a boost to the immune function,” he explains.
This creates what’s often called the ‘helper’s high’. “That good feeling you get when you help someone,” he adds. “This makes the experience feel good and satisfying and helps us feel a warmth and connection with the people we help.”
That warm, rewarding feeling is partly down to brain chemistry. When we help others, our bodies release oxytocin and dopamine. Oxytocin, sometimes referred to as the ‘love hormone’, helps lower blood pressure and ease stress. Dopamine, meanwhile, boosts mood and motivation. Together, they create a sense of wellbeing that can last long after the volunteering ends.
''We should never underestimate the impact of even a seemingly simple act of kindness.”
- Dr David Hamilton
Giving feels good
The mental health benefits of volunteering are well documented
A 2024 report from Volunteering Matters found that 95% of volunteers felt they were making a positive difference and experienced better mental and physical health as a result.
Similarly, research from Volunteer Scotland revealed that people who volunteer weekly experience a wellbeing boost equivalent to receiving an extra £1,000 a year.
You can give back to those people who are struggling with their mental health by volunteering for a mental health charity such as Mind, PeerTalk and The Samaritans. By getting involved, volunteers can receive training and support while gaining access to therapeutic environments and emotional resources that can positively impact their wellbeing.
Hamilton says: “We’re wired for kindness. We have genes associated with our tendancy for kindness and connection, thereby helping each other is our deepest nature.
“When this helping behaviour becomes something more consistent, like volunteering, the sense of connection becomes more stable and helps combat loneliness as a consequence.”
Building community, one volunteer at a time
At parkrun, volunteering is at the very heart of the movement. Dan McVeigh, Volunteer Impact and Engagement Manager, says: “Volunteers don’t just help events run smoothly, they create the welcoming, inclusive atmosphere that defines parkrun.”
Whether it’s supporting one another or simply showing up, volunteers help build happier, healthier communities.1 “Being outdoors, active, and social together – that’s where the magic happens,” adds McVeigh.
Vitality Ambassador, Jos Buttler, recently joined a volunteering event at his local parkrun and said: “It’s a brilliant way to connect with others and create those healthy habits in more ways than one.”
“I want to give back to my local area to help keep the event sustainable and to be a part of improving local people’s health and happiness.”
Jos Buttler explains how to volunteer at parkrun
It’s important to note, volunteering isn’t always physically demanding, but it still supports your health. Hamilton explains: “Studies show that kindness reduces inflammation in the bloodstream at a genetic level and lowers blood pressure.
“Kindness not only helps the body relax and better regulate on the inside, it also allows more space for a clearer mind, and it creates positive mood states that help us feel better and more in control.”
Vitality’s 2024 study supports this by stating that highly active members enjoy a life expectancy of up to five years longer than those who are less active. Even small weekly movements, like walking at parkwalk – can make a big difference.
At parkwalk, roles like tail walker or parkwalker combine gentle movement with connection. “You get the twin benefit of completing a 5k walk while engaging with others. It’s a brilliant way to stay active and feel part of something,” shares McVeigh.
Real stories, real impact
Linda,
widowed in 2009, found new purpose through volunteering at parkrun. “She built friendships from the start,” says McVeigh. “parkrun gives her a space to connect and belong.”
Ellie,
a young autistic volunteer, has grown in confidence through her roles at junior parkrun – from warm-up leader to barcode scanner. “She’s spreading positivity at every event,” says McVeigh.
Rory,
one of the few to reach 1,000-volunteer milestone, has helped launch 15 parkrun events across the UK, showing how volunteering can evolve into leadership and legacy.
A prescription for wellbeing
Volunteering isn’t just a good deed; it’s a wellbeing boost. It lifts your mood, lowers stress, builds community, and supports your physical health. parkrun data shows that volunteers often report higher levels of happiness than runner or walkers alone2. And with mental health challenges on the rise, volunteering offers a hopeful, proactive way to feel better and do good.
Our data reflects that prevention and early intervention, through movement, connection and care, can reduce healthcare costs and improve quality of life. Volunteering is one way to tap into the power for the world to see and become a place better because of it.
1 Taken from the parkrun UK Volunteer Experience Survey in May 2025.
2 YouGov Sport conducted the research on 6 February 2025, to a sample of 2,101 nationally representative respondents in the UK.
