Supporting the mental health of healthcare volunteers

Written by Maxine Moss - Black and Sara Miles, Programme Managers at Helpforce.

Healthcare volunteers often witness moments that stay with them long after a shift ends. A reassuring conversation in a waiting room. A patient navigating difficult news. A family searching for hope in uncertain moments. While these experiences can be deeply meaningful, they can also carry an emotional weight that deserves attention.

Prioritising volunteers' mental health helps them remain compassionate, confident, and emotionally present, allowing them to make a positive difference without compromising their own wellbeing.

For Volunteer Service Managers, creating that support is one of the most valuable investments you can make in a thriving volunteer programme.

Why volunteer wellbeing matters for better healthcare outcomes

Healthcare volunteers often provide more than practical support. They offer reassurance during anxious moments, companionship when people feel alone and a calm presence in environments where emotions can run high. While these experiences can be incredibly rewarding, they can also take an emotional toll over time. Supporting volunteer wellbeing not only helps volunteers thrive in their roles, but also contributes to a healthy volunteering culture across an organisation.

The Helpforce 2025–26 Impact Report highlights just how valuable volunteers have become within health and care services.

Over the past year alone, Helpforce supported

• 74 volunteering initiatives across healthcare settings.

• Around 74,000 patients, families and service users.

• More than 1,260 volunteers who are making a difference in their communities.

Throughout our work, we found that:

• 87% of healthcare staff said volunteers improve the quality of care they are able to provide.

• 79% of patients reported that volunteer support reduced their anxiety, aiding recovery

These findings reinforce an important message: when volunteers feel supported, everyone benefits.

Patients receive compassionate, consistent support, healthcare teams gain valuable capacity, and volunteers are more likely to continue contributing with confidence and purpose. Looking after volunteer wellbeing is surely an important part of delivering high-quality healthcare.

Three ways to protect the mental health of healthcare volunteers

Fortunately, we don’t require large-scale initiatives to create a supportive volunteering experience. Often, it's the everyday practices that help volunteers feel seen, valued and emotionally supported.

1. Make emotional check-ins part of volunteering

Don't wait until someone appears overwhelmed before asking how they're doing. Brief, informal conversations give volunteers space to reflect on challenging experiences, celebrate positive moments and raise concerns before they grow into bigger problems.

2. Help volunteers recognise emotional fatigue early

Volunteers are often focused on the needs of others, making it easy to overlook their own wellbeing. Try to encourage them to notice subtle changes. This could be feeling emotionally drained after shifts, becoming less enthusiastic about volunteering or finding it difficult to switch off after difficult interactions.

By recognising these signs early, it becomes easier to access support before emotional strain begins to affect their confidence or wellbeing.

3. Create opportunities for volunteers to support each other

Buddy systems, group debriefs, or informal coffee catch-ups give volunteers the chance to share experiences, exchange encouragement and realise they're not alone in what they're feeling.

This kind of peer connection can help reduce feelings of isolation while strengthening confidence and resilience. UK-led studies consistently find that peer support can improve wellbeing, social connectedness and people's experience of support.

This highlights the value of creating spaces where volunteers can learn from and encourage one another.

Creating a culture where volunteers feel supported

Volunteer wellbeing is strengthened by the culture that surrounds it. When people feel comfortable speaking up, reflecting on difficult experiences and asking for support, they're more likely to stay engaged and continue making a positive difference.

If you need an extra nudge, you might consider investing in wellbeing champion training, which can also help build this confidence across your organisation. It’s amazing for equipping staff and volunteers to promote positive wellbeing, encourage supportive conversations and create an environment where overwhelm reduces.

Compassion deserves compassion

Healthcare volunteers give something that can't be measured in hours alone. They offer kindness, reassurance and a steady presence when people need it most. That generosity deserves to be met with the same care in return.

By making volunteer wellbeing a priority, we help protect the compassion that inspires people to give their time in the first place.