VOLUNTEERING

When I arrived in the U.S. I was surprised by the use of volunteers for almost all activities. You can find volunteers in the simple labor of sealing postal stamps or in the very delicate task of helping a tornado victims. It is different to Latin American and European countries where volunteering is only associated with some charitable or philantrophic cause. In other places it is nearly unknown. Opinions about volunteering are also varied. For some people it is only a manner of free-time and for another means to do "that things that nobody-wants-to-do". Another can say that it is only for some kind of religious people. But, generally speaking, it seems that the real meaning of volunteerig is just unknown. Is it possible to make clear about volunteering?. Is it a social, or philantropyc, or a religious activity? Is it neccesary or unneccesary? Who can be a volunteer? Why volunteers exists and how they began?.

What really does it mean to be a Volunteer?

About volunteering everyone has his own concept, and that's correct. But, to avoid confusing interpretations it is good to remember some of the main significances of this term. At first, we have to separate volunteering and charity. Charity has one of its most usual aplications in donating money or things to needed people. Given meals or clothing are also understood as charity. Volunteering means to do something for someone. It's the given of my time and effort. It's the issue of myself.

I'm not interested in polemics, but regarding to my own experience I can propose some points that let us understand the real meaning of volunteering:

• Volunteering, as we have seen yet, isn't charity. The real volunteer don't needs to worry about money. It is curious than some new organizations pretends that people pays for the oportunity of being volunteer. Tha's not rigth. The institution or organization must have all necessary resources. In order to avoid undesired experiences, it's better to choose a well Known Organizartion.
• Volunteering is a Job, is something that you do with your hands and your knowledge. It's a work neccesary to do. But it isn't a paid job or a full time job. Part time is the most common manner of volunteering.
• The volunteer is used for do something that can't be made in other form. It means to work for a cause that really needs it. A hospital or elderly home that don't have enough budget to pay personnel has the only possibility for acomplish its mission with volunteers. It is a serious matter, not fun or social relationships.
• One important characteristics of volunteering is that it must be made without expecting any retribution. Not only economic retribution. Someone that helps as a "volunteer" in a political campaign but is expecting a job or something else for himself or some relative in retribution is not a real volunteer. Someone who works hard as a "volunteer" in an student organization but is expecting a scholarship, isn't a real volunteer.
• The most recommended but also the most ignored characteristic of volunteering is that it must be as silent and anonymous as possible. It is really difficult to cut our natural inclination to show other people what we are doing.

Considering these points we can see now volunteering as something very different as normally understood. And we are also able to answer our initial questions. It's time to enter this amazing world.

A short history

Volunteering is Known from the early times. All ancient religion speaks about the importance of charity and service to the other people. Christianity is founded in love to the other and service to the poor. In the Middle Age and the Renaissance these concepts had raisen to his upper level with the creation of several orders dedicated to charity and service. Saint Vincent of Paul can be considered the father of Volunteering as we know today. O"Donnel (1995) says: "By 1633, then, the foundational works in the life of Vincent were complete: the Confraternities of Charity, the Congregation of the Mission, the Daughters of Charity, the retreats for ordinands, retreats for laity, and the Tuesday Conferences. From this time onward Vincent was called on to take an increasingly important role in ecclesiastical and civil affairs at the national level".

In more recent times volunteering had also important moments. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica (1995) in 1859, after the battle of Solferino, an humanitarian Swiss, Henry Dunant, took care of victims from the battle without regarding from wich side they came. Afterwards he proposed the formation in all countries of voluntary relief societies. In 1864 the International Red Cross began with the formation of the firsts of these societies. In World War I and WW II the Red Cross made a great work and became famous with organizations in nearly all the countries. Everywhere is welcomed its voluntary and neutral style. Almost all international or internal conflicts are solved with the intervention of the Red Cross.

Pacific causes are also important for volunteering. We have in this Century two great examples of volunteerism: Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. Gandhi began as an unknown lawyer helping poor people for free, and ended liberating a whole continent from the British Empire. Mother Teresa began recovering close-to-death people from the streets of Calcuta with the help of few volunteers, and today is a well known fundation with houses in more than hundred countries and thousands of volunteers.

The dark side

But not news are all good news. And not all volunteers has the same spirit. Is frecuent to listen news about some volunteer in a elderly house abusing older people or stoling costly material in a Hospital. Volunteers are also a way of spying in some conflict. Some "volunteers" are looking for or a well paid job. It's not a secret the use of fundations and noble causes to became rich an famous. There are too many motivs why volunteering are seen with distrust in many places. In many religious and independent fundations volunteers are not wanted and specific tasks for a volunteer they prefer to make it with staff members or external paid persons.

On the other hand, volunteers are often deceived by ambitious individuals or involved in legal problems. A volunteer can be involved in political causes far from the original interest on helping people. In some Latin american countries is well known the role of the "useful-foolish", a person who begins as a volunteer with the intention of helping, and finishes killing people and fighting against the gouvernmental armed forces. There are psichological treatments to change the mind and personality called "brain-washers". And ingenious volunteers are often victims of those methods. An interesant On Line paper by Dewitt (1997) provides Legal Advice about Volunteering.

GoVolunteering

But don't discourage. Now that we know the pros and cons of volunteering we can speak in a more real sense. I think volunteering is more than free time. I belive in volunteering as the way to find the sense to life. Altruism is the better, or maybe, the only way of realization as a human being. And this is hard to say in this days when we all are educated and we all live in an egotistic society.

It's not true that the only posible manner of being volunteer is in a religious institution, in a private foundation, or in an international organization. Is in our daily life with our own resources where we can serve the others. In this moment there are thousands of groups helping someone with alcohol or drugs related problems. In this moment there are thousands helping in one or other manner to millions needed of help. And it is not neccesary to be affiliated to any religion or organization. In other words, if you have a sincere desire for helping, you only needs your hands, love and faith.

In our modern society people is becoming so obsesive in his own comfort that some posibilitie of share other peoples's problems is a jeopardy to their stability. Today we are making an important effort for don't get involved. If we go to volunteering, we prefer to do some material work, just the necessary, and good bye!. Don't get involved!. Sure, we have to conserve our privacy, no doubt, butt it doesn't means to isolate and avoid contact with others. Who had had some personal experience in helping others agrees that helping others to solve their problems is the best way to solve our own problems.

This is the magic of volunteering. More I become involved in helping others solve their problems I forgot mine ones. This has been my own experience. Gandhi (1935) said: "To serve without desire is to favour not others, but ourselves, even as in discharging a debt we serve only ourselves, lighten our burden and fulfil our duty. Again, not only the good, but all of us are bound to place our resources at the disposal of humanity. The duty of renunciation differentiates mankind from the beast."

Gainesville, April 1998.

Bibliography

DeWitt, James D. (1997). A Legal Handbook For Nonprofit Corporation Volunteers. [On-Line].

Gandhi, M.K. (1935). From Yeravda Mandir. Navajivan Press, Ahmedabad, 2nd Edition. Selections From Gandhi. By Nirmal Kumar Bose. (1957). Navajivan Press. 25.

O'Donnel, Hugh F. (1995). Vincent de Paul: His Life and Way. Vincent de Paul and Louis de Marillac. Rules, Conferences and Writings. Paulist Press. 26.

The New Encycolpaedia Britannica. (1995). 15 Th Edition. Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc. 9, 982.