Publications

A report from the Corporation of National and Community Services published in 2007

This report claims that research demonstrates that volunteering, especially amongst older people, leads to better physical and mental health.

Health Benefits of Volunteering - A review of research

This report, produced by Community Health Exchange (CHEX), provides a series of articles which highlights the work of various Healthy Living Centres (HLCs) accross Scotland.

Each article provides an insite to the importance of developing long-term relationships and actions which build the skills and confidence of community members to take greater control of the services and issues which are most important to them.

Breaking Through - Healthy Living Centres: Removing Barriers to Wellbeing

A report published by Community Service Volunteers (CSV) in April 2008

This report shares the experiences and learning from initiatives developed by CSV which use volunteering as a means of supporting people with severe and enduring mental health issues in their journey to recovery and highlightes some key messages for policymakers, commissioners and programme/project developers in understanding the contribution that volunteering can make to recovery. 

CSV Reports On - Mental Health, Volunteering and Social Inclusion

A report commissioned by Volunteering England and carried out by the University of Wales Lampeter in July 2008.

This report represents a review undertaken on behalf of Volunteering England to ascertain the health effects of volunteering on individual volunteers and on health service users which found qualified evidence to suggest that volunteering can deliver health benefits both to volunteers and to health service users.

Volunteering and Health - What Impact Does It Really Have? 

A report commissioned by Help the Hospices and developed by Dr Justin Davis Smith from the Institute for Volunteering Research.

This report outlines the nature of involvement of volunteers in UK hospices - the number and profile of volunteers involved and the roles they occupy, the various ways in which they are managed and supported, the role and status of volunteer managers, and the challenges facing hospice volunteering programmes in the future. 

Volunteering in UK Hospices - Looking To The Future