People who volunteer have better mental and physical health than those who do not volunteer.5 ●● Those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression in later life than those who don’t.6 ●● Volunteering has a positive effect on social psychological factors, such as one’s sense of purpose and autonomy, and increases a person’s sense of happiness.7 ●● The health benefits of volunteering increase with age and the act of volunteering itself may help individuals to maintain their independence as they grow older and face increased health challenges.8 ●● There is a causal relationship between volunteering and wellbeing. Better health leads to continued volunteering, but volunteering itself also leads to improved physical and mental health. ●● Several studies have found that when those with chronic or serious illness volunteer, they receive benefits beyond those that can be achieved through medical care.9 ●● An evaluation of independent charity ‘v’ found that volunteering opportunities helped young people to develop ‘soft’ skills linked to well-being, such as confidence and self-esteem, raised aspirations, enhanced social skills and networks, amongst others.10