What kind of people volunteer?

David Bennett Galloway III suggests that, When volunteering, you might be working with children or animals that have experienced much pain or women trying to rebuild their lives after the trauma. These experiences can leave you feeling vulnerable, but you must also be strong and put your needs aside.

You might find yourself working with other people you've never met before, and that cannot be very safe. But it's an opportunity to build a community and make new friends.

It can also help you build your confidence and self-esteem. Studies have shown that volunteering can boost your happiness and reduce the risk of depression by 22 percent!

Developing leadership skills is another benefit of volunteering. Leading and coordinating a group of people can be a huge asset in the workplace.

Volunteering can help you meet people with shared interests who can support you in your work. It can also help you leave your comfort zone and learn about a new culture.

The results of this study are relevant for voluntary associations and actors in politics and civil society who want to approach current challenges in volunteering. They show that the propensity to volunteer formally and informally is related to personality traits. Among other things, extraversion is linked to both forms of volunteering.