Give your time
This article was originally published in German. The English version is an automatic translation and may contain errors. The German original is authoritative.
We all know them: the calls to donate – clothes, money, cuddly toys… Helping one's neighbour is admittedly important, but let's be honest: what do we get out of it? More space in the flat, a reason to refill our wardrobe? We never see our donations again, never know whether they've really helped anyone. Wouldn't it be nice if the donation had a tangible added value? For the recipients and for the givers?
How about Time donating? For example in the form of volunteering?
Apart from the scientifically proven benefits of volunteering, such as the improvement of cognitive abilities and stress reduction, the most important reason is: experiencing one's own significance. The feeling of having been helpful, of having made a difference in someone else's life.
On a neurophysiological level, oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine are released – the trio which is colloquially referred to as "happy hormones". The euphoria resulting from this hormone cocktail is called "Helpers High". This phenomenon describes the euphoric feeling of happiness that we experience when we help others or engage socially. Whether after a several-hour shift at the food bank or an hour-long walk with elderly people – the effect is the same. And the satisfaction of having done something truly meaningful as well.
Hectic shifts and individual case support aren't your thing? At the volunteering exchange of the Freiwilligenagentur Würzburg there's something for every area of interest! People are being sought for alternative city tours, leading cycling excursion groups or helping out in the theatre.
Interested? Click here straight away: https://www.freiwilligenagentur-wuerzburg.de/freiwilligenagentur/angebote/ehrenamtsboerse/index.html