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The role of volunteering in supporting well‐being – What might this mean for social prescribing? A best‐fit framework synthesis of qualitative research
Author(s) -
Tierney Stephanie,
Mahtani Kamal R.,
Wong Geoffrey,
Todd Joy,
Roberts Nia,
Akinyemi Oluwafunmi,
Howes Seth,
Turk Amadea
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
health and social care in the community
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.984
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1365-2524
pISSN - 0966-0410
DOI - 10.1111/hsc.13516
Subject(s) - psychosocial , qualitative research , action (physics) , plan (archaeology) , public relations , identity (music) , social support , conceptual framework , social capital , psychology , well being , sociology , knowledge management , social psychology , computer science , political science , social science , physics , archaeology , quantum mechanics , psychiatry , acoustics , history , psychotherapist
Volunteering for an organisation, charity or group enables people to make connections with others and to be involved in interesting, worthwhile and/or enjoyable pursuits. Engaging in volunteering can form part of a social prescribing action plan developed between a patient and link worker. Greater understanding of the processes through which volunteering can improve people’s well‐being as part of social prescribing will help to support link workers in their role. We conducted a best‐fit framework synthesis of qualitative literature on volunteering and well‐being. Our search of eight electronic databases, complemented by a Google search, conducted in June 2020, resulted in the location of 2210 potentially relevant references. After screening, 335 papers were read in full and 54 drawn upon within the review. They were published between 1993 and 2020. We used the New Economics Foundation’s Five Ways to Well‐Being model to guide data extraction and synthesis. From this, we developed a conceptual framework that highlights how volunteering can contribute to identity validation and modification leading to the establishment of an acceptable sense of self. Our findings have implications for: (a) the use of volunteering as part of a link worker’s toolkit as they seek to support people with varying psychosocial needs and (b) requirements of organisations accepting referrals to volunteering as part of social prescribing.