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- Representatives are standing by 24/7 to help answer your questions
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Volunteer Opportunities Available in the Eating Disorder Community
Volunteering can be a source of skill development and is often used to promote personal growth and/or to improve quality of life.
Volunteering is defined as an altruistic activity where a person or group provides services for no financial gain to benefit another person, group, or organization [8].
There are many volunteer opportunities available within the eating disorder community to support your own health and empower you to give back to others in recovery.
Benefits of Volunteering
Volunteering can be meaningful and enjoyable and can improve mental health and well-being. When a person volunteers, over time it can provide a wealth of benefits to include [7]:
- Give a person a sense of achievement and purpose in life
- Help the individual feel a part of a community and/or group
- Improve self-esteem and confidence
- Allow the person to share their skills with others
- Gain new skills in the process of helping others
- Reduce stress, decrease loneliness and social isolation
- Can improve mood and reduce depressive symptoms
Volunteering can also be a wonderful way to meet new people and develop healthy relationships. It can strengthen a person’s tie to the community and foster relationships with others who have similar interests. It can also provide a platform for individuals to practice skills learned in treatment.
Working together with different individuals from various backgrounds, ethnicities, and views can help reduce stigmas and stereotypes within the community.
Research on the Importance and Relevance of Volunteering
Janet Eyler and Dwight Giles in Where’s the Learning in Service Learning stated that immersing oneself into service learning and serving others has many positive effects on both academic and personal life [8]. Surrounding oneself with new people and learning how to work as a group can reduce stereotypes, increase appreciation of other cultures and works to allow young people to find others that they relate to.
The authors conducted a study on a college campus and found that at the end of a semester that included 3 hours of community service a week, students reported a much higher regard for cultural differences than at the beginning of the semester. Those who had participated in service learning reported that the most important things they learned were not to judge others and to appreciate every type of person because everyone shares some similar key characteristics.
Volunteering has been shown to be a powerful predictor in students’ academic and personal lives overall. Students who participated in community service as part of a course study showed much higher rates of completing their degree and reported a much greater relevance in their academic studies after completing community volunteer service projects [8].
Over the past 20 years, more research has come out that suggests volunteering provides individual health benefits, as well as social ones [9]. One analysis, presented in The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Research, showed a strong relationship between volunteering and health.
The research team found that those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer. When comparing various age groups, older volunteers are more likely to receive greater benefits from volunteering, and those who dedicate over 100 hours per year to volunteering show the most positive health outcomes.
Volunteering has also been shown to lead to greater life satisfaction and lower rates of depression.
It can also have a positive effect on social psychological factors, such as a personal sense of purpose and accomplishment, and enhance a person’s social networks.
A past study from the Americans Changing Lives survey suggests that one of the ways to prevent declining health later in life is to volunteer. Research has also found that when patients with chronic or serious illness volunteer, they receive benefits beyond what can be achieved through medical care [9].
Volunteer Opportunities in the Eating Disorder Community
There are many volunteer opportunities within the eating disorder community nationwide. Many individuals, whether in treatment or hoping to go into the field of eating disorder work, can find volunteer opportunities through various ways.
- Decide what type of volunteer work you are interested in. Advocacy, community walks, meal support, writer or author, or helpline volunteer. Many organizations on various levels offer these and more volunteer opportunities.
- Contact the organization or agency you would like to do volunteer work with. You can ask about in-office and at-home volunteer work that they offer and inquire about the time commitment.
- Commit on a short-term or long-term basis is important to decide. You may be wanting to volunteer for a class, a project, or to find out more about the eating disorder community. Knowing how much time you can dedicate can help you decide which organization to work with.
What Organizations Are Available to Me
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) looks for volunteers to help on various tasks [1]. Listed on their website, they look for helpline volunteers that offer information and treatment options to callers and answer basic questions regarding body image and eating disorders.
NEDA also holds special events volunteers to help with across the country. Online Forum Moderator and Development Volunteer are also positions available for individuals interested in becoming more involved. Individuals who are interested in working with NEDA can also look at the legislative branch and the communications department for further opportunities.
The Alliance for Eating Disorders is also an organization that provides education and outreach, in addition, to support for those individuals and families struggling with an eating disorder. They provide both practicum and volunteer opportunities.
Many organizations work to provide online resources for individuals to seek volunteer opportunities, whether it be to write articles or blogs for readers, or advocacy to fight injustices around eating disorder education, treatment, and coverage. Some individuals decide to take an active role in special events and office management as other ways to get involved in eating disorder work.
Researching various organizations can give you further insight into the volunteer work that is right for you. Look into
- NEDA
- Proud2BMe
- Project HEAL
- MEDA
- Eating Disorders Coalition
- The Emily Program
- Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders (F.E.A.S.T.)
- International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp)
- And your local agencies to decide where and how to volunteer.
About the Author: Libby Lyons is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS). Libby has been practicing in the field of eating disorders, addictions, depression, anxiety and other comorbid issues in various agencies. Libby has previously worked as a contractor for the United States Air Force Domestic Violence Program, Saint Louis University Student Health and Counseling, Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute Eating Disorders Program, and has been in Private Practice.
Libby currently works as a counselor at Fontbonne University and is a Adjunct Professor at Saint Louis University, and is a contributing author for Addiction Hope and Eating Disorder Hope. Libby lives in the St. Louis area with her husband and two daughters. She enjoys spending time with her family, running, and watching movies.
References:
[1] https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/positions/volunteer[2] http://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/portal/ways-to-help
[3] http://edrcsv.org/get-involved/volunteer/
[4] http://emilyprogramfoundation.org/get-involved/volunteer/
[5] http://www.timberlineknolls.com/information/about/news/pr/volunteering-helps-treatment/
[6] https://www.promises.com/articles/addiction-recovery/reasons-volunteer-recovery/
[7] http://www.mindhealthconnect.org.au/benefits-of-volunteering
[8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volunteering
[9] https://www.nationalservice.gov/serve-your-community/benefits-volunteering
The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.
Published on April 30, 2017.
Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on May 1, 2017.
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com
