Why ‘volunteering’ programmes are not enough
And the perils of ‘volunteer-washing’….
You know, I've recently come to accept that traditional 'volunteering' isn't right for me - and not just for me. I've worked to set up, support and run volunteering programmes as part of my work in the voluntary sector (the clue is in the name there) for many years. And one of the things I think programmes often fall down on is their simple inability to (safely, appropriately) ask for help as and when they need it from helpful people. And that works much better for me - I'd much rather just help out people and places I like when they need it and when I can, rather than getting into some formal, fixed role. Or take the initiative myself and make things happen.
Make no mistake - I agree that formal volunteering is a great approach for many individuals and organisations. There are vast and well-explored benefits to the belonging, skills development, and so many other benefits provided by 'traditional' volunteering (which is actually anything but traditional.....). Furthermore, mobilising people to undertake high-risk and complex activities needs a proper, formal volunteering structure with well-defined roles. We all saw how rapidly many (although not all) of those initial 'community action' groups to support local people during COVID fell apart when they didn’t quickly become more fully organised. That was when many people started to realise just how vital those local infrastructure organisations were who already had large numbers of checked, organised, netowkred volunteers. Without them, thousands more would have died.
But we do need to have more flexible ways to work alongside that, and to broaden our volunteering approach to encompass a more generative, develomental approach that supports active champions who use their skills to make things happen. Treating volunteers as true partners and leaders - not just people who deliver 'our' work - can sometimes be a vital part of the mix. That developmental approach sits at the heart of our work on the 'People-Powered Regeneration' project I'm supporting, bringing local people together to collaborate as equal partners.
Beyond that, I'm going to commit a heresy and name the elephant in the room: sometimes I feel that we've strayed too far into a situation where the only kind of voluntaristic societal contribution we recognise is a system that looks much like employment without remuneration. It does worry me that in many cases, this is part and parcel of our societal/ economic drive to deskill and deprofessionalise the helping professions. Sudden large scale volunteering programes that coincidentally see armies of volunteers recruited to take on the roles of health and social care professionals can be sold as 'big society.' I think this is volunteer-washing. And it's why supporting people to take active, championing, self-directed roles is vital, alongside well-managed formal volunteering programmes.