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.