Resilience

Resilience is the ability to cope and recover from setbacks, challenges and adversity. It involves mental, emotional and behavioural flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.

Resilience doesn’t mean avoiding stress or adversity but rather facing and overcoming them in ways that foster growth or strength.

Many of our volunteers have busy lives and volunteering is just one aspect that may impact on your resilience, we have gathered some tips to help you with your resilience below:

Develop a positive mindset

  • Focus on what you can control, especially if something doesn’t go quite according to plan during your volunteering. Accept that change is a part of life and adapt to new situations with flexibility and creativity.
  • Practice gratitude by noting things you’re thankful for daily, this has been proven to help train your brain to notice the positives more easily which can improve your overall wellbeing.
  • Celebrate small achievements along the way.

Build strong connections

  • Cultivate supportive relationships with friends, family, and colleagues and keep in touch with your support network regularly. Share your feelings and experiences with trusted individuals.
  • Join groups or communities that share your interests, our volunteer groups on Facebook are a great place to start.

Take care of yourself

  • Maintain a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and adequate sleep. Fill your own ‘cup’ up first, you can’t pour from an empty cup!
  • Practice activities such as mindfulness or meditation to reduce stress.
  • Practice Self-Compassion and be kind to yourself especially during tough times.
  • Avoid self-criticism and focus on self-improvement.

Keep learning

  • Engage in continuous learning and skill development, we love to learn and it keeps our brain active. Take a look at the other sections in the Skills Bank if you haven’t already.
  • Stay curious and open to new experiences, volunteering is a great way to do this and gives you the opportunity to learn from people you might otherwise not meet.

Seek help when needed

  • Don’t hesitate to seek professional help if you’re feeling overwhelmed, you can contact our Support Team on 0808 196 3382 if you want to discuss this further with us.
  • Sign up to our volunteer webinars to learn more about the programme and ways that you can link up with other Volunteer Responders.

Building and maintaining resilience is an ongoing process. By incorporating these practices into your daily life, you can enhance your ability to cope with challenges and bounce back stronger.