The enthusiasm with which (0) VOLUNTEERS (VOLUNTEER) give up their free time to help others can seem surprising to outsiders, but those who have tried it rarely need persuading of the rewards. Regular volunteering has been shown to boost 1CONFIDENT, particularly among young people who are not yet sure what they want from their working lives. The sense of 2SATISFY that comes from making a real difference to a stranger's situation is remarkably durable, and has been linked in several studies to better long-term mental health. Volunteers also tend to become more highly 3SKILL over time, picking up practical abilities that can prove useful in quite unrelated employment. Many find that involvement in a voluntary 4COMMUNE group is a good way to meet people from backgrounds they would not otherwise encounter. Local charities and 5ORGANISE of almost every kind rely on this goodwill to function, and are usually quick to say so. Managers of volunteer programmes agree that the work is at its most 6MOTIVATE when volunteers are given genuine responsibility and recognition for their 7ACHIEVE. Perhaps unsurprisingly, most who try it describe the experience as deeply 8REWARD.