What benefits does volunteering in psychology provide?

Volunteering in psychology is not only a way to help others, but also to help yourself. By participating in these types of activities, you can obtain a series of benefits that will make you feel better about yourself and your environment. Volunteering will always open the doors of this exciting profession, but whether you do it directly as a psychologist or collaborating with any association that works with and for people, in different groups that need this type of mental support.

My experience volunteering as a psychologist

Being a volunteer requires a commitment to the association with which you are going to collaborate and effort and unpaid work that in most cases is rewarded with personal self-realization when seeing how you have been of help to other people. In my case, after finishing my psychology degree and as I was already working in the world of sports, I did various volunteer work with associations that worked with people in great need of emotional and cognitive respite. Sport is a means to achieve it. Therefore, I contacted an association of Mentally Ill Patients, such as Feafes Galicia, to collaborate with them by carrying out sports activities for their users. I was his indoor soccer sports coach, being this tool of great help in his own therapies and treatments for his mental problems. Another recent collaboration has been with an organization that works in Penitentiary Centers where I also carried out sports activities focused on improving their stay on a mental level through physical activity, in this case the association is Aliad.

In your town, I am sure there will be associations that will open their doors for you to collaborate with them and learn with them, create synergies in the profession and help you continue training in the world of human behavior through direct experience. In my case, as a sports psychologist, I have focused on that area, but I encourage you to look for yours and if not explore where you can lend a hand to your community. Also, you don’t need to be a psychologist to do this type of activity, those that are direct consulting obviously do, but as you can see there are many other ways to learn if you haven’t finished your degree.

Advantages of volunteering in psychology

Some of these benefits are:

• Improve your self-esteem : by volunteering in psychology, you feel useful, valued and recognized for your work. This increases your confidence and your self-assurance.
• Boost your happiness: when volunteering in psychology, you experience positive emotions, such as gratitude, joy and satisfaction. This improves your mood and your psychological well-being.
• Broaden your perspective: by volunteering in psychology, you get to know other realities, cultures and contexts. This makes you more aware, more critical and more empathetic towards people who are suffering.
• Enrich your resume : by volunteering as a psychologist, you gain experience, skills and professional contacts. This makes you more attractive to employers and opens up more job opportunities for you.

As you can see, volunteering in psychology has many benefits for you and others. If you want to live a unique and enriching experience, don’t hesitate and go ahead and volunteer in psychology.

Where to find psychology volunteer offers?

If you have already decided to volunteer in psychology, the next step is to find the offer that best suits your preferences and availability. To do this, you can consult different sources of information, such as:

• Internet : you can search on websites specialized in volunteering, such as UCM Volunteering , org or Idealist.org . You can also visit the websites of organizations and institutions that offer volunteer programs in psychology, such as Psychologists and Psychologists Without Borders, ANAR Foundation ] or any other foundation that works with special groups in your area.
• Social networks: you can follow the accounts of organizations and institutions that offer volunteer programs in psychology, such as those mentioned above or Telegram groups.
• Professional associations: you can contact the professional psychology association of your autonomous community and request information about the volunteer offers in psychology that exist. You can also consult the web portal of the General Council of Psychology of Spain, where you will find a directory of organizations that carry out international cooperation activities.

These are some of the options you have to find volunteer offers in psychology. We encourage you to explore all the possibilities and choose the one you like best.

Volunteering in psychology is a great way to put your knowledge and skills into practice as a mental health professional. Furthermore, it is a unique opportunity to contribute to improving the lives of people who need it and to grow as a person.

If you want to volunteer in psychology, you must find out about the different options that exist, choose the one that best suits your interests and availability, and meet the necessary requirements. This way you can enjoy an unforgettable and beneficial experience for yourself and others.