[Applause] in 1942 there was an Austrian
in 1942 there was an Austrian
in 1942 there was an Austrian psychiatrist named Viktor Frankl he was
psychiatrist named Viktor Frankl he was
psychiatrist named Viktor Frankl he was sent to a Nazi concentration camp where
sent to a Nazi concentration camp where
sent to a Nazi concentration camp where he spent three years experiencing and
he spent three years experiencing and
he spent three years experiencing and observing some of the most extreme
observing some of the most extreme
observing some of the most extreme behaviors of humanity now he survived
behaviors of humanity now he survived
behaviors of humanity now he survived and went on to write one of the most
and went on to write one of the most
and went on to write one of the most influential books in America called
influential books in America called
influential books in America called man’s search for meaning in this he
man’s search for meaning in this he
man’s search for meaning in this he explains how when there is a difference
explains how when there is a difference
explains how when there is a difference between our actual life experience so
between our actual life experience so
between our actual life experience so life is knowit’s and I desired life
life is knowit’s and I desired life
life is knowit’s and I desired life experience so I’m not just kind of your
experience so I’m not just kind of your
experience so I’m not just kind of your aspirations but the daily life routines
aspirations but the daily life routines
aspirations but the daily life routines that you kind of want to get you then
that you kind of want to get you then
that you kind of want to get you then life can seem even become meaningless
life can seem even become meaningless
life can seem even become meaningless now I am lucky enough to have a family
now I am lucky enough to have a family
now I am lucky enough to have a family that loves me I’m doing a degree that
that loves me I’m doing a degree that
that loves me I’m doing a degree that really challenges me and I have a job
really challenges me and I have a job
really challenges me and I have a job that I adore I’ve worked really hard to
that I adore I’ve worked really hard to
that I adore I’ve worked really hard to get here and I expect I’ll have to work
get here and I expect I’ll have to work
get here and I expect I’ll have to work a lot harder if I ever want to get
a lot harder if I ever want to get
a lot harder if I ever want to get anywhere near my aspirations but I’m
anywhere near my aspirations but I’m
anywhere near my aspirations but I’m also aware that when you lose sight of
also aware that when you lose sight of
also aware that when you lose sight of your meaning or disregard your
your meaning or disregard your
your meaning or disregard your well-being your chances of success are
well-being your chances of success are
well-being your chances of success are far lower it is imperative that we find
far lower it is imperative that we find
far lower it is imperative that we find ways of keeping ourselves happy and
ways of keeping ourselves happy and
ways of keeping ourselves happy and healthy while at the same time working
healthy while at the same time working
healthy while at the same time working towards our goals
towards our goals
towards our goals there is no way that we can do all those
there is no way that we can do all those
there is no way that we can do all those things we have to do in life if actually
things we have to do in life if actually
things we have to do in life if actually we’re not in the right state of mind or
we’re not in the right state of mind or
we’re not in the right state of mind or body to do them we have to find this
body to do them we have to find this
body to do them we have to find this meaning I believe that unpaid work is
meaning I believe that unpaid work is
meaning I believe that unpaid work is the way of doing this because although
the way of doing this because although
the way of doing this because although altruism in its own right it’s a great
altruism in its own right it’s a great
altruism in its own right it’s a great reason for taking part in volunteer work
reason for taking part in volunteer work
reason for taking part in volunteer work actually doing it for yourself should be
actually doing it for yourself should be
actually doing it for yourself should be a more respected and acceptable reason
a more respected and acceptable reason
a more respected and acceptable reason for taking part
there was a study done by the London
there was a study done by the London School of Economics which showed that
School of Economics which showed that
School of Economics which showed that the likelihood of being very happy rose
the likelihood of being very happy rose
the likelihood of being very happy rose by 16 percent when comparing those who
by 16 percent when comparing those who
by 16 percent when comparing those who had never volunteered before with those
had never volunteered before with those
had never volunteered before with those who volunteer on a weekly basis now that
who volunteer on a weekly basis now that
who volunteer on a weekly basis now that may not seem like much but actually it
may not seem like much but actually it
may not seem like much but actually it is the equivalent of going from the
is the equivalent of going from the
is the equivalent of going from the expected happiness attained at an income
expected happiness attained at an income
expected happiness attained at an income of $20,000 to an expected happiness
of $20,000 to an expected happiness
of $20,000 to an expected happiness gained at seventy five to a hundred
gained at seventy five to a hundred
gained at seventy five to a hundred thousand dollars which is a lot
thousand dollars which is a lot
thousand dollars which is a lot now volunteering is so rewarding and it
now volunteering is so rewarding and it
now volunteering is so rewarding and it is something which well you can do it
is something which well you can do it
is something which well you can do it for yourself you can also do it for
for yourself you can also do it for
for yourself you can also do it for other people it’s not all about saving
other people it’s not all about saving
other people it’s not all about saving the world or creating world peace
the world or creating world peace
the world or creating world peace it is a mutually beneficial a logical
it is a mutually beneficial a logical
it is a mutually beneficial a logical decision for yourself and for society
now I’m sure many of you have a really
now I’m sure many of you have a really great job you really enjoy it but
great job you really enjoy it but
great job you really enjoy it but actually sometimes it’s not exactly
actually sometimes it’s not exactly
actually sometimes it’s not exactly fulfilling and exciting all the time all
fulfilling and exciting all the time all
fulfilling and exciting all the time all day there are many times when the only
day there are many times when the only
day there are many times when the only thing we look forward to is actually
thing we look forward to is actually
thing we look forward to is actually getting back into bed at the end of the
getting back into bed at the end of the
getting back into bed at the end of the day I believe that adding this other
day I believe that adding this other
day I believe that adding this other dimension to your life can further our
dimension to your life can further our
dimension to your life can further our sense of perspective and often help us
sense of perspective and often help us
sense of perspective and often help us rationalize I’m sure I’m not the only
rationalize I’m sure I’m not the only
rationalize I’m sure I’m not the only one here who actually gets ridiculously
one here who actually gets ridiculously
one here who actually gets ridiculously angry over what are not normally known
angry over what are not normally known
angry over what are not normally known as first world problems like when my
as first world problems like when my
as first world problems like when my headphones get tangled up in my pocket
headphones get tangled up in my pocket
headphones get tangled up in my pocket or if I get to the shop and they find
or if I get to the shop and they find
or if I get to the shop and they find out that there’s no semi-skimmed milk my
out that there’s no semi-skimmed milk my
out that there’s no semi-skimmed milk my mum who probably my biggest inspiration
mum who probably my biggest inspiration
mum who probably my biggest inspiration in life she sent me this quote the other
in life she sent me this quote the other
in life she sent me this quote the other day by the playwright George Bernard
day by the playwright George Bernard
day by the playwright George Bernard Shaw which reads this is the true joy in
Shaw which reads this is the true joy in
Shaw which reads this is the true joy in life for being used for a purpose
life for being used for a purpose
life for being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one
recognized by yourself as a mighty one
recognized by yourself as a mighty one the being a force of nature instead of
the being a force of nature instead of
the being a force of nature instead of complaining that the world won’t devote
complaining that the world won’t devote
complaining that the world won’t devote itself to making me happy I am of the
itself to making me happy I am of the
itself to making me happy I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the
opinion that my life belongs to the
opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and for as long as I
whole community and for as long as I
whole community and for as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it
live it is my privilege to do for it
live it is my privilege to do for it whenever I can so how many of us
whenever I can so how many of us
whenever I can so how many of us actually volunteer at the moment well in
actually volunteer at the moment well in
actually volunteer at the moment well in the UK fourteen point two million people
the UK fourteen point two million people
the UK fourteen point two million people volunteered last year that’s 27 percent
volunteered last year that’s 27 percent
volunteered last year that’s 27 percent of the adult population which is
of the adult population which is
of the adult population which is brilliant but if you look back through
brilliant but if you look back through
brilliant but if you look back through years previously that is the exact same
years previously that is the exact same
years previously that is the exact same percentage as in 2001 meaning that
percentage as in 2001 meaning that
percentage as in 2001 meaning that really we have not been doing enough to
really we have not been doing enough to
really we have not been doing enough to further this up activity and
further this up activity and
further this up activity and participation has remained stagnant we
participation has remained stagnant we
participation has remained stagnant we must do more to think about the ways
must do more to think about the ways
must do more to think about the ways which improve our well-being and
which improve our well-being and
which improve our well-being and increase participation in this activity
increase participation in this activity
increase participation in this activity of course it is a luxury to have free
of course it is a luxury to have free
of course it is a luxury to have free time to do this many people don’t get
time to do this many people don’t get
time to do this many people don’t get that opportunity please don’t think I’m
that opportunity please don’t think I’m
that opportunity please don’t think I’m being naive when I’m telling you all to
being naive when I’m telling you all to
being naive when I’m telling you all to take on more obligation when actually
take on more obligation when actually
take on more obligation when actually life can be hard enough as it is
life can be hard enough as it is
life can be hard enough as it is but actually if you do have this chance
but actually if you do have this chance
but actually if you do have this chance you will experience exceptional results
you will experience exceptional results
you will experience exceptional results so taking on pay taking part in unpaid
so taking on pay taking part in unpaid
so taking on pay taking part in unpaid work why is it so great well first off
work why is it so great well first off
work why is it so great well first off you’re not being paid
you’re not being paid
you’re not being paid obviously might not sound like a benefit
obviously might not sound like a benefit
obviously might not sound like a benefit but actually when you don’t have that
but actually when you don’t have that
but actually when you don’t have that long-term monetary goal you are forced
long-term monetary goal you are forced
long-term monetary goal you are forced to focus on the aspects of the work that
to focus on the aspects of the work that
to focus on the aspects of the work that you truly enjoy your incentives then
you truly enjoy your incentives then
you truly enjoy your incentives then shift from taking part in the work
shift from taking part in the work
shift from taking part in the work because you have to to doing it because
because you have to to doing it because
because you have to to doing it because you want to whether that’s helping out
you want to whether that’s helping out
you want to whether that’s helping out at a food bank or cleaning up a park
at a food bank or cleaning up a park
at a food bank or cleaning up a park your sense of accomplishment and purpose
your sense of accomplishment and purpose
your sense of accomplishment and purpose becomes far more prevalent some of you
becomes far more prevalent some of you
becomes far more prevalent some of you may already have plenty of meaning
may already have plenty of meaning
may already have plenty of meaning happiness life and that’s great but
happiness life and that’s great but
happiness life and that’s great but statistically according to the happiness
statistically according to the happiness
statistically according to the happiness index the UK is 23rd in the world if we
index the UK is 23rd in the world if we
index the UK is 23rd in the world if we look at something like the good country
look at something like the good country
look at something like the good country index in comparison which measures the
index in comparison which measures the
index in comparison which measures the output of health security inequality
output of health security inequality
output of health security inequality culture we are fourth in the world now
culture we are fourth in the world now
culture we are fourth in the world now twenty third fourth that doesn’t really
twenty third fourth that doesn’t really
twenty third fourth that doesn’t really add up why is it that we are doing so
add up why is it that we are doing so
add up why is it that we are doing so well in other sectors yet we are not
well in other sectors yet we are not
well in other sectors yet we are not happy in comparison to other states we
happy in comparison to other states we
happy in comparison to other states we need to be doing more in the UK to be
need to be doing more in the UK to be
need to be doing more in the UK to be looking after ourselves we need to be
looking after ourselves we need to be
looking after ourselves we need to be finding that meaning in order to be
finding that meaning in order to be
finding that meaning in order to be catching up in this current climate of
catching up in this current climate of
catching up in this current climate of political uncertainty and change I do
political uncertainty and change I do
political uncertainty and change I do worry about the future I’m sure I’m not
worry about the future I’m sure I’m not
worry about the future I’m sure I’m not the only one and actually being able to
the only one and actually being able to
the only one and actually being able to constructively impact society through
constructively impact society through
constructively impact society through this unpaid work is extremely comforting
this unpaid work is extremely comforting
this unpaid work is extremely comforting to me there are often occasions I feel
to me there are often occasions I feel
to me there are often occasions I feel hopeless when faced with some of the
hopeless when faced with some of the
hopeless when faced with some of the decisions made by our politicians or
decisions made by our politicians or
decisions made by our politicians or corporate elites I think one of the best
corporate elites I think one of the best
corporate elites I think one of the best ways to combat this is through sharing
ways to combat this is through sharing
ways to combat this is through sharing our opinions raising up our values and
our opinions raising up our values and
our opinions raising up our values and strengthening our community as a whole
strengthening our community as a whole
strengthening our community as a whole as Oscar Wilde once said the smallest
as Oscar Wilde once said the smallest
as Oscar Wilde once said the smallest act is worth the group is worth more
act is worth the group is worth more
act is worth the group is worth more than the grandest intention so actually
than the grandest intention so actually
than the grandest intention so actually I don’t mind what motivates you to take
I don’t mind what motivates you to take
I don’t mind what motivates you to take part in unpaid work whether that’s
part in unpaid work whether that’s
part in unpaid work whether that’s yourself which is absolutely fine
yourself which is absolutely fine
yourself which is absolutely fine whether it’s for something else or
whether it’s for something else or
whether it’s for something else or someone else the important thing is that
someone else the important thing is that
someone else the important thing is that you go out there and you try it thank
you go out there and you try it thank
you go out there and you try it thank you
you
you you
”
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