Issues and Terminology Venue: FNB Conference and Learning Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa Date: Monday, 18 October, 2011

VOLUNTEER ACTION Volunteering Civic Service Youth volunteering Community-based volunteering Corporate support for volunteer action International volunteering Higher education community engagement

VOLUNTEERING “Acts of one’s own free will, not obligated by law, contract or academic requirements; not done primarily for financial gain; and for common good or community well-being.” (UN General Assembly Resolution 56/38)

VOLUNTEERING CONT. “The reality in Southern Africa is different than in other parts of the world. (VSO-RAISA; 2011) Volunteering often occurs in resource limited settings under extremely difficult conditions. Expectation of financial or material compensation Volunteering is primarily undertaken to show solidarity

VOLUNTEERING CONT. “Volunteering is a civic act, one that, ideally, is driven by a volunteer’s sense of ‘belonging’ within a particular civic community. It is an act of social citizenship if you will.” (Obadare; 2011)

CIVIC SERVICE “Civic service can be defined as formal voluntary or mandatory engagement through structured programmes, operated by private, civil society or public organisations, designed both to develop those providing service and improve social and economic conditions.” (Moore McBride & Sherraden, 2007)

VOLUNTEERING AND SERVICE Volunteering and service activities vary in duration and structure, from ad hoc or occassional volunteering at one end of the spectrum to structured and intensive civic service programmes at the other (Moore McBride et al, 2003) These activities and programmes also vary in purpose – from charitable or philanthropic service activities to those that aim for social transformation (CIVICUS, IAVE and UNV, 2009).

VOLUNTEER ACTION CONTINUM Note: These categories are not mutually exclusive and may overlap Mutual aid Self help Charity Philanthropy Civic engagement Social activism