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How can volunteering help build equal and inclusive societies?

November 24-December 01 Moderated by Chris Millora, Jane Muthumbi, Jurgen Grotz

About the discussion group

The climate crises, the COVID-19 pandemic, persistent poverty, increasing unemployment – these and many other social issues continue to widen inequalities within communities. For equal and inclusive societies to become a reality, it is important to consider at the decision-making table and how the voices of the most marginalized are heard. What is the role of volunteerism in creating societies built on equality and inclusion? This is the key question that frames the 2022 State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR).

As we anticipate the release of the 2022 SWVR on December 2, we invite volunteers, volunteer-involving organisations, government officials, NGOs and other stakeholders to share insights and best practice examples on how models of people-state relationships (deliberative governance, co-production and social innovation) can help volunteers create a society that benefits all. We also invite you to share with us the challenges you faced and how you addressed them. This discussion builds on previous conversations on the role of volunteerism in shaping an inclusive 21st century social contract. Some questions to frame this discussion:

  • What spaces and strategies are available that bring together people’s and states’ diverse interests and aspirations towards deliberative decision-making processes?

 

  • What processes exist that engage volunteers in defining and prioritising social challenges and shaping responses to these challenges in collaboration with state authorities?

 

  • How can volunteer connections facilitate, generate and promote the diffusion of new ideas and practices especially at the grassroots level towards accelerating the achievement of the SDGs?

 

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Ruci Mafi Botei
01.12.2021
This is an important question that in the Pacific we often ask ourselves? And there have been many stories which speak to this. In a region facing the challenges of climate change and increase in natural disasters, non-communicable diseases, impacts of the COVID-19 on society, political instability, creating a volunteer movement to be the change and demonstrate the change which leads to inclusive society is important. We have also begun to discuss resilient societies and the impact resilient volunteers make.
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Tania Haddad
30.11.2021
Hi, this is Tania academic and researcher on volunteering in the arab world...I am really enjoying this discussion...when reading the title of this discussion, the first thing that comes to my mind is the role of volunteers in helping the marginalized society and provide them with opportunities to access their rights...these volunteers should work on building trust with the marginalized community and at the same time advocate for their rights
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Simone Galimberti
29.11.2021
Hi this is Simo, based in Kathmandu and I am the co-founder of a small not for profit called ENGAGE. For me it is essential to go back to the concept of volunteering “continuum”, where actually there are several ways of thinking and considering volunteerism. One first question I would ask would be the following: Among such typologies, which ones are likely or more probably able to first attract members of vulnerable groups into volunteering and enable them to be part of equation? Even more importantly is asking what are the perceptions and understanding of such members towards volunteerism. It is really about, I think, having an honest conversation with those “we” feel should be part of what I hope, one day, will become a real global movement. One key point for me is also to present and introduce volunteerism as a real enabler, as a personal development tool, a leadership tool that can really help a person to “enrich” herself and get equipped with new skills, new experience. This could be one entry point for this conversation with those we suppose should be more involved and more engaged: thinking of volunteerism as a personal leadership journey. I guess that if this might attract an average youth from a middle income family ( my focus is on youth but of course, we know that the conversation is much broader and well, inclusive), then a disadvantaged youth should be equally or even more interested to join a cause, putting her time for it. What are the barriers for this journey? Several, we know about them. We should start with a very specific commitment by civil society organizations towards making volunteerism more inclusive and here also small actions can count. In practice, this might simply involve a tailored made intent to reach out those youth who are can contribute but are not being enable doing so. It can, of course, also involves specific programs where more privileged kids and those who are less so can make a volunteering journey together. After all, volunteering is an equalizer, isn’t? Here everyone is responsible, civil society organizations, private sector (think of the potential of mentoring that sounds so much a western concept imposed from somewhere overseas but mentoring, or a conversation about it, could really be transformative, especially if mentoring becomes more and more like a coaching like interaction, focused on the development of the mentee/coachee). Designing programs that allow to volunteer, to do some work in the community with a strong learning component attached to it can also be transformative. Lastly another way is providing small pocket money. Isn’t’ ridiculous that some of us are paid to volunteer but then it is a problem to fund and support programs that enable disadvantaged youth to volunteer. Here the proposition or the goal should not focused on starting right away with ‘full time” experiences but slowly getting to find ways to embed volunteerism as a way of living that is actually the way it should be, the key way.
Then and with this then I wrap up, there is a focus on civic engagement that is instrumental for this idea of new social contract. Volunteerism is one of the best expressions of such civic engagement and it is all about finding ways to make it easier for people to participate, to be involved. At the end of the day the traditional concept of volunteering as doing something for others, can be a vehicle to different type of actions that bring a person closer and actually, eventually, part of the policy making seen as a duty of active citizenship. This is a concept that I had already elaborated in this knowledge community so I stop here.
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In reply to by simone

Chris Millora
30.11.2021
Hi Simo, it's great hearing from you and nice to see you again in the portal! I think you are really raising some very important here and there are many to unpack. Let me pick up on two things.

First, I really like your idea here about framing volunteering as a leadership journey. Too often volunteers are seen as 'followers' or 'implementers' of ideas developed by someone (often more 'powerful') somewhere else! However, we are seeing (and I'm sure you can think of many examples from your work in Nepal) that volunteers are also leaders, advocates, frontliners, etc - drawing from a host of organising, campaigning, collaboration skills. This links to your earlier point re thinking of volunteering (or in this sense of the 'volunteer') in terms of a continuum with varying degrees and characteristics.

Second, there have been continuing conversations on how to support marginalised volunteers to participate actively. As you say, some who have willingness to volunteer cannot do so because of specific barriers they face - lack of resource, disabilities, etc. Recognising this means that we need to be careful in thinking about volunteering as an equaliser and really reflect on 'under which circumstances' can volunteerism become a pathway for inclusion and equality.

This year's SWVR looks at some of these issues in depth, particularly how to bring forward the voices of the most marginalised in key decision making processes. It would be great to hear from you, Simo and other colleagues in this Forum of any specific examples in your own contexts that make this happen.

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In reply to by chrismillora

Tania Haddad
30.11.2021
I agree with the point you raised here Chris; volunteers are not just followers...they should act as leaders and develop solutions to help the marginalized community
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Jurgen Grotz
29.11.2021
Choice is at the core of volunteering. The choice we make to volunteer. The difference we choose to make to help shape the world we want to live in. Together. Together with other volunteers. Together with the communities we are part of.
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In reply to by Jurgen Grotz

Simone Galimberti
29.11.2021
Hello Jurgen... good to find you here. Choice, absolutely, we need indeed to make this choice be as easy and as accessible as possible. We probably also need "champions", folks that can model the idea of volunteering for those who would never ever imagine themselves doing volunteering. Do disadvantaged kids know that volunteering or the BIG V as I call it, be a big GAME CHANGER? Probably not because they have other issues, problems, priorities. It is our duty to find novel ways for them to step in, a small step a time, like tip toeing into something, and then, hopefully you keep building momentum but yes it requires an effort, an organized effort...
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In reply to by simone

Jurgen Grotz
29.11.2021
Dear Simo, very good to hear from you. You mention accessibility and equality. This is so important. I am not sure whether volunteering an 'equaliser', though. I have had conversations with people who feel volunteering is just something the privileged can do, because they have the resources of time and energy and possible more, such as transport or networks. An enabling environment for volunteer involvement might need to not just offer choice but also challenge barriers.
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Takang carole-whitney Bessem
26.11.2021
States need to incorporate volunteers as part of the development process, to my idea this will help ease the work and provide a broader sphere for volunteers to be effective
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In reply to by carolewhitney

Jane Muthumbi
27.11.2021
Hi Takang, Thanks for sharing your perspective. Partnerships are essential for achieving development outcomes in these challenging times. Any suggestions on how states can incorporate or engage volunteers in the development process? Also, what can be done to ensure volunteers are effective in contributing to development outcomes?
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In reply to by jmuthumb

Simone Galimberti
29.11.2021
States can develop policies first of all, creating a framework. We all know that some countries even have legislation promoting volunteering. Now this approach can work when regulations are followed b a smooth implementation and enforcement. This is not the case in many emerging nations where the rule of law is not as strong as other places or where policy making is not that effective nor inclusive nor partecipatory. In this case, what happens, is the work that can be done with the government, even at local level, even in small way, in a small scale. It would be super cool to have a national volunteering program being implemented but oftentimes and realistically speaking this is not happen. So why not starting small. Plus something I learned from this community, some countries like Sierra Leone and Kenya (thanks VSO!!!) have established networks, group of practitioners that can really get bigger and more structured. To start such groups, we do not even need a budget actually. You perhaps read a bit frustrations (smile) in these lines of mine because this did not happen yet in a place like Nepal that has such big experiences and strong traditions...
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Jurgen Grotz
25.11.2021
Hello I am Jurgen. I am an academic, a researcher and a volunteer. In 1948 William Beveridge, a British politician and social reformer said that Voluntary Action means private action "not under the direction of any authority wielding the power of the State". He went on to say that the "independence of Voluntary Action does not mean lack of co-operation between it and public action." The challenge we are seeing around the world is how to best enable that co-operation to build equal and inclusive societies together.
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In reply to by Jurgen Grotz

Takang carole-whitney Bessem
26.11.2021
So true I believe as a person or volunteer, you should be able to practice the change to want to see individually ,so others can follow
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Chris Millora
24.11.2021
Welcome to this discussion! I am Chris Millora, Lead Researcher/Author of this year's UNV State of the World's Volunteerism Report and I am pleased to co-moderate this exchange with Jurgen Grotz of the Institute for Volunteering Research and Jane Muthumbi of UN Volunteers. This discussion anticipates the release of this year's SWVR that explores how volunteerism can help build equal and inclusive societies.

In many communities around the world, we see that inequalities continue to widen. The gap between the rich and the poor is stretched. The current COVID crisis and the climate emergency have further enhanced these divisions. The relationship between people and state authorities and institutions are being reconfigured in light of these challenges. New ways of working between people and states are also emerging such as deliberative governance mechanisms, co-production and social innovation. What can volunteerism offer in building societies founded on equity and inclusion? Particularly, how can volunteerism help develop a more inclusive relationship between volunteers and states?

We welcome your ideas, comments and experiences and we invite you to also post questions for others. Let us start the conversation as we await this year's SWVR!
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Discussion Moderators

Chris Millora
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Jane Muthumbi
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Jurgen Grotz
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Discussion Members

Chris Millora
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Jane Muthumbi
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Jurgen Grotz
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Takang carole-whitney Bessem
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Simone Galimberti
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Tania Haddad
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Ruci Mafi Botei
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