Physical, social, and mental wellbeing

Sport volunteering can positively impact individual life satisfaction, physical, cognitive, social, and mental wellbeing.
For individuals volunteering in sport can offer physical, social, and mental wellbeing benefits, including improved satisfaction with life, enhanced cognitive and emotional capital, and lower symptoms of depression and anxiety. 6, 15, 21, 22, 23, 33
Altruistic emotions and behaviours – being motivated to help others without expecting anything in return – are associated with greater wellbeing, health, and longevity. 24, 25
Volunteering supports mental health by increasing psychological and social capital, potentially through increased social interaction and inclusion, and providing a sense of purpose and connection. 5, 17, 21, 22, 26
95% of Australian volunteers say that volunteering is related to feelings of wellbeing. 25
93% of Australian volunteers saw positive changes because of their volunteering efforts (appreciated by community, improved wellbeing of others, improved own sense of place in the world). 17
Research from the United Kingdom (UK) found that compared to those who never volunteer, people who volunteer in sport were significantly more likely to trust others, to feel a part of their community, and to feel that contributing to their community makes them feel good and is a source of pride. 15
Just a few hours of volunteer work can make a difference in happiness and mood but contributing at least 40-100 hours per year (e.g., one to two hours per week) may lead to stronger wellbeing benefits. 17, 25, 27
The extent to which volunteers experience benefits depends on their motivation to volunteer and satisfaction with the volunteering experience (e.g., appropriate resourcing and matching of volunteers to roles; safe environments; feeling of being valued; appropriate workloads; and access to appropriate training and guidance). 17, 22
Volunteering can support mental health recovery, (e.g., as part of social prescribing programs, in where primary care providers link patients with non-medical sources of support). 17
The benefits of volunteering may be different or change depending on individual factors and circumstances. For example, for
Older people, volunteering can improve depression symptoms and reduce cognitive impairment. Adults over 50 who volunteer for at least 100 hours a year (about two hours per week) have a substantially reduced risk of mortality and developing physical limitations, higher levels of subsequent physical activity and improved sense of well-being compared to individuals who do not volunteer. 17, 28, 29, 30
People with disability, volunteering may especially benefit their mental wellbeing. 17
Young people (under 24 years), volunteering commonly improves confidence and helps to strengthen social relationships. 6, 26
First Nations people, over half of individuals who volunteered identified improvement in learning a new language, followed by resourcefulness, attention to detail, and confidence. 6
Culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) individuals, 59% felt that volunteering made them more patient, followed by increased confidence (56%), and learning a new language (54%). 6
Resources and reading
Measuring what matters: Social connections, opens in a new tab, Australian Government, The Treasury, (updated 21 July 2023). 'Measuring What Matters' is Australia’s first national wellbeing framework that will track our progress towards a more healthy, secure, sustainable, cohesive and prosperous Australia. One of the five wellbeing themes is "Cohesive", referring to "a society that supports connections with family, friends and the community, values diversity, and promotes belonging and culture." Rates of volunteering is one of the metrics used to measure success in this area. One reason that people value free time, is because it can be used to pursue social connection, which is critical to overall wellbeing. We can measure whether Australians have access to the relationships and social connection that they need, by tracking the presence of loneliness in the community. One way Australians may seek to maintain social connections is volunteering.
Regular volunteer work provides demonstrable benefits for the health and well-being of older adults, opens in a new tab, Elsevier, Medical Xpress, (11 June 2020). A new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine takes a closer look at the benefits of volunteering to the health and well-being of volunteers. The results verify that adults over 50 who volunteer for at least 100 hours a year (about two hours per week) have a substantially reduced risk of mortality and developing physical limitations, higher levels of subsequent physical activity and improved sense of well-being later on compared to individuals who do not volunteer.
Volunteering is good for us and the community!, opens in a new tabOffice for Recreation, Sport and Racing, Government of South Australia, (13 August 2020). Did you know the labour input of volunteers across South Australia has been valued at up to $453 million annually? Through the Active Lives survey (2019) conducted by the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing (ORSR) we found that South Australians who volunteered for a sport organisation more than once in the previous 12 months, were more satisfied with their life; felt the things they did were more worthwhile; and were happier than those people who did not volunteer, or volunteered only once. South Australians who did volunteer more than once in the previous 12 months, also had higher social capital measures than those who did not volunteer, or volunteered only once.
Sport Volunteering in Europe: Realities, opportunities and challenges, opens in a new tab, V4V: Skills acquired through volunteering in sport project, European Observatoire of Sport and Employment, (October 2023). This report is the first intellectual output from V4V, a major three-year collaborative partnership project, co-funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ sport programme, consisting of 12 partners (national and international federations, universities and education bodies, sport and research institutes, and national, European and global umbrella organisations) all of whom have a deep interest in the promotion and development of sport volunteering. V4V was led and coordinated by the European Observatoire of Sport and Employment (EOSE). Key findings suggests that volunteers get a lot from their sport volunteering experience. Sport volunteering: Contributes to the volunteers’ personal development.
The volunteer experience helps volunteers to develop new skills and competencies.
Contributes to the personal wellbeing and development of the volunteers in the form of: Social interaction, Making a difference to the lives of others, Fun and enjoyment, Time away from busy lifestyles, The acquisition of new knowledge and skills, Social and economic mobility.
Evidence Insights: Volunteering and mental health, opens in a new tab, Jack McDermott, Dominic O'Neill, Volunteering Australia, (October 2021). This review focuses on the effects of volunteering on the mental health of volunteers themselves. The review concludes with a discussion of priorities for future research and the policy implications of the findings presented. Key insights include: Insight 1: Volunteering is associated with better perceived mental health and quality of life. Volunteering has been found to improve self-assessed psychological wellbeing, self-esteem, happiness, and satisfaction with life. It g is also associated with lower symptoms of depression and anxiety, and lower indicators of suicide risk. Those who contribute more than 100 hours a year experiencing stronger wellbeing benefits.
Insight 2: Volunteering supports mental health by increasing psychological and social capital. Research suggests that the key mechanisms which link volunteering activity to better mental health are social interaction and sense of purpose.
Insight 3: The mental health benefits of volunteering vary among groups. Some mental health outcomes, like trajectories of depression, have only been linked with volunteering among older people. There is some evidence that volunteering is particularly beneficial to the mental wellbeing of people with disability.
Insight 4: Type of volunteering activity has not been found to affect mental health outcomes.
Insight 5: The extent to which volunteers experience mental health benefits depends on their motivation to volunteer and satisfaction with the volunteering experience. Satisfaction with the volunteering experience is associated with higher perceived wellbeing and social connectedness.
Insight 6: Volunteering can support mental health recovery. Volunteering can be a component of social prescribing programs, in which primary care providers link patients with non-medical sources of support within the community.
Insight 7: In some situations, volunteering activity can have mental health risks. Volunteers experience slightly different mental health impacts than paid staff. This is particularly relevant in high-intensity sectors such as emergency management and crisis intervention.
Active Lives, opens in a new tab, Department for Health and Ageing, Government of South Australia, prepared for the Office of Recreation, Sport and Racing, (2019 and 2021). Adapted from the ‘Active Lives’ survey published by Sport England, additional questions regarding health and wellbeing, community connectedness and individual development were included to investigate their relationship with physical activity. Regarding volunteering, the survey aimed to determine the rates of sport volunteering and links between volunteering in sport, wellbeing and social outcomes. In the 2021 report regular volunteers (those who volunteered more than once annually), scored better for overall wellbeing (35.8%) than those who didn't volunteer or only volunteered once (28.0%), as well as scoring higher for life satisfaction, feeling happy the previous day and feeling that things they did in life were worthwhile.
In the 2021 report, of those who volunteered in sport, about 40% reported providing any other help for a sport or recreational physical activity, 39% reported raising funds for a sports club, organisation or event, and 33% provided transport to help people to take part in sport' 31% were coaches or instructors for an individual or team, 27% performed an administrative or committee role, and 22% were referees, umpires, or officials (multiple responses were allowed).
In the 2019 report, although there was no significant difference in community connectedness between regular volunteers and those who did not regularly volunteer, regular volunteers reported higher social capital measures than those who did not volunteer or volunteered only once. Nearly three-quarters (72.4%) of regular volunteers agreed that they felt safe walking in their community after dark (compared to 62.7%), 79.8% identified with the local community (compared to 58.3%), and 72.6% agreed that if there was a serious problem in their local community the people would come together to solve it (compared to 59.2%). [note: these questions weren't included in the 2021 report].
Participatory arts, sport, physical activity and loneliness: the role of volunteering, opens in a new tab, what works wellbeing, (December 2020). We looked for studies published worldwide between 2009 and 2019. We found twenty-seven sources examining volunteering, wellbeing or loneliness and participatory arts or sport/physical activity. In these studies, we found that the wellbeing benefits of volunteering in participatory arts and sport/physical activity are connected to three key themes: (i) giving and sharing skills, expertise and experience; (ii) creating places/spaces of security and trust; and (iii) providing opportunities for personal skill development. Some of the wellbeing outcomes can include: Enhancing cognitive and emotional capital; Resilience; Empathy; Self-worth; Self-efficacy; Improved mental wellbeing; and Sense of accomplishment.
Alleviating loneliness; Autonomy; Self-esteem; Self-empowerment; Sense of connection; Belonging; Self-confidence; Escape; Respite; Trust; Coping; Improved mood; Being valued; Pleasure; Self-appreciation; and Pride.
Wellbeing benefits could be difficult to realise when there is: poor resourcing; inappropriate matching of volunteers to those needing help; a perception of unfamiliar or unsafe environments; a lack of trust; a feeling of volunteers being under-valued and overworked; a lack of access to appropriate training and guidance.
Volunteering and Settlement in Australia: A snapshot, opens in a new tab, Volunteering Australia, Settlement Council of Australia, (May 2019). Volunteering Australia and the Settlement Council of Australia have conducted a National Survey on Volunteering and Settlement in Australia to inform our findings. Motivations to volunteer differ for everyone, however respondents were largely looking to contribute to society, make friends, improve their English or gain local work experience. Volunteering has many benefits for both the volunteers and organisations. Volunteering is critical to building strong and resilient communities by encouraging economic participation, mitigating isolation and loneliness, and increasing social inclusion, community participation and cohesion. Volunteering can also lead to employment, by increasing workforce participation and helping people to develop key skills.
Volunteers in Victoria: trends, challenges and opportunities, opens in a new tab, State of Victoria, Ministerial Council for Volunteers, (June 2017). [Download link] This report was developed to provide a contemporary narrative for volunteering. It also provides a summary of the known social benefits, economic value and current trends. Findings from this report highlight key trends, challenges and opportunities for volunteering and have informed the development of strategic priorities to strengthen and support the volunteer sector in Victoria. Some key findings included: Most people volunteer because they want to help others and the community (66%), for personal satisfaction (62%), or to do something worthwhile (56%).
75% of Victorian volunteers had a parent who volunteered.
Sporting and recreation clubs are the engine room of volunteering – in 2014, 84% of people who volunteered had also participated in organised team sport as a child. This was significantly higher participation than other organised activities, such as youth groups (62%) and arts/cultural activities (52%).
State of Volunteering in Australia report, opens in a new tab, Volunteering Australia/PWC, (April 2016). Volunteering Australia and PwC have conducted a survey to analyse the current state of volunteering in Australia, and to identify opportunities to maximise the potential of the volunteer workforce. Sport is included as one of the industries/areas of volunteer participation investigated. 93% of volunteers saw positive changes as a result of their volunteering efforts (appreciated by community, improved wellbeing of others, improved own sense of place in the world).
The most commonly improved skill by volunteers is patience (60 per cent), followed by teamwork (55 per cent). Problem solving abilities have been highlighted as the most commonly improved professional skill (40 per cent).
By age group, confidence was identified as the most commonly improved trait for under 24-year-olds. For the age groups between 25 and 64, and over 65, patience was the most common response.
Of the respondents who indicated they were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, over half identified improvement in learning a new language, followed by resourcefulness, attention to detail, and confidence.
Most commonly, 59 per cent of the respondents with a non-English speaking background felt that they had become more patient as a result of volunteering, followed by increased confidence (56 per cent), and learning a new language (54 per cent).
Hidden diamonds: Uncovering the true value of sport volunteers, opens in a new tab, Join in, (2014). Our starting hypothesis was that volunteers should not be seen as a cost saving but as investors – people who invest their time, skills and energy both for their own benefit and for the wider community. Going beyond traditional valuation methods, which use the cost-replacement model, the research investigated the true value of sports volunteering to personal wellbeing and happiness of the volunteers themselves, plus the wider benefit to their communities. Sport is the single biggest sector of volunteering in the UK. More than one fifth of the 15 million people who volunteer regularly spend their time volunteering in sport – 3.2 million people in total. Combining the emerging science of the economics of wellbeing with traditional approaches and wider industry research, we can value the contribution of volunteering in sport to society by adding the following factors: 1. The economic value of the time given by the volunteer; 2. The value of the personal wellbeing, mental and physical benefits to the volunteer; and 3. The participation capacity and benefits that every volunteer enables. If we accept the assumption that these benefits are all separate and additional to each other, then we arrive at a figure that suggests every individual volunteer in sport produces over £16,032 worth of social value to communities in the UK. This is over 30 times the old value under simple cost replacement. And with each volunteer in sport staying involved for 6.2 years on average, the profit of volunteering in sport is truly astonishing. Compared to those who have never volunteered in sport, people who have volunteered agree that they: have 10% higher self-esteem, emotional wellbeing and resilience; are 15% less likely to worry; are 28% more likely to feel what they do has importance; are 18% more likely to feel proud of themselves. 87% agreed that their life has meaning. 88% agreed that they had a lot to be proud of.
The average club has 24 volunteers and 204 members (SRA 2014 1 ). In other words, one volunteer creates the capacity for 8.5 members (or players).
Compared to those who have never volunteered in sport, people who have volunteered in sport score these measures: 3 x higher: I feel it’s important to be part of my community; 4 x higher: I trust others in my community; 3 x higher: Being part of my community makes me feel good; 5 x higher: I put a lot of time and effort into being part of my community 8 x higher: I feel that I have an influence over what my community is like; 4 x higher: My important needs are met by being part of my community
Sport and Social Capital, Australia, 2010, opens in a new tab, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Catalogue Number 4917.0, (March 2012) Final report (ceased). This report examines the relationship between participation in sport and physical recreation and social wellbeing using a range of indicators from the 2010 General Social Survey (GSS). This report shows the associations between participation and a range of social indicators that may be used to assess social capital and wellbeing. Literature suggests that volunteering in the community is an important contributor to the development and maintenance of social capital (Nicholson and Hoye 2008). Data from the GSS show that sport participants are an important source of volunteers in the community. Over three quarters of those who volunteered their time and services to an organisation also participated in some sport or recreational activity during that same time period. The participation rate for non-volunteers was much lower.
Football volunteering and subjective well-being: a multi-country study of different voluntary roles and well-being measures, opens in a new tab, Pamela Wicker, Tim Thormann, Larissa Davie, European Sport Management Quarterly, (17 March 2023). Differences in volunteering hours between during and before the pandemic are positively associated with differences in SWB. Administrative and sport-related hours are negatively associated with some SWB measures in the linear models, while the IV models reveal a positive association for sport-related roles. Operational roles tend to be positively related to SWB independent of estimator and SWB measure. The monetary values of the IV estimations are higher than those of the linear models. The values from the happiness models exceed those of the life satisfaction models. One hour of volunteering in an operational role is valued higher than one hour in a sport-related role. For scholars, it is more important to distinguish between different voluntary roles than between different SWB measures. For practitioners, the results imply that support should be targeted particularly at volunteers in administrative and sport-related roles.
“It Shaped My Future in Ways I Wasn’t Prepared for—in the Best Way Possible”: Alumni Volunteers’ Experiences in an Adapted Sports and Recreation Program, opens in a new tab, Meredith Wekesser, Guilherme Costa, Piotr Pasik, et al., Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, Volume 40(2), pp.303-322, (2023). Adapted sport participation can have many positive benefits for adults with disabilities. However, one barrier to implementing successful adapted sport programs is lack of knowledgeable volunteers who understand accessibility and disability. In fact, little is known about volunteers’ experiences in adapted sport programs. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively examine experiences of able-bodied volunteers in an adapted sport program. A sample of 105 able-bodied volunteers (M age = 24.28 ± 1.93) completed an online qualitative survey to share their experiences. Data were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis, and seven main themes were identified. Results showed that despite differences in initial motives for volunteering, involvement in an adapted sport program was transformative and, for some, life changing. Able-bodied volunteers experienced a wide range of benefits including deeper understanding and awareness of disability and inclusion in sport. Practical recommendations are provided for volunteer-based adapted sport program leaders.
Volunteering and Subsequent Health and Well-Being in Older Adults: An Outcome-Wide Longitudinal Approach, opens in a new tab, Eric Kim, Ashley Whillans, Matthew Lee, et al., American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Volume 59(2), pp.176-186, (August 2020). During the 4-year follow-up period, participants who volunteered ≥100 hours/year (versus 0 hours/year) had a reduced risk of mortality and physical functioning limitations, higher physical activity and better psychosocial outcomes (higher: positive affect, optimism and purpose in life; lower: depressive symptoms, hopelessness, loneliness, and infrequent contact with friends). Volunteering was not associated with other physical health outcomes (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cancer, heart disease, lung disease, arthritis, overweight/obesity, cognitive impairment, and chronic pain), health behaviors (e.g. binge drinking, smoking, and sleep problems), or psychosocial outcomes (e.g. life satisfaction, mastery, health/financial mastery, depression, negative affect, perceived constraints and contact with other family/children).
Australia, opens in a new tab, Sheranne Fairley, Pamm Phillips, Chapter 1 in 'Sports Volunteers Around the Globe: Meaning and Understanding of Volunteering and its Societal Impact', Kirstin Hallmann, Sheranne Fairley (eds.), Springer, pp.7-20, (2019). Volunteerism is a central part of Australian society. In the sport sector, volunteers have been described as the backbone of the sport system. Sport relies heavily on volunteers – not only to stage sport events but also to deliver sport to the masses through a well-structured and formal network of community clubs and organizations. Australia’s hosting of large-scale events such as the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, the 2006 Commonwealth Games, the 2007 FINA World Swimming Championships, and the 2018 Commonwealth Games has illuminated the value of volunteers, the reliance upon them, the skills that they contribute, the work that they undertake, and the contribution that they make to Australian society. Further, these events highlight how important engaging in volunteer roles can be to the health and well-being of those individuals. While events can be leveraged for volunteer outcomes, there is much more that can be done to capitalize on the attention that events bring to volunteers and the contribution that they make to society.
Is mid-life social participation associated with cognitive function at age 50? Results from the British National Child Development Study (NCDS), opens in a new tab, Bowling A, Pikhartova J, Dodgeon B, BMC Psychology, Volume 4, article 58, (December 2016). This study investigated the associations between life-course social engagement (including volunteering, sport participation and civic participation) and cognitive status, at age 50. Data were taken from the National Child Development Study in the United Kingdom, a nationally representative, prospective birth cohort of 9119 subjects (4497 men and 4622 women). Cognitive ability was measured at 11 years, participation in activities at age 33 years, participation in sports at age 42 years and cognitive ability (i.e. memory and executive functioning) at age 50 years. Frequent engagement in physical activity and voluntary community activities were significantly and independently associated with cognitive status at age 50 after statistically adjusting for covariates (health and socio-economic status and gender). Being physically active and engaging in civic participation during mid-life appears to promote cognitive function in later life. The strength of this study is in its longitudinal design, but the authors caution that causation is not implied. This paper contributes to the body of literature on potential behavioural risk factors for cognitive decline and the potential benefits of physical activity and civic participation.
Volunteering is associated with lower risk of cognitive impairment, opens in a new tab, Infurna F, Okun M, Grimm K, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Volume 64(11), pp.2263-2269, (November 2016). Longitudinal data (1998 to 2012) taken from the Health and Retirement Study (N=13,262) in the United States looked at whether psychosocial factors, such as volunteering, are associated with risk of cognitive impairment. Interviews with subjects age 60 years and older were conducted every two years to collect data and assess the risk of cognitive decline associated with a number of factors. The study found that volunteering regularly over time, independently decreased the risk of cognitive impairment over the 14 year period of this study. This finding was independent of other known risk factors for cognitive impairment. Civic engagement among older adults has been associated with lower risk of cognitive impairment. This knowledge should provide the impetus for possible interventions. Given the increasing number of baby boomers entering old age, these findings support the psychosocial benefits of volunteering.
Pioneer volunteers: the role identity of continuous volunteers at sport events, opens in a new tab, Fairley S, Green B, O’Brian D, et al., Journal of Sport and Tourism, Volume 19(3-4), pp.233-255, (2014). This study looks at the role identity of 125 volunteers during lead-up events as well as their participation in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. In addition, a small sample were interviewed 12 years after the Olympics. Six themes described the experience of ‘pioneer volunteers’ (i.e. continuous volunteer participation): (1) friendship and teamwork; (2) prestige; (3) behind the scenes access and knowledge of the event; (4) learning enabled by their experience; (5) a sense of connection with and ownership of the event; and (6) transition to Games time roles. Pioneer volunteers experienced a strong and sustained identification with their role and sought out continued opportunities to volunteer in future events.
Team UTSNZ - Workforce Development Programme, opens in a new tab, University and Tertiary Sport NZ, YouTube, (27 June 2023). Promotional video for the UTSNZ volunteering/work development program. Imagine getting your foot in the door to your dream career in the sport industry as you represent your university. Get real-world experience, develop your skills, connect with industry professionals, and build lasting friendships with Team UTSNZ. Join our team!
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