Volunteer Work

Volunteers are ordinary people who have chosen to become involved in providing a needed service, solving a problem or advancing a worthy cause, without thought of payment other than personal satisfaction. The history of volunteering is filled with people who set off on their own to create programs when no one else has had the vision—or the willingness—to act. As we will see, volunteerism has its roots not only in human altruism but in the divine mandate to love one’s neighbor. Further, it is implicit in the Christian gospel that those who have received the free gift of salvation will, in turn, give their service without obligation of recompense.

How Volunteerism Began

From the beginning of human experience, as modern sociology and anthropology show, human beings have striven to share and to cooperate just to survive in the face of hostile environments and strangers. As we read the pages of history, we find countless instances of individual effort to help others and promote the common good. These acts of kindness and goodwill are based on the Judeo-Christian principles of love, justice and mercy. The command given to the Israelites by God through Moses to love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18) was quoted by Jesus (Matthew 22:39). Some of the Pharisees limited the meaning of the term neighbor but Rabbi Nahmanides took a wider view when he said, “One should place no limitations upon the love of neighbor, but instead a person should love to do an abundance of good for his fellow being as he does for himself.” In telling the story of the good Samaritan, Jesus made it abundantly clear that neighbor means not merely “one who lives nearby” but “anyone with whom one comes in contact.” Jesus’ teaching has encouraged, even mandated, that we all are to be volunteers and reach out to those who need help. Further, the experience of acceptance by God and the gift of new life in Christ are a powerful motivation to serve others voluntarily, without restraint, obligation or demand for payment. Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35), a principle that Paul embodied in his practice of tentmaking.

How Volunteerism Developed

People have always come together to get jobs done. Sharing equipment and labor at barn raisings or harvest, caring for a sick neighbor or friend, lending money to help through a tough spot or being willing to listen are examples of ways people have endeavored to fulfill Jesus’ mandate. The more primitive the society or the more remote the community is from civilization, the greater will be the need to rally around one another in time of crises or stress.

“Modern associational forms of voluntary effort were stimulated by the Reformation’s endorsement of freedom of association; they flowered with the urbanization of society during the industrial revolution, and experienced greater expansion during the twentieth century” (Manser and Cass, p. 19). The organizations that were formed as the result of these influences fulfill an incredible variety of purposes, some to serve the individual needs of their members, such as service clubs, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides and so on, and others to offer services to individuals and communities, for example, hospital auxiliaries, Red Cross, United Way and so on. Most often it was the voluntary effort of ordinary citizens, often working though their religious or cultural institutions, that led to the establishment of orphanages and homes for the aged as well as health and welfare agencies. Evangelical Christians have been especially prominent in the creation of such institutions.

A few examples will give some idea as to how widespread and diverse are the projects undertaken by volunteers: in Israel volunteers work closely with the military to provide grief counseling for families of soldiers killed in combat; in Ecuador volunteers run some of the major cemeteries and provide basic supplies, such as blankets, for hospitals; in Sri Lanka volunteers build wells.

Volunteerism Today

The need for voluntary action is as great today as it ever was, possibly even greater in our fast-paced, mobile society in which so many demands are placed on the family and the community. While the direct effects of volunteer work are felt at the individual or community level, the combined action of many millions of ordinary citizens from every region of the country has had a profound impact on virtually every aspect of society and has, in fact, fostered its growth and development. At the present time, informal volunteer work goes on every day as people occasionally help out neighbors, friends and others in a personal and spontaneous manner. More formal volunteer work is carried out within an organization or agency and is planned in advance.

Recent surveys have dispelled a number of widely held myths regarding volunteerism. One belief is that the great majority of volunteers are women, most likely middle-aged or older. Also there is the myth that they are from the more affluent strata of society and can afford to give away their time freely. According to a public opinion survey conducted in 1991, 71 percent of Canadian adults had done volunteer work at some point in their lives. According to a 1993 survey the volunteers were 33 percent male and 67 percent female, but this would not include all men who run sports programs as coaches and referees. Over 60 percent of volunteers were under 30 years of age, and 33 percent were unemployed. Only 12 percent were listed as being homemakers. It is quite evident that the traditional profile of a volunteer has changed radically over the years.

Agencies and organizations using volunteers have had to become increasingly adaptable and more effective in managing a very valuable and often very scarce resource. The formula for successful volunteering appears to go something like this: provide opportunities for personal achievement, allow volunteers to make new discoveries about themselves and others and enable them to feel that they are forming social bonds and strengthening the community. Mix this with appropriate training, feedback and recognition, and you will have volunteers who feel energized by the assignment, see it as a fun endeavor and will complete it feeling better than when they started.

Some of the benefits volunteers bring to an organization are personal attention to one-to-one relationships; closer contact with the community; objectivity in the delivery of service; credibility, as volunteers have fewer vested interests; specialized skills, knowledge and contacts; refreshed energy; new ideas; a reservoir from which to recruit new paid staff; an opportunity to mix generations and cultures; a flexible transition stage for new services; freedom from experimentation; humanizing of services; consumer input and education. Yet these benefits are not without cost: there is considerable expense in paid-staff time and resources to organize and support an effective volunteer program. Nevertheless, the benefits the volunteer brings to the organization usually exceed these costs many times over.

Managing Volunteers

It is critical to consider the purpose of the volunteer program, how you plan to use the volunteers and to do everything possible to make the program work for volunteers, staff and organization. It is important to prepare the administration and staff of your organization for the introduction of the volunteer program as it is essential to have a positive attitude on their part and their full support. It is also necessary to have someone assigned to manage the program, whether presently on staff or newly hired. Many organizations today have job descriptions for their volunteers so that they have a clear understanding of what is expected of them.

The majority of volunteers expect to be treated with dignity and respect, to be given periodic evaluations of their work and to receive recognition of their contributions to the group. They may even expect and need to have out-of-pocket expenses such as bus fare, lunch money and even baby-sitter costs to make it possible for them to offer their time and services. Contrary to what is often said, “You cannot expect reliability from a volunteer but only from paid staff,” volunteers that have a clear job description and are held accountable can be as reliable as those who serve for remuneration.

Those who manage volunteers need to understand the many possible motivations behind voluntary service, not all of which are purely altruistic. One pamphlet put out by a group called Parlay International listed forty-one reasons why people volunteer, including the following: to feel needed; to share a skill; to get to know a community; to demonstrate commitment to a cause or belief; to gain leadership skills; to act out a fantasy; to do your civic duty; because of pressure from a friend or relative; to keep busy for recognition; to repay a debt; to donate your professional skills; because there is no one else to do it; to have an impact; to learn something new; to fill up some free time; to help a friend or relative; for escape; to become an “insider”; because of guilt; to be challenged; to be a watchdog; to feel proud; to make new friends; to explore a career; to help someone; as therapy (Parlay International, 1350.009).

In the church volunteering expresses the heart of Christian ministry. As a spiritual discipline volunteering provides an arena for personal transformation and growth as we learn the blessing of giving without material reward and sometimes without intangible rewards.

» See also: Ministry

» See also: Service, Workplace

» See also: Stewardship

» See also: Talents

» See also: Tentmaking

References and Resources

W. H. Brackney, Christian Voluntarism: Theology and Praxis (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997); S. Ellis, Focus on Volunteering (Emeryville, Calif.: Parlay International, 1992); G. Manser and R. H. Cass, Volunteerism at the Crossroads (New York: Family Service Association of America, 1976); J. Lautenschlager, Volunteering: A Traditional Canadian Value (Ottawa: Voluntary Action Directorate, 1993); Volunteers: How to Find Them, How to Keep Them (Vancouver: Vancouver Volunteer Centre, 1990); Volunteer Centre of Ottawa—Carleton, Why People Volunteer (Ottawa: Voluntary Action Directorate, 1992).

—Ruth Oliver