2. What is volunteering
Figure 3: Volunteer Hands (Public domain)
It is worth
considering this question before we go any further as, as we each have our own
understanding of what volunteering is, The UN General Assembly
definition describes volunteering as ‘Three basic criteria can be identified to
distinguish volunteering from other types of human activity:
- It is not undertaken primarily
for financial gain. Because voluntary action is not rewarded with a wage
or salary, it is generally cost-effective, although not cost-free;
- It is undertaken of one’s own
free will. The decision to volunteer may be influenced by peer pressure or
personal feelings of obligation to society but, in essence, the individual
must be in a position to choose whether or not to volunteer;
- It benefits a third party or
society at large. Actions that benefit only the person who volunteers or
that cause harm to society do not meet this criterion.