PUBLIC HEALTH
Working
their way
back
‘I’m confident my volunteer
role has given me the skills,
experience and, most of all,
confidence, to move back
into paid work.’
Ealing Council is funding
a project helping people
with long-term health
conditions improve their
lives through volunteering.
Andy Mahady discovered
some of the lesser known
benefits it can bring.
V
olunteers play a crucial and
often under-appreciated role
in our local communities.
All of us have at some point
benefited from those who give up
their time for free, whether it was at
our favourite charity shop or at a
local community event.
Perhaps less well known are the
34
around ealing
Summer 2016
health benefits that come with
volunteering. There is now good
evidence to suggest that volunteering
can help improve self-esteem,
wellbeing and social engagement
skills. Research suggests that the
benefits for older people or
those with long-term health
conditions may be even more
pronounced. These volunteers
appear to experience less
depression and improved
mental wellbeing.
various long-term health conditions.
Staff from Ealing CVS meet with
potential volunteers to discuss
and advise them on what kind of
volunteering might be most suitable
HELP TAILORED TO YOU
Ealing Community and
Voluntary Service (Ealing
CVS) has been funded
by the council to provide
a volunteering service
specifically tailored to
help those coping with
Recent volunteers found opportunities in retail,
data entry, IT support and advisory services’