Rotary General Secretary says volunteering is not just for lockdown

One of the silver linings to come out of the black cloud of COVID-19 is the number of people who have volunteered their services within their community. The pandemic has brought out the altruistic side of many of us and now we’re being asked to continue our kindness.

That’s because Rotary International says volunteering is not just for lockdown.  It will have a vital role to play in the new normal world too. People may need help and support more than ever once the current crisis is over, given the damage to the economy and the inevitable impact on employment along with spiralling issues around mental health and loneliness after the prolonged lack of physical contact with friends and family.

And many people are keen to help. Research conducted by Rotary International just before lockdown shows more than half of us (59%) believe we should be more productive in our spare time. Four out of ten people want to spend more time helping others (43%) and 55% of those questioned say that as well as allowing them to help others, volunteering is good for their mental health.

Ros discussed this with Amanda Watkin, the General Secretary for Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland: