Volunteering found to increase well-being

Volunteering increases your own well-being according to survey Keystone-SDA

Volunteering can have a positive effect on mental health. According to a survey conducted in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, people who volunteer for others also strengthen themselves.

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People who volunteer are happier, more optimistic and more resilient than the average person, because doing good is closely linked to their own well-being, according to a representative survey published on Tuesday by the opinion research institute Marketagent. According to the survey, 78% of socially engaged people are satisfied with their lives. This puts them well above the population average of 65%.

While 57% of the population as a whole consider their lives to be meaningful and fulfilling, the figure for those involved in voluntary work is strikingly higher at 70%. Around two-thirds of those involved in social work confirmed that their social activities gave their lives a deeper meaning.

The ability to deal with stress and difficult life situations also increased. Almost 70% of those surveyed described themselves as resilient, compared to the population average of 55%.

+ Volunteering, the main theme of the Congress of Young Swiss Abroad

Happier and more optimistic

Almost eight out of ten volunteers questioned described themselves as generally happy, compared to six out of ten in the population as a whole. Almost two-thirds of all volunteers had made new friends and developed new skills.

In addition to better mental health, socially engaged people shared other characteristics. For example, 72% of them are optimistic (total population: 57%), according to the report. Around 44% are extroverts. In contrast, only around a third of the population as a whole describe themselves as extroverted.

Social engagement also correlates with physical condition. According to the study, over half of socially engaged people lead an active lifestyle with a lot of exercise and sport, while the average figure is 40%.

For the survey, 3,143 people between the ages of 18 and 75 were questioned from March 18 to April 2. In Switzerland 1,010 people took part.

Translated from German by DeepL/ts

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