09 May 2023

#DoGoodFeelGood and join the Shout Volunteer team

We wanted to take a moment to shine the spotlight on how volunteering for Shout can not only help you give back and support others, it can also help support your own mental wellbeing.

We know that doing good makes you feel good too, with research showing the benefits volunteering has on your own wellbeing.

We’re delighted to see that this is backed up by what our own volunteers tell us. In a recent survey of more than 1,000 Shout Volunteers we found that:

💜 1 in 5 people said volunteering for Shout made them feel less anxious in their lives

💜 More than half (51%) said being a Shout Volunteer improved their wellbeing

💜 84% said it provided them with a sense of accomplishment

💜 68% said it provided them with a greater sense of purpose in life

💜 55% said volunteering for Shout made them feel connected to other people

💜 Nearly half (48%) said it gave them a greater sense of self-confidence

💜 More than a third (39%) said volunteering strengthened their relationships with friends and family

💜 88% said it made them a better listener

Get involved and #DoGoodFeelGood by applying to become a Shout Volunteer today.

Shout Volunteers Ben and Emily discuss the impact of volunteering on their own wellbeing

In this open and moving conversation, Shout Volunteers Ben and Emily discuss the impact being a volunteer has had on their lives, breaking down some of the barriers people may have to becoming a volunteer and sharing their own stories about what led them to volunteer for our text support service.

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Content warning: this film contains mentions of suicide.

This film was generously created for Shout pro-bono by three talented filmmakers - Kato, Klára Rychtarčiková and Byron Donovan. We are so grateful for their support.

#DoGoodFeelGood

Below are just some of the reasons why our volunteers tell us that helping others has given them a greater sense of wellbeing, accomplishment and purpose among other feel good benefits:

Join the Shout Volunteer team

Shout Volunteer Brian

"Being a Shout Volunteer definitely gives me satisfaction knowing that I'm able to support someone in a moment of crisis or help them feel less alone and listened to. As a volunteer I also feel well supported by the team at Shout."

Shout Volunteer Bliss

"Volunteering with Shout and helping others who need in the moment support has provided me with an added purpose and built my confidence. I have subsequently gained employment and applied the empathy and listening skills built from volunteering to everyday contexts. It feels amazing and rewarding to support others."

Shout Volunteer Ben

"Finding purpose in your life is really important and logging on to Shout, taking a conversation, having some purpose, being there for someone on possibly the worst day of their life, that for me is purpose all over. You cannot find purpose anywhere near as close to as amazing as that."

Shout Volunter Emily

"For me being a Shout Volunteer has helped my mental health because it’s made me more empathetic with people and able to listen, and not just surface level listen to people but really try to understand what people are going through."

Shout Volunteer Lynsey

"Being a Shout Volunteer has given me so much confidence and experience towards my career whilst helping others. Everyone deserves to be heard when they are struggling. After my first conversation on Shout, I felt that this was something I was destined to do."

Shout Volunteer Sheree

"Volunteering has been a wonderful experience for me. I feel happy and fulfilled when I can make a positive impact on someone's life. There is nothing like the joy of helping others and seeing their gratitude. Volunteering is not only good for the people I help, but also for myself."