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How Civic Engagement Can Boost Your Mental Health

Society has come a long way with regards to mental health awareness and visibility in recent decades, yet it remains a major social issue. Thirty-nine percent of people are especially concerned about mental health when compared to other social issues, according to Points of Light’s

Deep Dive on Mental Health

]. Notably, concern tends to slightly skew toward younger generations, with Gen Z coming at 44%, Millennials at 42% and Gen X at 40%, compared to 31% of Baby Boomers. Women were also more concerned at 44%, compared to 33% of men. October 10 marks World Mental Health Day, a time to raise awareness about mental health and to mobilize support for those experiencing mental health issues. Every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) organizes a

global campaign for World Mental Health Day

. This year’s theme, as set by The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), is “

Mental health is a universal human right

.”

Studies

show that civic engagement is an excellent way to boost your mental health and wellbeing:

  • Volunteering results in an increase in psychological wellbeing and a decrease in depressive symptoms.
  • When older adults volunteer, it allows them to participate in meaningful activities and leads to a sense of greater wellbeing.
  • By engaging in service work, many were able to find and create pockets of connection for themselves and others during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Mental health improvement and civic engagement often go hand in hand,” said Dena Rodriguez-Leach, mental wellness supervision & workforce development program manager of Spark the Change Colorado. “There is evidence showing a strong correlation between volunteering and wellbeing. The benefits include a sense of purpose, social connection, reduced stress and improved self-esteem.”

Take Action for Others, Improve Your Own Wellbeing

When we take action for causes we care about, we don’t just act in service of others, we also receive benefits ourselves – including to our own mental health and wellbeing. “In engaging with communities through volunteering and other ways, individuals feel a sense of purpose and gratitude, both of which have been scientifically proven to impact the release of oxytocin, which results in feelings of wellbeing, said iVolunteer principal consultant Aarti Madhusudan. “Civic engagement enables the individual to focus externally, [with] energies being invested in the problems of others. Being part of the solution for a problem [affecting] a community that perhaps has less privilege creates greater confidence in one’s own capabilities and resilience. All of these are extremely valuable for positive mental health.”

Interested in volunteering for mental health or other causes? Check out POINTS OF LIGHT ENGAGE® — The World’s Largest Digital Volunteer Network.

Rodriguez-Leach agreed: “Civic engagement provides a sense of purpose for individuals who volunteer and advocate for a particular cause. Research shows that contributing to society’s betterment can

boost self-esteem and overall satisfaction

. Being involved in a cause provides a sense of empowerment, improving self-worth and increasing emotional fulfillment and happiness as it allows for personal growth, social connection and a sense of purpose.”

Be a Point of Light for Mental Health

Each of us, regardless of our own mental health status or experiences, can be part of the movement to promote access to quality mental health care for all and to end discrimination based on mental health conditions. Our

Deep Dive on Mental Health

found that 83% of people felt that some of the most influential actions to support mental health are volunteering with a cause or organization in-person or online, and 80% leaned into making a charitable donation to a cause or organization.

“Civic engagement is one way of engaging in those things that are bigger than yourself.” – Dena Rodriguez-Leach, mental wellness supervision & workforce development program manager, Spark the Change Colorado

Ready to get started on your civic engagement journey? Find opportunities, no matter your age, availability, location or interests.

Civic Engagement Opportunities to Boost Your Mental Health

  • Points of Light Engage®: The World’s Largest Digital Volunteer Network: Points of Light pulls volunteer opportunities from sites across the web to provide the most comprehensive database of volunteer opportunities around the world. Individuals can search for volunteer projects, nonprofits can post and manage event sign-ups and visitors are invited to start projects of their own – all in one place.
  • Points of Light Global Network: The Points of Light Global Network accelerates people-driven social impact across 38 countries. Find your local Points of Light affiliate to learn what your community needs.
  • DIY Volunteer Projects: Access easy DIY volunteer projects that families and individuals of all ages can complete in their spare time such as donating food to essential workers on the job, assembling comfort bags for youth experiencing hardships and building composting bins for greener communities.
  • Volunteer Advice & Resources: Explore more ways to access service opportunities, support specific causes you care about and strategically amplify your impact.

3 Ways People of All Ages Can Make the Most of International Youth Day

August 12 is International Youth Day, a United Nations effort to celebrate youth activists, combat ageism and help bridge gaps between generations working toward the same change.

 

No matter your age, it’s likely you’ve questioned your ability to make a difference. Our research shows that 73% of people believe that volunteering is more important than ever, yet 66% think they can’t make a big impact in their communities. Activists on the ground prove otherwise. That’s why we recognize thousands of volunteers for their contributions to their communities through t

he Daily Point of Light Award — because we know that inspiration is contagious.

“Points of Light’s research found that Gen Z is the most civically engaged generation to date. Our youth honorees demonstrate that people of all ages can strengthen communities and solve persistent problems,” says Diane Quest, interim CEO, Points of Light.

 

To inspire you to action this

International Youth Day

, we are sharing stories of youth honorees, along with three elements from the Points of Light Civic Circle®, a framework for helping people to become more civically engaged.

Volunteer 

Nonprofit organizations and NGOs need volunteer power to deliver support to the communities they collaborate with. If you’re an adult wanting to facilitate youth volunteerism, consider organizing a youth-specific event or helping transport the young people in your life to an event. To find a volunteer opportunity that aligns with your interests and availability, check out

Points of Light Engage

, a database with hundreds of thousands of in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities.

 

The power of volunteering shines when considering Daily Point of Light Award honoree Nate Buescher, a high schooler who prepares food for a local food pantry and distributes home-cooked meals to tent cities around Chicago. Buescher began fighting food insecurity at age 7 with the Honeycomb Project. Today, he mentors younger volunteers while maintaining his own service projects.

 

Voice 

The youth voice is vital, pointing us to which concerns are most important to future world leaders and helping broaden perspectives. Use your voice to advocate for causes you care about by posting on social media, attending a rally or contacting a government leader. Adults can amplify youth voices by sharing with their networks, or organizing forums for youth to be seen and heard.

 

Seventeen-year-old Daily Point of Light Award honoree

Maanit Goel

used his voice when organizing a rally of fellow activists on the Washington State Capitol steps to support legislation protecting the Chinook salmon and orca populations. He also regularly addresses state legislators and travels statewide to speak to K-12 students about environmental issues.

 

Listen and Learn 

Social justice and environmental issues are nuanced, involving many people with different perspectives shaped by their own experiences. Listening and learning is one way to honor others’ lived experiences and get a fuller scope of an issue.

 

Young people can commit to thoroughly researching causes they care about, talking to those working toward solutions and holding space for those impacted. Adults can connect with the young people in their lives, inviting dialogue that allows for sharing different perspectives and finding common ground.

 

These are the driving ideas behind the work of high schooler Kristie To, who became a leading force in Asian American racial justice when she founded

Hearts Against Hate

. Among the initiatives of her nonprofit is distributing Asian history and Asian American Pacific Islander civil rights curriculum to children.

 

“Cultural sensitivity starts with exposure, and that’s what we’re trying to do with these elementary schoolers,” says To.

 

To learn about other avenues for social engagement for International Youth Day and all year round, check out the Points of Light Civic Circle by visiting

pointsoflight.org/civic-circle

.

 

“There are many formal channels for civic engagement, but simple actions make a difference too,” says Quest. “Whether it’s carrying groceries in for a neighbor or donating books to the library, the important thing is to get started when you see a need in your community.”

4 Tips to Maximize Your Social Impact This Global Volunteer Month

April is

Global Volunteer Month

and offers the perfect opportunity for you to get more civically engaged in your community and beyond through

volunteering

. This month, we’re highlighting ways you can contribute your time and talent through volunteering, one of the nine elements of

Points of Light’s Civic Circle

®

, a framework for creating social impact that opens the door to doing good in your own community.

Why is Volunteering so Impactful?

Volunteering represents an individual’s ability to choose to lend their time and talent to a cause area they are passionate about in order to advance that cause or help solve a societal issue without concern for personal gain – monetary or otherwise. Although the spirit of volunteerism can be seen in an act as simple as helping a neighbor bring in their groceries, volunteering is an act that is often done in partnership with a nonprofit organization. Most nonprofits rely on their volunteer base to help keep their mission alive and do the greatest level of good for the communities they work with. Volunteers help these organizations save critical financial resources that can then be maximized in other ways for the benefit of the communities served. There are plenty of ways you can volunteer, both with a nonprofit and outside of one. The majority of acts of volunteerism today are typically informal – mowing the lawn of a senior friend or organizing a donation drive for someone who lost their home in a natural disaster.

Points of Light’s research

shows that while 43% of Americans prefer to volunteer with a nonprofit organization, 28% prefer to volunteer with friends or neighbors, without an organization’s involvement.

Create Your Action Plan

You might be passionate about a lot of different cause areas, so narrowing down the one or two areas to which you’d like to contribute your time and talent is the first step.

HandsOn Greater Richmond

has created a helpful

Giving Back Guide

to help guide this initial process of defining where you’d like to focus your energy in volunteering and other ways of supporting the causes you care about. By determining your top values and issue areas, exploring the issues to get educated on what initiatives currently exist and considering your specific skill set, you can make a more strategic decision about how, when and where to volunteer.

Research Volunteer Opportunities

Next, you’ll want to find volunteer opportunities in your community – or beyond – that align with the causes you defined in your action plan.

Points of Light Engage

is a great place to start. This global database features hundreds of thousands of volunteer opportunities throughout the world just waiting for the right volunteer to step up. You have the ability to search and filter opportunities based on location and even look for virtual opportunities if you’d like to volunteer from home. You can also contact nonprofit organizations in your area to see what their needs are and how you can best contribute. Reaching out through a phone call or email can help you make connections with the organizations advocating for the social issues you care about and even if they don’t currently need volunteers, they may be able to help point you in another direction so you can start contributing to the cause.

“Volunteering doesn’t just mean dedicating your whole life. Just a note. Just a phone call. Just appreciating someone who’s around you. You yourself can step into someone’s shoes, feel their pain and help improve their lives. Volunteering can start with shaking someone’s hand or patting someone on the back, all the way to going on mission trips or donating every month. Volunteering is a blessing. When you give, you receive. You receive an abundance of peace, happiness and improved outlook on life.” — Daily Point of Light Honoree NISHA MANDANI

Start Small and Work Your Way Up

You don’t need to tackle every cause area or take on hours of volunteer work per week to start making a difference. Often, the best way to begin is by completing a one-time volunteer project.  Then, you can get a feel for the organization and for the type of work you’re doing to see if it’s a good fit. If you have the capacity, committing to a regular volunteer schedule once a week or once a month is a smart next step. Don’t try to take on too much too quickly – this can result in compassion fatigue and

burnout

. While volunteering is always needed in our communities, the most effective and impactful volunteerism is achieved by those who maintain a healthy sense of balance and continue to prioritize self care throughout their work.

“There’s nothing magic about it. If you have that volunteer itch, scratch it! It doesn’t matter what cause it is. Volunteering is so rewarding. It’s something special — it’s so authentic and it comes from a great place, which is an individual’s heart. You should never think any volunteer opportunity is too small. It can grow into something huge.” — Daily Point of Light Honoree ALEX BROWN

Check Out Global Volunteer Month Resources

The tips above cover some ways you can get started with volunteering now and at any time of year. For more ideas on planning an initiative or event for Global Volunteer Month, check out Points of Light’s

Global Volunteer Month toolkits

. These resources are full of inspiration on creating and leading successful social impact initiatives throughout April, including communication techniques, ideas for recognition and even logos you can use on social media. There are four different toolkits tailored to various audiences – nonprofits, companies, government officials and individuals. Download the toolkit that’s applicable for you to get fresh ideas on how to celebrate volunteerism this month.

Want to explore more? Check out these additional resources:

  • How to Volunteer: One Microstep at a Time: This article covers more tips for getting in the right mindset and taking small steps toward making volunteering part of your lifestyle.
  • How Physical Volunteering Can Engage Employees Coming Back to Work: this article discusses the ways that volunteering can help promote employee engagement in for-profit organizations.
  • Charity Navigator: you can vet the nonprofit organizations you’re considering to see how their mission aligns with your values, what their impact has been and how their funds are distributed, making you a more informed participant as you begin to volunteer.
  • Points of Light’s Corporate Services & Solutions: if you’re managing a CSR program or attempting to launch an employee engagement program, partnering with a nonprofit can help. Points of Light has a team of experts with best-in-class tools, frameworks and customized support to help establish or refine your initiatives.

How to Use Your Volunteer Toolkit this Global Volunteer Month

April is right around the corner which means Global Volunteer Month is rapidly approaching. Points of Light wants to equip you with the tools you need to make it a success. Global Volunteer Month is an opportunity to recognize volunteers for the amazing work they do to support your organization as well as make the community aware of your needs and recruit more volunteers or connect individuals to causes they care about. Head over to our

Global Volunteer Month

page to

download your free volunteer toolkit

, tailored to four unique audiences.

Plus, read all about how to make the most of your toolkit right here.

 

Volunteer Toolkit for Companies 

The Global Volunteer Month

toolkit for companies

is full of ideas to support your company’s employee volunteerism campaign tactics and plan your Global Volunteer Month activities. We show you how you can best

engage your employees

, share their stories and promote the month internally and externally. It also includes logos and graphics you can use in your communication materials.

 

Toolkit for Nonprofits 

The

toolkit for nonprofits

also includes logos and graphics to share on social media, as well as a host of ideas as you map out your organization’s plan to participate in Global Volunteer Month. In addition to help with messaging and promoting engagement, we offer recognition ideas that you can carry with you throughout the month and all year long.

 

Toolkit for Individuals 

You don’t have to be part of an organization to participate in Global Volunteer Month. Passionate individuals can shine their light by

volunteering in-person or virtually

or completing a DIY project. The

toolkit for individuals

has links to these DIY projects, as well as plenty of helpful visuals and hashtags you can use as you participate.

 

Toolkit for Government Officials 

The

toolkit for government officials

includes many of the same elements as the toolkits for companies and nonprofits – a sample communications plan, graphics and logos, and ideas for promotion. It also features ideas for giving a floor speech to honor and recognize the constituents and organizations making a difference in your community.

 

No matter who you are and how you’re getting involved this year, start now to map out a plan for your Global Volunteer Month and make an impact in your own community and beyond.

4 Ways Corporate Volunteerism Will Change Your Business

As a business owner or team leader, you know how crucial it is to appreciate your employees, keep them engaged and offer them greater job satisfaction. You know that competitive pay, an extensive benefits package and the opportunity for upward mobility can help your employees feel valued. But how can corporate volunteerism help keep your employees engaged in their work, connected to the team and eager to remain with your company? Here are a few things Points of Light has found from working with our

corporate partners

.

 

1. Corporate Volunteerism Increases Job Satisfaction 

Points of Light’s

research on civic engagement

shows that up to 40% applied for a job specifically because of the employer’s social responsibility stance. In particular, Gen Z employees overwhelmingly want to work for a company that takes a stand on social impact.

 

When you demonstrate to your workforce that the company cares about doing good just as much as the bottom line, you instill these values in your employees and attract new employees who also share them.

 

2. Corporate Volunteerism Increases Retention 

According to a study from

Galaxy Digital

, “…employees are five times more engaged in companies with employee volunteer programs.” Your organization can benefit from employees being more hands-on, not just in their day-to-day, work-related tasks, but also in company-wide efforts to drive change in the world.

 

“Even during the trying times of a recession, volunteering is important. Nonprofits may have to lay off employees, limiting their capacity. This is where skills-based volunteers can be not only be important but vital to the nonprofit’s bottom line. Plus, being civically engaged has been proven to reduce stress and increases positive, relaxed feelings, which is helpful during a stressful time like a recession. Having an intentional CSR strategy will help the community and your employees.” – Holly McCaleb, Senior Director, CSR Consulting 

3. Corporate Volunteerism Bolsters Employees’ Skills  

Building your team’s skillset is valuable to both you and your employees. When it comes to corporate volunteering, many skills can be honed through hands-on work with teams and communities. Your employees can practice the things they’re already adept at and can continue to expand their knowledge and expertise by trying new things.

 

Working within communities and engaging in volunteerism can also help increase your employees’ empathy and make for a more tolerant, inclusive and compassionate workplace.

 

4. Corporate Volunteerism Increases Organizational Success 

With all of these things in mind, you can safely assume that employee satisfaction, retention and skill-building will absolutely lead to greater success of your business. When you have employees who are eager to be engaged with your company in and out of the workplace, who grow their expertise and practice leadership and teamwork, and who remain with the company longer term, you will see these reflections in your profitability.

 

If you’re just getting started with corporate volunteerism, check out the

resources we have available on our website

. If you’re ready to start to building or refining your corporate social responsibility program and need a trusted, knowledgeable partner to help, Points of Light can provide best-in-class tools, frameworks and customizable support through our suite of

Corporate Services Solutions.

Family Volunteering Insights for Small Organizations

We interviewed 1,000 participants of organizations with under $1 million in revenue

 to understand how to encourage schools and

nonprofits

to engage families in

volunteer activities

. We wanted to know how to create programs that work for families, how to recruit families to participate and how to make it easy – and fun – for them to volunteer.

Here’s what we heard from project coordinators we surveyed about how to engage families and young people in volunteer efforts:

Include Youth Voices When Planning Family Volunteering Opportunities 

Talk to young people about why volunteering matters. Let their excitement help make it a family priority. Let them describe what they’re doing, and explain how they’re having an impact.

Communicate Via Multiple Methods Well in Advance With Reminders

Send an email and a text. Remind volunteer families several weeks before, a week before, a day before and the day of. People are busy, and reminders help ensure they fulfill their intention and their commitment to volunteer. If you can, keep your events at the same time of year to make it easy for families to plan and stay engaged year after year.

Create a Family-friendly Environment

Ensure families know that children of all ages are welcome. Make plenty of age-appropriate activities available and create opportunities for little ones to help. Provide kid-friendly refreshments, too.

Reward Volunteers

Create incentives for your volunteers to want to come back, and share the impact they’re having. Offer student volunteers extra hours if they bring parents, or feature students with families who volunteer on social media.

Start Early, Plan and Be Organized

Make sure people feel as if their time is being used well. If they have a great experience, they’re more likely to return. Some organizations don’t have a lot of success doing several small family volunteer events throughout the year in cities where there are so many competing interests. However, doing an “end of the year” project, for example, where students get to show off their work and win prizes, combined with the group volunteering experience, often results in higher attendance and participation each year. 

Family and youth volunteer projects are so impactful, and getting them right makes a huge difference for families and for the people and organizations who benefit from their service.

Download the full

Small Organization Family Volunteer Insights

.

3 Ways to Prep for Global Volunteer Month

Global Volunteer Month

is an annual event to encourage volunteerism and civic action. Learn how to recognize volunteers who are actively participating in bettering their communities for this monthlong event, including National Volunteer Week and year-round. Nonprofits get the opportunity to raise awareness for their organization’s current needs and funding opportunities, businesses have a way to engage every employee in spring volunteer initiatives, and individuals are able to give back to their local communities.

The celebration happens in April of 2023, but now is the time to begin to mobilize your community, employees, family and friends, or your volunteers to participate. Here are three ways to get the ball rolling on your Global Volunteer Month efforts early, so you can maximize turnout.

Plan Your Participation in Global Volunteer Month Starting Now

Contribute your time and talents personally:

So you want to volunteer, but you’re not sure where to get started. Find local nonprofits in your area by searching online, and reach out to them directly to see what their needs are. Maybe there’s a donations drive you can support by donating gently used clothing or canned goods. You can also search for in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities on

Points of Light Engage

, the world’s largest digital volunteer network featuring hundreds of thousands of volunteer opportunities throughout the world. You can even check out these

DIY projects

that are easy to do from home.

Motivate your volunteers or employees

: 

Nonprofit organizations will want to consider which programs to elevate during Global Volunteer Month. Invite supporters to make a difference by participating. 

Companies looking to engage employees in volunteerism and civic action in the spring might consider partnering with a

Corporate Services & Solutions

partner. Working with a knowledgeable partner in the nonprofit space can help connect you with valuable volunteer opportunities, create strategic plans for employee engagement, increase volunteer turnout across your organization, measure your success and celebrate your employees accordingly.

Share Your Message

Get your stakeholders on board. Points of Light’s

Global Volunteer Month toolkits

include logos, social media graphics and sample messages to easily share your participation with your audiences. It’s critical for nonprofit organizations to communicate consistently throughout April through donor and volunteer outreach. It’s not unusual for people to need to hear about events up to ten times before the message “sticks,” so don’t hesitate to promote your programs, needs and fundraising opportunities for this month early and often.

Companies seeking optimal turnout among employee volunteers will need to do the same. Promote the employee volunteering activities your company is offering, and be clear about how employees can participate. Send out information in your employee newsletters, email blasts or other internal communications, and promote events on social media as well. 

Tell Amazing Stories

Finally, you’ll want to make a plan to recognize and celebrate all of the ways your volunteers are contributing to their communities! For individual volunteers, this could mean posting on social media to share the civic actions you took during the month. For nonprofits and companies, you might consider collecting and sharing volunteer stories, videos and photos for publishing throughout the remainder of the year. You might throw a month-end luncheon or other event to celebrate your work.

Recognition and celebration takes careful planning and preparation, so as you’re laying out your plan for the month, make this the final phase and figure out how you will reward your volunteers throughout the month and year round. Two ongoing opportunities for volunteer recognition include

The Daily Point of Light Award

program, which rewards and lifts up individual stories every day, as well as the

President’s Volunteer Service Award

, which recognizes the important role of exceptional volunteers in America’s strength and national identity.  Your nonprofit can even

become a certifying organization

so you’re able to offer this prestigious award to your own volunteers.

Download the

Global Volunteer Month toolkit

that’s tailored specifically to you, whether you’re an individual, nonprofit, company or government official. However you choose to get involved in Global Volunteer Month, we can’t wait to hear about the social impact you make in 2023.