Why Should One Volunteer? Real Reasons People Start and Keep Giving Their Time

Think volunteering is just about helping others? It is-but that’s only half the story. The truth is, people who volunteer don’t just change lives-they change their own. Every week in Edinburgh, someone walks into a food bank, a shelter, or a community garden not because they have to, but because they want to. And they keep coming back. Not out of guilt. Not for a line on their resume. But because it changes something inside them.

You don’t need a big commitment to make a real difference

Many people avoid volunteering because they think they need to give up hours every week. That’s not true. One hour a month can mean the difference between a lonely senior eating alone and having someone to talk to over tea. A single Saturday morning sorting clothes at a charity shop can free up space for someone who just lost their home. You don’t need to be an expert. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to show up.

In Scotland, over 1.2 million people volunteer each year. That’s nearly one in five adults. And most of them started with just one shift. A local library in Leith started a weekly reading program for kids. One volunteer, a retired teacher, showed up once a week. Within six months, the program grew to three volunteers, 20 regular kids, and a waiting list. It didn’t take a grant or a fancy app. Just someone willing to sit with a child and read a story.

Volunteering builds connections you can’t find online

Loneliness is one of the biggest health issues in the UK today. Older adults, new immigrants, young people fresh out of school-they all face it. Volunteering is one of the few places where you meet people not because you’re trying to sell something, network, or get a date. You’re there because you care about the same thing: helping someone else.

At the Edinburgh Community Food Bank, volunteers come from all walks of life. A university student packs boxes next to a retired firefighter. A single parent sorting donations chats with a man who moved here from Syria. No one asks about jobs or salaries. No one checks LinkedIn. For a few hours, you’re just part of a team doing something real. That kind of connection doesn’t show up on Instagram. But it sticks with you.

You’ll learn skills you won’t find in a classroom

Volunteering isn’t just about kindness. It’s practical training. Organizing a clothing drive teaches project management. Running a youth workshop builds communication skills. Handling donations at a shelter sharpens problem-solving under pressure. These aren’t fluffy buzzwords-they’re real, transferable skills.

A 2024 study by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations found that 68% of volunteers reported improved confidence in their ability to lead teams. Nearly half said they gained skills they later used in their jobs. One woman in Glasgow started volunteering at a homeless shelter. She learned how to manage crisis situations, coordinate with social workers, and speak calmly under stress. A year later, she got hired as a support worker. She didn’t have a degree in social work. But she had experience-and that mattered more.

It gives you perspective-without needing to travel

It’s easy to feel stuck in your own problems. Bills, work stress, family drama-they all feel huge when you’re in the middle of them. Volunteering pulls you out of that bubble. You see people who are doing more with less. You hear stories that make your own struggles feel different-not less important, but smaller in the grand scheme.

A teenager in Falkirk started volunteering at a community garden. He thought he’d just be digging dirt. Instead, he met a woman who’d fled war in Ukraine and was learning to grow vegetables for the first time. She showed him how to plant seeds with her hands, even though she’d never held soil before. He left that day with dirt on his knees and a new understanding of resilience.

Volunteering helps you feel like you belong

When you’re new to a city, recovering from loss, or just feeling invisible, volunteering gives you a place to stand. It says: you matter here. Your time matters. Your hands matter.

In rural parts of Scotland, where public transport is limited and services are thin, volunteers keep things running. A community hall in Aberdeenshire relies on locals to run its weekly meal service. Without them, dozens of elderly residents would eat alone. The volunteers don’t get paid. But they get something else: a reason to get up in the morning. A group to laugh with. A sense that their presence makes a difference.

It’s not about being a hero-it’s about being human

There’s no medal for volunteering. No trophy. No Instagram post that changes your life. But there’s quiet satisfaction. The kind that comes when you hand someone a warm meal and they look you in the eye and say, “Thank you.” Not because they owe you anything. But because they’re grateful you showed up.

Volunteering doesn’t fix everything. It won’t end homelessness. It won’t solve climate change. But it does something just as powerful: it reminds us we’re not alone. That we can choose to care. That even small acts, repeated, add up.

People don’t volunteer because they’re saints. They volunteer because it makes them feel alive. Because it reminds them what matters. And that’s worth more than any reward.

Where to start if you’ve never volunteered before

• Look locally. Libraries, community centers, and churches often have bulletin boards with volunteer needs. You don’t need to search far.
• Start small. Try one shift. One day. One task. No pressure to commit forever.
• Match your skills. Good with kids? Tutor. Like gardening? Help at a park. Can cook? Join a meal prep team.
• Ask questions. Call the organization. Ask what a typical day looks like. What’s expected? What’s the impact?
• Bring a friend. It’s easier to show up when someone’s with you.

There’s no right way to volunteer. Just a way that works for you. And if it feels right, you’ll keep coming back-not because you have to, but because you want to.

What to do if you’ve volunteered before and stopped

If you’ve volunteered in the past and walked away, don’t feel guilty. Life changes. Jobs shift. Health happens. That’s normal.

But if you’re thinking about coming back, here’s the truth: the need hasn’t gone away. And neither has the reward. Try a different role this time. Maybe you liked working with kids before, but now you’d rather help with gardening. Maybe you want to help remotely. Or maybe you just want to show up once a quarter. That’s still valuable.

You don’t have to be the same person you were when you last volunteered. And the community doesn’t expect you to be. They just need someone willing to show up. Again.