Benefits to Overall Health

1) Veterans and Volunteering

2) Positive Emotions

3) Altruism and Health

4) Volunteering and Health

5) The State of Volunteering

6) Volunteering and Mental Health

7) Prosocial Development

8) Volunteer Resources

Recognizing the mental health benefits for returning Veterans with PTSD

Number of Iraq and

Afghanistan vets who

received a provisional

dx of PTSD at VA

medical facilities from

2002 though the first

quarter 2013

• Service-based Fellowship Program based in St Louis,

created by Eric Greitens (39, Rhodes Scholar and

former Navy Seal)

• Veterans are building houses, working in health care,

teaching, counseling, farming and taking care of their

more seriously wounded comrades.

• Initial research outcomes for 52 TMC fellows,

conducted by Washington Univ showed dramatic

improvements in well-being after a 6 month

fellowship: 86% of the fellows reported a positive life

changing experience, 71% went on to further their

education, and 86% said the program helped them

transfer their military skills to civilian employment.

Fifty-two% of those studied had suffered TBIs and

64% had been dx’d with PTS.

• Based in Los Angeles, co-founded by TMC

Fellow Jake Wood.

• Has a roster of 7,000 veterans ready to do

disaster-relief missions around the world.

• TMC Fellows are working with Team Rubicon

for post-tornado disaster relief in Oklahoma.

• Dr Nancy Morrow-Howell (Washington Univ) conducted

several studies for the White House Conference on Aging

for AARP, and co-authored the TMC study

• Community Service provides clear health and

psychological benefits, including greater longevity,

reduced depression and a greater sense of purpose.

• “Actually, the elderly are a really good comparison group

for wounded veterans. They have to cope with a reduced

ability to function physically. Many of them lose their

sense of purpose and community after retirement. If

they’re widowed, they feel isolated. They need to rebuild

their lives, rejoin the world.”

• Two groups of elderly patients in senior day care

were asked to make gift baskets. One group made

them for themselves; a second group was told they

were making the baskets for homeless people in the

community.

• The second group experienced

a greater sense of satisfaction

and psychological well-being than

those who were simply making

the baskets for themselves

• Danner et al. (2001) Nun Study

• Reviewed short personal essays, written by nuns in the 1930s.

• The nuns who expressed more positive emotions were living about

10 years longer than those

who expressed the fewest

such emotions, and they were

protected from the onset

of dementia.

• Fredrickson (2003) summarized two decades of

investigation and concluded:

• Positive emotions were linked with a “broader thought-

action repertoire,” which is to say that a “big picture”

creative thinking was enhanced.

• “When people feel good, their thinking becomes more

creative, integrative, flexible and open to information”.

• Positive emotions enhanced psychological and

physical resilience. These effects were interpreted as a

result of the “undoing” of negative emotions that are

clearly harmful. “Helpful compassionate acts” allow

people to feel elevated and good about themselves and

others.

• Anderson (2003) asserted that positive emotions

(kindness, love, compassion, etc.) enhance health by

virtue of pushing aside negative emotions.

• It is difficult to be angry, resentful, or fearful when one is

showing unselfish love toward another person.

• Volunteer work might stimulate the development of

empathic emotions. Those who give away a valuable

resource such as one’s own time are most likely to

be aware of the needs of others (Batson, 1991).

• Cultivating loving emotions,

engaging in helping and self-

forgetful activities, and a serene

spirituality may thus contribute to

good health and longevity by

preventing the acceleration of

aging at the cellular level (Epel et

al., 2004).

• When Scrooge became benevolent, he became more buoyant, effervescent and fit.

• He experienced the “helper high” (Luks, 1988)

• “People who live generous lives soon become aware that in the giving of self lies the unsought discovery of self as the old selfish pursuit of happiness is subjectively revealed as futile and short sighted (Frankl, 1956).”

• The therapeutic use of altruism can be found in the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous – Specifically Step 12.

• “Having had a spiritual

awakening as the result

of these steps, we tried to

carry this message to

alcoholics, and to practice

these principles in all

our affairs.”

• Luks (1988) found that immediate physiological changes may occur as a result of volunteering and helping others, leading to the “helper’s high.”

• Two-thirds of helpers reported a distinct physical sensation associated with helping; about half reported that they experienced a “high” feeling, whereas 43% felt stronger and more energetic, 28% felt warm, 22% felt calmer and less depressed, 21% experienced greater self-worth, and 13% experienced fewer aches and pains.

• Field et al. (1998) showed that older adults who volunteer to give massages to infants have lowered stress hormones, including salivary cortisol and plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine. Lowering of cortisol is associated with less stress.

• Kumar et al., (2012) analyzed data from 139 countries

and found positive associations between social

support and volunteering with self-rated health.

• Ages 15+ from Gallup World Poll 2005-2009

• Social Support = access to support from family and

friends.

• Volunteering = volunteering with an organization in

the past month.

• Self-Reported Health = Are you satisfied or

dissatisfied with your personal health?

• Schreir et al., (April 2013) assigned adolescents to volunteer with elem school-aged children as a means of improving teens’ cardiovascular risk profiles.

• Urban public high school in western Canada; N = 106 10th grade students free of chronic illnesses.

• Weekly volunteering for 2 months vs control group.

• Results showed lower - cholesterol, BMI and interleukin levels compared to controls.

• Those who increased the most in empathy and altruistic bxs, and who decreased the most in neg mood, also showed the greatest decreases in cardiovascular risk over time.

• 57% Agree – great for job training,

learning experiences, and nat’l unity.

• 38% Disagree – find our own ways to

give back, too costly to fed gov’t, and

not the right time.

• 80% Favor Voluntary

• Top Reasons for Favoring

• 20% learning experiences and training

• 12% based on volunteerism not mandatory

• 12% helps our communities and country

• Top Reasons for Opposing

• 25% would cost too much

• 10% criticism of gov’t programs

• 10% volunteering should be for

its own sake, not benefits

• 22% Favor Mandatory

• Hunter & Lin (1980-81) compared retirees >65 who

volunteered with those who did not.

• Volunteers scored sign higher in life satisfaction

and will to live and had fewer symptoms of

depression, anxiety, and somatization.

• Midlarsky (1991) posed five reasons why older adults

benefit:

• Enhanced social integration

• Distraction from the agent’s own problems

• Enhanced meaningfulness

• Increased perception of self-efficacy and

competence

• Improved mood or more physically active lifestyle

• Data from the Americans Changing Lives Study

(1995) was examined by Musick & WIlson (2003) at

three separate time periods with populations in the

+2k, ages <65 and 65< to measure the mental health

effects of volunteering.

• 65+ group = vol had neg effect on depression (vol

work is elevated in significance among populations

whose other roles have been diminished).

• With sustained volunteering, a switch occurs from

more external to internal motivation, which is more

rewarding.

• Mental health benefits of volunteerism include:

• Reduction in depressive symptoms (Musick & Wilson, 2003)

• Happiness and well-being (Krueger, Hicks, & McGue, 2001)

• Schwartz et al. (2003) focused on 2,016 members of the Presbyterian Church located across the US.

• Both receiving help and giving help were associated with reducing anxiety and depression. Giving help was more sign associated with better mental health than was receiving help.

• Current consensus indicates that helping behavior

contributes to diminished depression rates in

Adolescents (Commission on Children at Risk, 2003).

• Midlarsky (1991) volunteering generates positive

cognition and affect and thereby counters negative

moods like depression and anxiety.

• Improves well-being because it increases self-esteem

(Wuthnow, 1991) and low self-esteem is a powerful

predictor of sub-clinical depression (Turner et al.,

1999)

• Altruistic emotions can gain dominance

over anxiety and fear, turning off the fight-

flight response.

• This in-turn can reduce the damaging

physiological effects of chronic PTSD on

the immune system, malignant cell

degeneration, and cardiovascular

complications

• Definition = Unambiguous, healthy, ethical standards,

beliefs and behavior guidelines that promote prosocial

behavior and minimize health hazards (Hawkins &

Catalano, 1992).

• Examples include: reciprocity, responsibility,

volunteerism, altruism, focusing on the needs of others,

and empathy.

• Many prevalent prosocial norms are acquired early in life through social learning and identification with role models

• Parents can model emotional expressivity, sympathy, and perspective taking, which can play an important role in the prosocial dev among children (Zahn-Waxler & Smith, 1992).

• Parents, schools, and/or youth centers can require teens to fulfill prosocial tasks which gradually help to modify their attitudes about prosocialnorms/behavior (“foot in the door” socialization technique, Freedman & Fraser, 1966)

• JAMA Pediatrics April 2013

Volunteering Youth.pdf

• McGuire & Gamble (2006) examined the relative contribution of psychological engagement (finding value in the service activity) with a service activity and # of hours spent in that activity, as predictors of change over time in community belonging (affiliation, inclusion and membership) and social responsibility (resp to others, other-orientation). Sixty-eight teens participated as teen leaders in a sexuality education program.

• Youth valued the service activity and cared about the issue, thus reported greater benefits from the activity with regards to improvements in community belonging and social responsibility.

• Time does not predict Value

• Longitudinal studies by Eisenberg et al.

(1999) showed that prosocial moral reasoning

generally increases between 11 and 20 years

of age. Hedonistic reasoning decreases with

age, while needs-oriented reasoning

increases till late childhood and then remains

stable.

• High-level prosocial reasoning (empathic and

internalized) emerge in mid-to late

adolescence and early adulthood.

In addition to the above academic requirements, the

following is also required for graduation:

1) Students must pass the California High School Exit

Exam (CAHSEE) in order to earn a high school

diploma.

2) 20 Hours of Community Service.

3) All students must earn a cumulative grade point

average of

2.0 (over 4 years) in order to earn a J.L.H.S. diploma.

4) All freshmen must take Life Skills in their freshman

year.

• Volunteer Opportunities at HHS

• Parent Resources

• Athletic Boosters

• Band Boosters

• Volunteer Opportunities around Hayward

• Keep Hayward Clean & Green (third Saturday of each month, see pix below)

• The Kids' Breakfast Club

• Other Volunteer Opportunities for Teens in the Hayward area

• Explorer Post (Hayward Police Department)

• Hayward Historical Society

• Hayward Public Library

• St. Rose Hospital: SHINE

• Volunteer Opportunities around the East Bay

• Alameda County Community Food Bank

• Bay Area Volunteer Information Center

• Volunteer Center of the East Bay

• Volunteers of America, Bay Area

• Empathy is positively connected to

prosocial behavior and neg linked to

aggression in early adolescence. In 2005,

a Chinese study showed that empathy

increased significantly from 12 to 15 years

old, which may fuel the increase in

prosocial bx in early adolescence.

• Mothers have been shown to contribute

more strongly to the prosocial development

of both sons and daughters (Hastings et

al., 2007). Mothers with an authoritative

style, internal attributions for prosocial

behavior, and positive responses to

prosocial behavior will facilitate the dev of

prosocial norms in children.

• Studies have shown that adolescents exhibit much more prosocial acts towards “in-group” members than “out-group” members, despite levels of trust for the in-group members (Cadenhead & Richman, 1996).

• Adolescents with higher social anxiety and jealousy in peer relationships tend to exhibit more prosocial acts, so that they can be accepted more easily by peer groups (Culotta& Goldstein, 2008).

• Studies around the world consistently show that girls

have higher prosocial orientation and more prosocial

behaviors than boys throughout adolescence (1995,

1996).

• Women are more engaged in acts of caring and support,

while men are more engaged in collective-oriented,

strength-intensive, and “heroic” actions (Eagly, 2009).

• Prosocial orientation is highly valued in traditional

Chinese philosophy. The practice of ren (be kind to

others) and seeking social harmony are Confucian

codes. Maxims such as Tui ji ren (putting yourself into

others’ position), or jiang xin bi ji (compare people’s

hearts with your own), are highly valued prosocial norms.

• State of the World's Volunteerism

Report 2011 - UN Volunteers.pdf

• PBS Guide to Family

Volunteering 2002.pdf

Local Volunteer Organizations

http://www.volunteerinfo.org/category/east-bay

http://www.redcross.org/ca/san-francisco/volunteer/youth-volunteer-services

http://www.volunteereastbay.org/volunteers-opportunities/student-volunteering/

http://www.handsonbayarea.org/For_Volunteers

http://www.dosomething.org/

http://thevolunteercenter.net/?Volunteer

http://www.volunteermatch.org/

http://www.pointsoflight.org/

http://www.oaklandzoo.org/Teen_Assistants.php

National Programs

www.nationalservice.gov

- US National Service Corporation offering Americorp, Senior Corp, and FEMA

www.allforgood.org

- The community service search engine offers a mobile app to link volunteers to local nonprofits and grassroots organizations.

www.servenet.org

- Dedicated to promoting service among children and teens, the site grants $1 million each year to youth-led projects.

www.volunteermatch.org

- More than 93,000 nonprofits recruit millions of volunteers though this outfit

www.catchafire.org

- Matches professionals’ skills with what volunteer organizations need most.

1. Can reduce depression

2. Can raise self-esteem

3. Can reduce anger

4. Can improve your physical health

5. Can feel a sense of connection

6. Can feel like you make a difference

7. Can help someone

8. Can help your community

9. Can learn new skills

10.Can make new friends