Research proves our peer support volunteers improve happiness!
We knew it all along, but now we have proof! Our peer support volunteers make a huge difference to the happiness of people receiving help from Hearing Dogs for Deaf People!
Last year, we surveyed 137 people who attended one of 10 in-person events supported by our peer support volunteers.
Before attending a session 25.1% of those people said they had felt ‘low’ the day before. Compared to 7.7% of the general population* who expressed similar feelings. We found that statistic quite shocking.
We know that adapting to and living with hearing loss can cause all kinds of challenges, affect confidence, and lead to feelings of isolation. In the UK, 1 in 3 people live with deafness, hearing loss or tinnitus and are facing those challenges on a daily basis.
We also know that when our peer support volunteers share their experience and expertise with people who want help – great things happen!
In fact, when we surveyed those attendees again after they had been to an in-person event with our volunteers, and asked them the same question, those who said they felt ‘low’ dropped to 6.7% – lower than the national average!
The survey results also show that people reported feeling less anxious (a drop of 15% after a session) and had much higher overall satisfaction with life after attending an in-person event.**
Lorna Armstrong, our Head of Service Engagement, said: “Our peer support volunteers give their time, energy and expertise freely to help people who contact us. Whether it’s answering an email asking for specific advice, delivering one of our webinars, chatting with people at a community event or any of the other ways our peer support volunteers help – they all have a truly positive impact on people navigating hearing loss in their lives.”
* Source -UK Govt Office of National Statistics: Uk Measures of National Wellbeing: November 2024 https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/articles/ukmeasuresofnationalwellbeing/dashboard
** Before attending a session 25.8% of people rated their overall satisfaction with life as low. The National average at that time was 4.7%. After attending a Hearing Dogs session only 4.8% still rated their satisfaction with life as low.