| A survey among 200 of the UK's leading businesses revealed some interesting facts about volunteering: | - 73% of employers would employ candidates with volunteering
experience over one who doesn't. - 94% of employers believe that volunteering can add to skills. - 94% of employees who volunteered to learn new skills had benefited either by getting their first job, improving their salary, or being promoted. |
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Medical and scientific research supports the health benefits
of volunteering, such as:
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GMTV's Dr Hilary Jones says: "We are finding out more and more that volunteering is actually good for your health. Other research shows that giving time helps to beat stress and it's clear that keeping physically and mentally active can often improve your state of mind." | |
| A Volunteering for Mental Health survey carried out by the National Centre for Volunteering found that people with experience of mental ill health who had volunteered found the activity highly beneficial for their well-being. | Respondents said volunteering had done much to improve their mental health. Specifically, it had given structure, direction and meaning to their life, widened their social networks, improved their vocational and interpersonal skills and helped them to gain access to employment, education and training. | |