Module VII: VOLUNTEERISM

Topic 1
Concepts/Elements of Volunteerism

INTRODUCTION

The commission, in partnership with the Philippine National Volunteer Service

Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) as the lead agency in policy formulation and in
monitoring volunteering programs by Filipino volunteers here and abroad, enjoys all heads
of agencies to establish and implement their Volunteer Programs on top of agencies regular
mandate and functions, to promote the value of volunteerism in the public sector.
Volunteerism activities shall be done beyond office hours to prevent disturbance in the
agencies delivery of their mandated functions.

The agencies Volunteer Program aims to provide opportunity for government

employees to express and actualize their personal motivation and desire to help others
particularly the underserved and marginalized sectors where volunteer efforts are focused.

Projects and activities such as

1. Social services: feeding program for children and elderly orphanages, medical
mission, build houses, visit to prisoners, counselling, bloodletting, and others;
2. Technical development assistance toward knowledge and skills sharing, like
conduct of lectures and training programs, reading and writing workshops for
children;
3. Environment and disaster response, clean up drive, tree planting relief and
rehabilitation work, donation of basic needs such as calamities and disasters;
4. Promotion and advocacy of volunteerism such as: sponsoring ordinances or bills
to support volunteerism
5. Resources support in partnership with the private sector and civil society groups to
raise funds and materials for volunteer programs and activies.

Volunteerism definition

Volunteerism is the practice of providing time and skills for the benefit of other people
and causes rather than for financial benefit. In an employment-related context, volunteerism
is concerned with the methods and tools employers use to support employees that want to
volunteer.

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Volunteerism is the practice of providing time and skills for the benefit of other people
and causes rather than for financial benefit. In an employment-related context, volunteerism
is concerned with the methods and tools employers use to support employees that want to
volunteer.

Volunteerism: Building Hope, Changing Lives

Volunteerism

An act involving a wide range of activities, including  traditional forms of mutual aid
and developmental interventions that provides an enabling and empowering environment
both on the part of the beneficiary receiving, and the volunteer rendering the act,
undertaken for reasons arising from socio-developmental, business or corporate orientation,
commitment or conviction for the attainment of the public good and where monetary and
other incentives or reward  are not the primary motivating factors. (RA 9418 or The
Volunteer Act of 2007)

• Free will, no compulsion

• No financial gain
• Benefit third party

Why volunteerism

 government may not have all the resources to provide the needed public service
 volunteers provide services in a cost- efficient and cost-effective manner
 governance and development requires greater citizen participation

Volunteering
offers vital help
to people in
need,
worthwhile
causes, and the
community.

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ELEMENTS OF VOLUNTEERISM

The five essential elements of Volunteerism are the following:

1. Create a Plan for the Volunteer Program

Before you even start looking for volunteers to assist your organization, you need to first
determine what your needs are, who will manage these volunteers, and what exactly their
positions should be. The first step should always be a needs assessment, where program staff
and volunteer managers (who may be the same person) sit down and determine exactly what
they need help with.

2. Recruit and Place Volunteers

Now that you know what volunteers you need, you can set about recruiting them. A good place
to start is writing an effective opportunity listing that both accurately describes the position and
makes volunteers want to help your organization.

Once you have the opportunities in hand, you should plan a recruitment strategy that brings
staff members together into a volunteer recruitment team and utilizes a wide range of
techniques for reaching out to people in the community. Whether through effective use of
social networking sites, volunteering databases, or more “traditional” media, you should
promote your volunteer needs and events as widely as possible.

3. Orient and Train Volunteers and Staff

Orienting and training helps get everyone on the same page and goes a long way towards
ensuring a volunteer engagement is successful. From the beginning, its important to determine
exactly what volunteers will need to know in order to be successful. This can include
information about the goal and vision of your organization as well as the more nuts-and-bolts
type information about the task at hand. Having gone through many orientations myself, I know
that it helps me be a much more successful volunteer when the organization makes an effort
from the beginning to get me excited about its mission.

4. Supervise and Recognize Volunteers

Just as you organize a schedule for your volunteers to come in, you need to organize
supervision and management activities to support the work of the volunteers. In managing
volunteers, you should always be conscious of the internal and external motivators for
volunteers. Different personality types react differently to different management styles, so you
should be careful that your method for managing volunteers doesn’t upset some by being too
impersonal or too disorganized. To ensure that your volunteers stay happy (and come back),
you should develop some sort of method for recognizing them. Small gifts, from quote books to
branded pens, can be a great way to show that you’re grateful for their help. You can also
recognize people who help you out on social media by mentioning them by name on Twitter, or
tagging them in a photo on Facebook.

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5. Evaluate the Volunteer

Evaluation is one step that many volunteer programs skip, but it’s essential for developing an
effective program. Whether you utilize a printed or online survey, gathering information from
volunteers about the quality of their experience and how they feel about it can help you identify
problem areas. You should also compare the outcomes of your volunteer engagement with the
goals that you set forward in your volunteer program plan

Volunteering: the Core Elements

The core elements of science are observation, measurement, testing and publishing your
findings for the sake of replication. This got us thinking; Can we use this same method to help
people become better volunteers? If so, what are the core elements of volunteering?

Set Goals

When you’re approaching volunteerism for the first time, make a list of goals that you want to
accomplish as a volunteer. Perhaps you want to go on a specific number of trips this year or you
want to learn a new skill. Whatever the goal is, write it down. Now, figure out which
organization aligns with your volunteer goals and set up a meet and greet. Don’t procrastinate!
Get to know the organization and share your personal volunteer goals with them. Work out a
plan for getting started.

Observe

Once you’ve gone on that volunteer trip, observe how volunteering makes you feel. How does
volunteering contribute to your mental, physical and spiritual health? Pay careful attention to
what happens when you try something new (such as traveling to a new volunteer location or
supporting a new organization) and figure out how the experience affects you

Repeat

If the results of your volunteer trip were good, repeat it. If the results were not what you hoped
for, try something new. Whatever you do, don’t give on up volunteering

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Topic 2
Role of the Youth in Strengthening Volunteerism and the
Importance of Voluntary Action
In many instances, volunteerism provides entry
points for young people to determine their own
priorities, set their own agendas and engage with young
people or other actors. Volunteering may be a catalyst,
particularly for young people, to participate in the
political realm. For example, a 2012 Mercy Corps
report suggests that expanding participation of young
people in local groups nurtured greater electoral and political participation.

Youth often engage in volunteering through peer

groups rather than as individuals; such groups can become
brokers of engagement, connecting institutional initiatives
with volunteer action at community level to ensure that
their interests are reflected. Thus under the right
conditions, youth volunteering brings together different
components of social action, for example combining direct
action and service provision with online and in-person
advocacy and representation. The latter roles have potential for building ownership, leadership and
contributing to the development of inclusive institutions in the longer-term .

The role of youth in influencing social norms varies by context and by issue, but there is
evidence to suggest that young people are able to push adults to challenge traditional practices or
ways of thinking. As research on social norms and adolescent girls in Nepal has shown, youth are
important agents of change when they become local leaders, heads of peer groups, government
representatives or local teachers. Young people can provide role models for others and form
positive networks and environments to ensure that vulnerable groups are not drawn into conflict.

Volunteers, including young people in youth and mixed age groups, address deficits in service
provision in conflict and fragile settings, address violence against women and children, and more
broadly strengthen the social capital required for lasting peace

While volunteers promote and contribute to peace through their professional skills and
competencies, it is often their status as volunteers, and their values, attitudes and behaviours, that

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can most positively influence social cohesion and peace processes. Volunteerism can be perceived
as a neutral force for positive change by motivated individuals, helping unite people who are
otherwise divided, improve cooperation and dialogue and galvanize wider community participation.

Governments have often partnered with volunteers to create safe spaces for exchanging views
and addressing concerns as part of healing societal fractures. Seeing young people volunteering
without direct personal interest for the benefit of others in an inclusive manner often plays a
powerful role in questioning conflict and hate mechanisms.

Young people’s access and benefits of such opportunities will be gendered and are also likely
to depend on other socio-economic factors such as ethnicity, class and status. As such, trust-
building and solidarity through volunteerism requires careful consideration of the type and nature of
activities, the profile of volunteers and in many cases greater attention to ensuring more open and
inclusive forms of volunteering.

Building networks, platforms and relationships across groups

Youth from different tribes participated in joint peace initiatives and thus learned to accept
each other and become less suspicious of members from other ethnic groups and “stronger in their
belief that the different communities can live together peacefully”. The older generation, on the
other hand, were more reticent in overcoming hate and distrust toward other tribes.

Prevention and protection

Finally, youth volunteers can play a more direct role in fostering peace and security,
including leading and supporting violence prevention and protection mechanisms. Young people
can also play vital roles in helping other youth find an off-ramp from violence, by providing
networks, solidarity and promoting positive norms among their peers.

Newer forms of volunteering, such as online volunteering have the potential to increase
participation from some groups. For example, UNV’s own online volunteering service has more
significant participation of persons with disabilities than onsite volunteering. Online volunteering
especially youth may also be a good option for people with less time and location flexibility.

The Importance of Volunteerism for Youth

Why is volunteering important for youth? While we should support youth volunteerism to

better our communities, children and teenagers who volunteer will also see and feel transformation
within themselves. In the words of Opportunity Nation, “There is mounting evidence that
volunteering, participating in service projects, and other forms of community involvement are more

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than feel-good activities. They can contribute to better outcomes for youth and for communities.” In
other words, we all benefit by encouraging altruistic behaviors in our communities’ youth. Below,
we outline some of the many ways volunteering can lead to success for teenagers and children:

Develop Transferable Skills

Youth who volunteer regularly practice skills—like collaboration and problem solving—that
are vital to succeed in academics, the workplace, and their personal lives. Whether it’s collecting
donations or caring for the elderly, youth develop an understanding of citizenship that extends into
adulthood. Plus, volunteering helps teens fill their resumes with robust, real-world experience.
That’s why colleges and employers look for civically engaged applicants who will thrive in team
settings and take on challenging work. 

Reinforce Social Capital

Teens who volunteer build relationships and strengthen their support network, or “social
capital.” Social capital strengthens trust and sense of community and is critical to upward mobility.
According to Opportunity Nation, volunteer opportunities for low-income teens are especially
integral in facilitating meaningful connections and sourcing educational pathways, “Research
shows [volunteerism] can serve as an effective conduit to positive educational and career outcomes
for low-income youth.” 

The act of volunteering increases the likelihood of finding employment, resulting in

a measurable increase in employment among volunteers ages 16-24 who were not in school and
previously unemployed. In addition, volunteering is an effective avenue for college
students preparing to enter the workforce; employers are 82% more likely to choose a candidate
with volunteering experience and 85% more likely to overlook resume flaws when volunteer work
is present. 

Make Real Change

Volunteering gives youth the opportunity to work through real challenges and make meaningful
change. These transformative experiences encourage teenagers and children to confront moral
dilemmas, investigate solutions, and employ innovative thinking. As young volunteers begin to
notice real changes as a result of their effort, they establish a cognitive connection between effort
and positive outcomes. According to this article, young people who volunteer regularly develop a
civic identity, as leaders and change makers, and therefore become more socially and politically
active adults.

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Facilitate Respect

As children grow, they develop a more refined sense of self-awareness and an awareness of
others. Volunteers must put their own needs aside to address the needs of others. Children who do
so will also learn to value and understand themselves throughout the process.  Empathy and
citizenship are developed during childhood and adolescence. And participating in activities like
caring for the elderly or addressing homelessness from an early age introduces young people to the
process of confronting moral dilemmas and thinking about social change. Exposure to meaningful
volunteer opportunities as children and adolescents will help foster lasting empathy and inclusivity,
qualities necessary in cultivating safe, unified communities.

Support Academic Success

The National Youth Leadership Council states that students who participated in service-

learning scored higher in social studies, writing, and language arts subject tests than non-
participating students. 

When students participate in service-learning curriculum, they demonstrate deeper cognitive

engagement and greater motivation to learn. And educators are employing service-learning as a tool
to reduce high-school dropout and increase achievement among at-risk students. Volunteer
opportunities paired with a good education are the success “power couple” for today’s youth; non-
profits and schools together can develop a children and teen volunteerism program to support a
rising generation of altruistic citizens.

Participation in volunteer and civic opportunities from an early age instills empathy, inspires a
sense of citizenship, and helps youth find pathways to meaningful education and work. In fact,
young people who volunteer help to improve the present, while ensuring healthy, secure futures for
themselves and their communities.

Teenagers are not only an extremely valuable resource of energy, good will and creativity, but
also the key to our future. In a culture that is so wrapped around ‘wants’ and ‘achievements,’ it is
easy for our teenagers to grow up without a sense of gratitude for what they have and empathy for
the needs of the less fortunate around them. Volunteering in community service projects and
helping others can be very fulfilling, and if you can show your teen how enriching it is from a
young age, they’ll start to make an association between helping someone else and their own joy.
There are lots of service projects available to teens locally, state-wide, nationally and even
internationally. Although volunteering can sometimes be a part of high school graduation

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requirements and meeting scholarship needs, it needs to be instilled in teens as a value that is truly
appreciated and pursued with passion.

Benefits of volunteering:

Teen volunteering has been on a steady rise since the 1980s. Research has shown that teens who
engage in community service are more responsible with higher self-esteem and resilience.
Volunteering helps the teens gain new skills necessary for the job market such as leadership,
communication skills, dependability, time management, and decision making. Teens who volunteer
perform better at school and also build a stronger resume for college and scholarship applications.

Some community service ideas for teens:

Sports: Teens could participate in fund-raising activities or offer to assist on the day of school
sports events. Look up the Special Olympics website to check what is scheduled in your area and
offer to volunteer. There are a wide range of opportunities that provide a rewarding experience for
our young athletes.

Local hospitals: For teens interested in healthcare and serving the sick, there are sometimes
opportunities to volunteer in local hospitals after some initial medical screening and training.

Animal lovers: You could volunteer at a local shelter for homeless animals where you could help
with activities such as walking the dogs, cleaning, or feeding the animals.

Helping senior citizens: You can participate through school-hosted elderly or hospice programs or
contact the local nursing homes directly. Programs such as Meals on Wheels encourage volunteer
participation and you could help pack and deliver meals. Just by visiting the elderly who have no
family brings them so much comfort. You could also volunteer by bringing gifts during holidays or
reading out to them.

Volunteering taps into a teen’s innate desire to be independent, in a productive way. Teenagers are
extremely busy bodies with academics, extracurricular activities, sports, and of course their social
events! But carving a few hours out of their busy schedules regularly for community service can be
therapeutic for them and also better our community on so many levels.

Giving to others can also help protect your mental and physical health. It can reduce stress, combat
depression, keep you mentally stimulated, and provide a sense of purpose. While it’s true that the
more you volunteer, the more benefits you’ll experience, volunteering doesn’t have to involve a
long-term commitment or take a huge amount of time out of your busy day. Giving in even simple
ways can help those in need and improve your health and happiness.

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Benefits of volunteering: 4 ways to feel healthier and happier

1. Volunteering connects you to others.

One of the more well-known benefits of volunteering is the impact on the community. Volunteering
allows you to connect to your community and make it a better place. Even helping out with the
smallest tasks can make a real difference to the lives of people, animals, and organizations in need.
And volunteering is a two-way street: It can benefit you and your family as much as the cause you
choose to help. Dedicating your time as a volunteer helps you make new friends, expand your
network, and boost your social skills.

2. Volunteering is good for your mind and body.

Volunteering provides many benefits to both mental and physical health.

Volunteering helps counteract the effects of stress, anger, and anxiety. The social contact
aspect of helping and working with others can have a profound effect on your overall psychological
well-being. Nothing relieves stress better than a meaningful connection to another person. Working
with pets and other animals has also been shown to improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety.

Volunteering combats depression. Volunteering keeps you in regular contact with others and
helps you develop a solid support system, which in turn protects you against depression.

Volunteering makes you happy. By measuring hormones and brain activity, researchers have
discovered that being helpful to others delivers immense pleasure. Human beings are hard-wired to
give to others. The more we give, the happier we feel.

Volunteering increases self-confidence. You are doing good for others and the community, which
provides a natural sense of accomplishment. Your role as a volunteer can also give you a sense of
pride and identity. And the better you feel about yourself, the more likely you are to have a positive
view of your life and future goals.

Volunteering provides a sense of purpose. Older adults, especially those who have retired or lost
a spouse, can find new meaning and direction in their lives by helping others. Whatever your age or
life situation, volunteering can help take your mind off your own worries, keep you mentally
stimulated, and add more zest to your life.

3. Volunteering helps you stay physically healthy. Studies have found that those who
volunteer have a lower mortality rate than those who do not. Older volunteers tend to walk
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more, find it easier to cope with everyday tasks, are less likely to develop high blood
pressure, and have better thinking skills. Volunteering can also lessen symptoms of chronic
pain and reduce the risk of heart disease.

4. Volunteering can advance your career.

Volunteering offers you the chance to try out a new career without making a long-term
commitment. It is also a great way to gain experience in a new field. In some fields, you can
volunteer directly at an organization that does the kind of work you’re interested in. For example, if
you’re interested in nursing, you could volunteer at a hospital or a nursing home.

Your volunteer work might also expose you to professional organizations or internships that could
benefit your career.

5. Volunteering brings fun and fulfillment to your life.

Volunteering is a fun and easy way to explore your interests and passions. Doing volunteer work
you find meaningful and interesting can be a relaxing, energizing escape from your day-to-day
routine of work, school, or family commitments. Volunteering also provides you with renewed
creativity, motivation, and vision that can carry over into your personal and professional life.

Many people volunteer in order to make time for hobbies outside of work as well. For instance, if
you have a desk job and long to spend time outdoors, you might consider volunteering to help plant
a community garden, walk dogs for an animal shelter, or help out at a children’s camp.

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Learning Exercise 7.1

Name :_______________________________ Course : __________ Time : _______

Trainer : _______________________________ Date : __________ Score : _______

1. Ask yourself
 Would you like to work with adults, children, animals, or remotely from home?

 Do you prefer to work alone or as part of a team?

 Are you better behind the scenes or do you prefer to take a more visible role?

 How much time are you willing to commit?

 What skills can you bring to a volunteer job?

 What causes are important to you?

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2. How much time should you volunteer?

__________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________

3. How do you participate volunteerism?

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