Hot
Topic Archive
September
2003
Punch,
Judy and volunteerism?
by
Andy Fryar
Twelve
months ago, while attending a conference in the United
States, I was privileged to participate in a workshop
conducted by Canadian volunteerism expert, consultant
and author, Linda Graff.
Linda's
workshop on that day was titled 'emerging ethical
dilemmas in volunteerism', and we were encouraged
to think seriously about the question of just who
is 'driving' the volunteering agenda? Well a year
later I am still pondering that question - and the
more I take time to observe the latest trends and
government initiatives here in Australia, the more
I believe there is merit in Linda's challenge.
More
recently, Linda has written further on this topic
in an essay titled 'the genetic engineering of the
volunteer movement' , published in a new e-book titled
'The
Rants and Raves Anthology'
In
this essay, Linda firstly explores the traditional
and historical roots of volunteerism. She then takes
time to examine how the volunteer movement has evolved
into being an attractive proposition to government
in meeting many of it's social welfare and other responsibilities.
Allow
me to take a few moments to walk you through Linda's
thoughts from an Australian perspective.
Volunteering
has historically operated through a process where
communities have simply responded to needs as they
arise. These solutions have traditionally been spontaneous,
innovative and generous. They were largely undefined
and certainly not structured as we might understand
the contemporary management of volunteer programs.
Then,
not so long ago, issues like insurance, risk management
and liability started to raise their ugly heads.
As
a result, the volunteering community responded by
formalising their structures a little more. Volunteer
management positions started to become the norm and
volunteer efforts became more of a coordinated effort
rather than simply an ad-hoc response to needs.
Within
this growth, the volunteer sector started to seek
recognition further abroad. Funding was (and continues
to be) poor to voluntary organisations, and so a concerted
effort was made to gain the attention of both government
and corporations into the value of volunteering.
Quite
unwittingly, volunteering had in many ways become
a 'commodity' for the first time.
After
scratching around with piecemeal funding for decades,
volunteering suddenly became the flavour of the month,
as for the first time, government saw that there was
real benefit in involving volunteering in their social
action planning for work rehabilitation and training.
The emergence of programs in Australia such as the
Voluntary Work Initiative (VWI) and Mutual Obligations
(MO) being just two of these.
More
recently, the creation of compact documents has become
all the rage while the emergence of ministerial portfolios
and government departments dealing with volunteering,
has further validated government interest in the volunteer
movement.
Good
you say - great even; at long last, the government
at all levels is recognising the worth of the voluntary
sector.
Now
before you get too excited, let me pose a few pointed
questions that explore this concept from an Australasian
perspective:
- Who is it that
determines the direction of and criteria for established
government funded volunteer/welfare programs such
as the voluntary work initiative and mutual obligations?
- Who is it that
ultimately dictates which participants can be involved
in such programs?
- Who is it that
ultimately dictates how participants can be involved
in such programs?
- Are initiatives
such as the development of legislation and compacts
seen (more broadly) by the community as being partnership
arrangements or as something government is doing
for the voluntary sector?
- Why is it that
so much government funding to the volunteer sector
is tied up specifically in directional outcomes
of this nature? Why can't more 'core' funding be
available for volunteer agencies to simply go about
their business?
- Is the increasing
amount of 'red tape' associated with volunteer involvement
conducive to productive community participation?
From where has the need for this increased 'paperwork'
come?
- As more corporations
look to the voluntary sector to appease their social
conscience what are the conditions being imposed
on volunteering in return for corporate generosity?
So
let me pose Linda's question to all of you.
Do
you believe that the volunteer sector is in control
of its own destiny and development?
OR
Do you believe that the volunteer sector are becoming
'puppets' in a show where short term political gain
appears to be a far more important ingredient in decision
making processes than values of community development
and the growth of social capital?
Now
don't get me wrong. I believe that if you are paranoid
enough and look hard enough, you can probably find
a conspiracy under every rock, and I for one am certainly
not suggesting a conspiracy is taking place.
What
I am suggesting is that we need to be aware of the
paths our funding 'carrots' may take us down - otherwise,
before we know it, we are some place we never intended
to be!
So
let's hear your thoughts on this topic.
- Do you believe
that volunteering 'core values' are being lost as
other players enter the sector?
- What examples
have you seen that support or contradict the thoughts
expressed in this hot topic?
- What ideas do
you have for ways we can ensure our values are not
compromised?
*
The Rants
and Raves Anthology '- is a new e-book available
for download via the OzVPM bookstore web site.
I'd
like to extend my thanks to Linda Graff for her inspiration
of and assistance in preparing this month's Hot Topic.
Linda's
own web site can be found at http://www.lindagraff.ca/
It's
not too late!
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