Volunteering: Why we can't survive without it

Abstract

Much has changed in the twenty years I have been engaged with the topic. Volunteering, philanthropy and financial giving are now widely discussed and practiced, with the concept no longer tainted by class or fashion. Quite the reverse. But there is still a considerable gap in our historical and contemporary knowledge, and volunteering continues to suffer from a lack of real understanding and recognition. In the academic arena too, volunteering and unpaid labour are still considered 'lightweight', not topics with which serious scholars in the hallowed halls of our universities engage. Although governments of all persuasions are much more cognisant of the value and worth of volunteering and most are actively involved in administering volunteer programs and offering support, volunteering is still on the periphery of mainstream policy and decision making. Its status is not assured, and there is so much we do not know about the role and impact of volunteering in and on our society.