Volunteering in Conflicts and Emergencies Theme Paper 3: Volunteers and Victims

This paper, the third of six preliminary working papers of Volunteering in Conflict and Emergencies (ViCE) initiative, explores the multiple and shifting identities within the labels of ‘volunteer’ and ‘victim’ that shape experiences of local volunteering. The paper argues that: the idea of ‘giver’ and ‘recipient’ as different is problematic as local volunteers can be simultaneously volunteers and victims; by assuming volunteers are only a ’giver’, their needs can be neglected; recognising the different ways that volunteers are vulnerable is essential to ensuring their safety and security.