Volunteering - the beneficial side effects | Eric Cooper | TEDxSanAntonio

Summary

This speech highlights the transformative benefits of volunteering, focusing on its positive impact on both physical and mental health. Volunteering improves stamina, reduces depression, and even lowers healthcare costs. The speaker emphasizes the importance of genuine, altruistic involvement and suggests that volunteering between 100-200 hours per year offers the greatest health benefits. A touching personal story illustrates how volunteering can provide purpose and healing during times of personal hardship. The speaker calls on everyone to engage in volunteerism for the well-being of both themselves and their communities.

Takeaways

• 😀 Volunteering not only benefits others but also provides significant health benefits to volunteers, including improved memory, stamina, and flexibility.
• 😀 Research shows that people who volunteer experience reduced depression, lower cholesterol, and improved mental health overall.
• 😀 Volunteering has a stronger positive impact on health than traditional medical care in some cases, suggesting it could help lower healthcare costs.
• 😀 In 2023, 64 million Americans volunteered, contributing 8 billion hours of time, valued at $175 billion in economic impact.
• 😀 Seniors who volunteer to mentor children show improvements in physical and mental health, including reduced depression and enhanced stamina.
• 😀 Volunteering can lead to weight loss and improved cholesterol, as demonstrated by high school students tutoring children in Canada.
• 😀 Volunteers tend to live longer, with studies showing a consistent correlation between volunteering and extended life expectancy.
• 😀 The key to receiving health benefits from volunteering is ensuring that the act is voluntary, coming from a place of altruism, not obligation.
• 😀 Volunteering can be done remotely or from home, making it accessible to individuals with time, transportation, or disability challenges.
• 😀 To maximize health benefits, volunteers should aim for 100-200 hours per year, or 2-4 hours per week.
• 😀 A personal story illustrates how volunteering can heal emotional pain, with one man finding purpose and hope through volunteering after losing his child.

Q & A

What is the main message of the speaker's speech?

The main message of the speech is that volunteering not only benefits those who receive help but also provides significant health benefits for the volunteers themselves, leading to improved physical and mental health, and potentially a longer life.

How many volunteers does the food bank mentioned in the script have?

The food bank has 1,000 volunteers who come through its doors each week.

What is the humorous joke shared by the 84-year-old volunteer?

The 84-year-old volunteer shares a joke about volunteering and wetting your pants: 'Everybody sees you doing it, but only you get the warm feeling.'

What are some examples of the types of activities volunteers engage in, according to the speaker?

Volunteers engage in activities such as tutoring children, delivering meals to seniors, planting trees, and rescuing individuals in emergencies like hurricanes.

What did the research find about the health benefits of volunteering?

Research has shown that volunteers experience improved physical health, such as increased stamina, better memory, and reduced depression. Volunteering also leads to lower cholesterol levels and can even extend lifespan.

What is the potential impact of volunteering on healthcare costs?

The speaker suggests that volunteering might help reduce healthcare costs, as the health benefits gained through volunteering can be as effective as traditional medical care.

What are the three key principles for maximizing the health benefits of volunteering?

The three key principles are: 1) Making the connection—choosing a cause you're passionate about; 2) Making it pure—ensuring the volunteering is truly voluntary and altruistic; 3) Getting the right dose—volunteering between 100 and 200 hours a year (2-4 hours per week).

How can people find volunteering opportunities?

People can find volunteering opportunities through websites like JustServe, VolunteerMatch, and the United Way Volunteer Center, which help match individuals with nonprofit organizations based on their skills and interests.

What does the speaker say about the motivation behind volunteering?

The speaker emphasizes that volunteering should come from a place of altruism, not out of obligation or guilt. When done for the right reasons, volunteering provides the greatest health benefits.

Can volunteering from home be beneficial, and how?

Yes, volunteering from home can be beneficial. Many nonprofits need help with tasks such as writing, graphic design, or web-based activities. Volunteers can assist remotely, which is ideal for those with limited time, transportation, or physical mobility.