Volunteering: Connecting the Global Agenda on Sustainability to the Community Level

Volunteering takes multiple forms and can have different meanings depending on the context. Common definitions usually encompass the following dimensions: (i) voluntary provision of time, expertise, and/or labor on behalf of others, occasionally or regularly; (ii) material or financial reward not seen as main motivating factor; (iii) benefits for the general public good, beyond the volunteer’s familial circle; and (iv) whether activities are performed through a formal organization or informally (Cnaan et al. 1996; UN2002; IFRC 2011a; Graham et al. 2013; Hazeldine and Baillie Smith 2015; UNV 2018a). The terms
volunteering and volunteerism are often used interchangeably, but some argue that “volunteering” is centered on the volunteer as the main actor, while “volunteerism” relates to a wider set of stakeholders and practices (Schech et al. 2018). Volunteering is not synonymous with concepts such as altruism, benevolence, charity, civic service, gifting, mutual aid, philanthropy, self-help, social activism, solidarity, etc. but is frequently associated with them.