Many people recognise the benefits that volunteering in their community brings to others. People may think less about the benefits of volunteering on their own mental health.
Volunteering gives us the opportunity to connect with and support others, learn new skills, develop a sense of belonging and improve our own feelings of wellbeing. All of which are proven to benefit our mental health.
The Mental Health Foundation (MHF) partners with a fantastic organisation called Single Parents Wellbeing (SPW). MHF acts a project partner, supporting SPW with training, evaluation, and resources such as shared office space.
SPW is a peer-led Community Interest Company, who support and empower other single parents. As a community, SPW provides a variety of activities for both parents and their children all of which promote and support good mental health and wellbeing.
Most people’s first contact with SPW is through attending an activity like one of their outdoor ‘meet-ups’, either as a parent or with their child or children. A ‘sense of belonging’ and enjoyment experienced by those who have attended has inspired many single parents to want to get involved further. As a result, the ‘Thrive’ project was born; to enable and develop volunteers, called ‘Ambassadors’.
Tania is a single parent of three children who were a mix of primary and secondary school ages when she separated from their dad more than five years ago. Tania is a Thrive Ambassador and has been volunteering with SPW since 2003. She now helps to coordinate and run several activities including the Books & Banter group and the Cinema Club.
Tania says “It feels like having a purpose, helping people to feel more socially comfortable. And I’ve developed; gained lots of skills and made friends. There’s ongoing training and support, but it’s really personalised.
I feel valued and supported, SPW is really good at that. You can bring your own ideas and they’re really well received. You can bring your own flavour to things”
There are no barriers to who can join SPW’s community. All single parents are welcome; whether parenting on their own, co-parenting, or in a blended family, their exact situation doesn’t matter. Even more importantly, all activities are low cost, heavily subsidised or free for single parents and their children.
Cost of living pressures often have a greater impact on single parent households. Households with children and those with lone parents have higher rates of poverty. Lone parent households may also be having to adapt to financial commitments previously planned on the basis of two incomes. SPW have information, advice and resources on the cost of living, including tips on how to support children’s wellbeing, and details of a discount card for single parents on their website here:
Cost of Living Resources for Single Parents Wales
Money & Finance Resources Single Parents Wales
Becoming a single parent can be a frightening, isolating, and stressful experience, so looking after your mental health can be especially difficult.
Naomi solo parents two primary school aged children, and describes a difficult period where she was struggling with her mental wellbeing. She first got involved with SPW two years ago through attending a Wellbeing Workshop. Connecting with other parents in a similar situation, and having the opportunity to focus on her own wellbeing were really helpful for her. She now organises Family Footsteps, an outdoor walk and meetup for families. Naomi created a group that was something she would like to do, invited other people and hoped some would come along. Others did come, and this had a positive impact on Naomi too.
Naomi says “Looking back, I can see how far I’ve come and what a good place I’m in now compared to 2 years ago. I’m happier and my kids are happier.”
Naomi stresses the importance of being able to meet other single parents. It made a huge difference to her, and she can see the impact it has on others who join SPW events now.
“Organising something means I have to get up and do it because I’ve committed.”
Single parents are already under a lot of pressure. Some of the pressures the volunteers identified were: the stigma associated with being a single parent; the practical challenges of divorce / separation and managing complex relationships; and financial difficulties. Feelings of isolation and loneliness are common, with many prioritising their children’s needs over their own. Some say that they ‘lost’ themselves when becoming a single parent. Many say that becoming a single parent has had a negative impact on their mental health over a period of many years, and talk about the need for a sense of belonging, empowerment, and personal growth.
Through volunteering with SPW, the Thrive Ambassadors have found support from others and have been encouraged to take care of their own needs.
“There’s no expectation to do something every month, you can take a break when needed.” (Naomi)
“It’s really important for me to have that network of peer support. There are lots of opportunities through volunteering with SPW to make a real difference to people’s lives.” (Violetta)
“I’ve done volunteering before where there was lots of pressure. At SPW you do what you feel you can. I don’t run any specific regular events, but I usually do something every month. With SPW you don’t feel pressure to do something.” (Zoe)
It’s 10 years since Zoe separated from her husband, resulting in her parenting two children as a single mum. Zoe says she felt a stigma attached to the term ‘single parent’:
“I avoided thinking of myself as a single parent, and was resistant to connect to anything like SPW. Someone told me about it, but I powered on, staying busy. People were saying ‘you’re going to crash’”.
It was a couple of years later before Zoe began to find things difficult. Alongside grappling with difficult financial issues, she also experienced depression and anxiety for the first time. Zoe eventually decided to connect with SPW, first attending an event, then becoming a volunteer Ambassador. Zoe now says:
“If it wasn’t for SPW I would struggle more, it’s so beneficial”.
A loss of self-confidence is a challenge that single parents often face. Violetta says that she lost a lot of her confidence following the end of her relationship.
Violetta is one of several volunteers also getting involved in evaluating the impact that SPW has on the mental health of single parents. Taking a voluntary leadership role in this area has built Violetta’s confidence and skills, as well as helping to strengthen SPW.
Feeling empowered and being able to influence and participate in what happens in your community is an important factor for protecting our good mental health. SPW is run by single parents, for single parents, a model called co-production. It’s another way that SPW supports the positive impact for volunteers, and it runs through everything the organisation does: all the decisions, their ways of working, what activities they run. Everything is decided by single parents and their families. Many of the staff team, and all of the volunteer directors, are single parents themselves so volunteers are involved in ALL of the decisions.
Activities are planned around or incorporate children so that childcare is not a barrier to volunteering. Sometimes activities are for parents and children to enjoy together. At other times there will be a separate space with different activities set up. Some activities are digital and others run online, to ensure that people can access and continue to be a part of the SPW community. SPW also supports children in single parent households to volunteer. The children get the chance to spend time with others in the same situation, develop skills and confidence, and have some fun, with the same mental health benefits as their parents.
For details of what is proven to support mental health see: How community benefits your mental health
The theme for Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 was ‘Community’ with a focus on highlighting the vital role that positive communities play in supporting mental health and wellbeing. In fact ‘Giving back’ is a great way to get involved in your community.
There’s a lot you can give and much more you can gain.
If you are a single parent and would like to know more about free Single Parents Wellbeing events that you can attend, you can find a full list here: Workshops & Meet Up Events
To learn more about the organisation and about issues for single parent families visit: Single Parents Wellbeing
Many thanks to the Thrive Ambassadors for being willing to share their personal stories.
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