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Facts
- International Volunteer Day, December 5, celebrates
the amazing work of volunteers around the world.
- Organisations like the United Nations have taken advantage of Facebook and other social media to mobilise and connect volunteers worldwide.
- Ten million people volunteered
to support the immunisation of 550 million children as part of the Global Polio
Eradication Initiative in 2000. The total value of this support was estimated
at $10 billion, well beyond the reach of either governments or international organisations.
- 470
UN Volunteers from 70 countries worked alongside local people as polling officers
in the 1999 East Timor election.
- About 6000 Australians have worked as
volunteers in Australian overseas aid funded programs in 70 countries since 1960.
At an average of 1.7 years overseas, this is a total of10,000 person-years, contributing
greatly to the countries' development and providing cross-cultural experiences
for volunteers and locals.
Sources: http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org,
http://www.ausaid.gov.au |
Background"How
can I help?" Many people want to make a difference to the world and volunteer
their time and skills to do so. This may be a one-off event, a regular occurrence,
or a full-time commitment for a much longer period. Activities may be highly organised
and require a large team of people, such as providing emergency relief in a disaster,
or informal and individual, such as caring for a neighbour. Volunteers may contribute
to their own community or one overseas and may provide general or specialist knowledge
and skills. Volunteers undertake many and varied tasks including office management,
house repairs, clean-up activities, fundraising and advocacy and the provision
of education and medical services. Volunteers and the people they work with
develop a greater understanding and appreciation of diversity and often develop
strong friendships and an ongoing interest in each other or a particular issue.
These personal connections are particularly helpful in communities overcoming
conflict. They also empower local people to develop greater confidence in their
own knowledge and skills, which builds a firm foundation for further development.
Volunteer work also has an important economic impact. Volunteers' contributions
can save organisations (often charities or not-for-profit organisations) thousands
of dollars and hours, which means their limited resources can be used more widely.
It has been estimated that volunteer work can contribute between 8% and 14% of
the gross domestic product of a developing country. The International Year
of Volunteers 2001 marked a major step forward in deppening understanding of the
social and economic contributions of volunteers and focusing attention on ways
in which volunteerism can be further strengthened. Volunteers are involved
in a range of activities: |
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| Dhanaji, a volunteer
with the agricultural extension program in Nirmitee, India, maintains a pump purchased
with AusAID funds for the irrigation and cultivation of watermelons. The success
of watermelon cultivation has helped slow the migration of young tribal agricultural
workers to cities | |
The building of schools and teacher housing in Areki village was funded through
AusAID. The project is managed by the Catholic relief agency Caritas and carried
out through the localdDiocese. Teams of Australian Rotarians volunteer their skills
for two-week stints | | | |
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| Volunteers with SPARC
(Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres) keep records of the savings
of slum dwellers | |
Celestino Mac, an Australian volunteer
IT trainer working for Australian Volunteers International (AVI), teaches Aurora
Da Costa at a computer course run by the East Timor Development Agency (ETDA),
Dili Photographer Mathias Heng | |
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| Volunteers with the
'adopt a beach campaign' part of the Australian Government supported Tonga Environmental,
Management and Planning ProjectPhotographer Peter Davis |
| Babita Chauhan, 26,
(community volunteer teacher), teaches Hindi to students in her home
Photographer:
Will Salter |
Australia's
responseThe Australian Government has assisted almost 10,000 volunteers
to participate in overseas development activities since the 1960's through respected
Australian institutions. Volunteers have contributed their skills in a wide variety
of areas, helping local people to learn new skills. Volunteers develop strong
links with the communities in which they work and raise awareness of the communities'
issues on their return to Australia. The aid program funds four volunteer
service providers: - Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development which
places around 230 skilled young Australian volunteers, aged 18-30, on short-term
(three-12 month) assignments each year.
- Australian Volunteers International,
which places around 700 skilled volunteers in short and long-term placements each
year.
- Australian Business Volunteers, which places 200-300 professionals,
business and trades people on short-term assignments (one to three months) helping
to build capacity and sustainability of micro, small and medium-sized businesses.
- Volunteering
for International Development from Australia (VIDA), which places around 350 volunteers
in short and long-term placements each year mainly in the Asia Pacific region.
http://www.ausaid.gov.au/closeup/volunteers/info.html
The
global agenda
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