Virtual exhibition

volunteer movement

In 2017, on December 5, Russia officially celebrated Volunteer Day for the first time.

According to Rosstat, the number of volunteers in the third quarter of 2017 amounted to 1.4 million people. This is 20% more than in the same period in 2016.

Rosstat records that Russians spend on average about nine hours a month on volunteer work. Most help children, the elderly, the disabled. Volunteers also take care of garbage collection and landscaping in their settlements, fundraising for charity, provide free medical or legal assistance helping animals.

2018 in Russian Federation Decree of the President of Russia V.V. Putin declared the Year of the Volunteer (Volunteer).

In this regard, the Government of Russia was instructed to form an organizing committee for holding the Year of the Volunteer (Volunteer) in the Russian Federation and approve its composition; to ensure the development and approval of a plan of main events for holding the Year of the Volunteer (Volunteer) in the Russian Federation; to recommend to the executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation to take the necessary measures within the framework of the ongoing Year of the Volunteer (Volunteer).

The decree on holding the Year of the Volunteer in Russia came into force on December 6, 2017.

Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation O.Yu. Vasilyeva stressed that the volunteer movement has great potential.

The volunteer movement today needs to form a socially significant order for mass training of volunteer leaders who will be able to attract creative and thinking people. To do this, we need to continue to educate an appropriate attitude towards volunteering, open educational centers for the training of volunteers, develop and apply competent information policy, says the Minister.

Today, the level of development of volunteer activity in Russia remains extremely low compared to European countries. According to the results of sociological surveys in Russia, many people are ready to take part in volunteer activities, but due to a lack of information on how this can be done, they do not participate. This is the main reason for the low prevalence of volunteering.

AT last years The "catalyst" for the development of volunteering in the regions was the preparation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi in 2014, which created unique opportunities for implementing a systematic approach in youth volunteer programs. The Olympic National Project forms a social order for the mass training of a kind of elite of volunteering, which will be able to attract creatively thinking strata of Russian society to volunteering. However, this "impulse" is not enough - it is necessary to qualitatively change the attitude towards volunteering in the minds of the public in Russia. In the process of this change, it will be necessary to solve the problem, which is that due to political conditions, social stereotypes, characteristics historical development countries, the popularity of volunteering in Russia is significantly inferior to the European one. This is due to the fact that in Europe the work of volunteer centers is based on a well-thought-out communication policy.

What was before?

To understand the features of modern volunteer movements in Russia and Europe, one should turn to the history of volunteering.

Volunteering takes its origins from ancient times. It is based on religious values ​​("love your neighbor"), which became the basis for the mass selfless work of religious communities. The basis of gratuitous, altruistic labor is the historical phenomenon of intraspecific mutual assistance of primitive people, the formation of social norms of solidarity for the survival of related groups and communities.

In the 1990s, the work of volunteers in European countries and the United States began to be recognized as a significant economic resource. As statistics show, in 1998 almost half of the citizens were involved in volunteering, and taking into account adolescents over 14 years old, 79% of citizens. It involves all segments of the population, regardless of the level of education, profession and income. Volunteering is considered as a form of civic participation in socially useful affairs, a way of collective interaction and an effective mechanism for solving urgent social problems.

The history of the volunteer movement in Russia differs from the foreign one primarily in the approach to organizing the process of volunteer work. In the USSR, the decisive role in the process of socialization of the younger generation was played by the participation of young people in socially useful work. To this end, work was organized in training and production plants, youth production teams, forestries, labor and recreation camps, etc.

In Russia, the volunteer movement began to emerge in the late 1980s of the last century, although, if you look at history, it has always existed, for example, in the form of the service of sisters of mercy, the Timur and Pioneer movements, various nature protection societies and monuments.

Over the past twenty years, the concept of "volunteer" has changed a lot. If in the 1980s volunteers went to the virgin lands or BAM, they received a salary for their work, with which the state compensated for the difficult living conditions. The voluntary nature of work on subbotniks, harvesting, or patronage work was often closely connected with obligation and social coercion. There was no law on volunteer labor in Soviet Russia. The concept, content and form of volunteer work in modern Russia begins to take shape in the 1990s, with the emergence of non-profit, public and charitable organizations.

With the collapse of the USSR, the well-established mechanism for organizing the socially useful work of young people ceased to operate. Russian children and youth social movement experienced in the 1990s a radical break in the mechanisms of attitude towards their initiatives on the part of the state. There was an actual liquidation and self-liquidation at the state level of the largest youth organizations that perform an educational function in educational institutions and work teams. Gradually, however, the situation changed: many new youth associations appeared, attempts were made to recreate the movements of children and youth on a national scale. So, although the "Russian Union of Youth" is officially considered the successor of the Komsomol, but in practice it certainly does not have the same power.

According to official data, in 2005 almost 600,000 public organizations, including volunteer associations, were registered in the country. It was this emergence in Russia in the 1990-2000s of the “third sector”, which is made up of non-profit, public and charitable organizations, that was accompanied by the formation of volunteering in the modern sense.

In connection with the growing number of social problems, in the solution of which, under the current economic situation, volunteers have become indispensable, the volunteer movement began to develop. There are people who are willing to voluntarily spend their time and energy for the benefit of society or a particular person.

And how are they?

In the West, a powerful ideological and financial support for various forms of charity has long been established. For example, according to the UN for 2012, in England 24% of young people are involved in voluntary assistance, in Germany - 23%, and in France - 19%. Today in France, 19% of the adult population at least once in their lives participated in volunteer activities. Of these, 60% regularly participate in volunteer work, devoting more than 20 hours a month to it. 46% of the respondents said that they became volunteers because they feel a great desire to help others. Every third German is a volunteer, devoting more than 15 hours a month to work in volunteer associations, projects and self-help groups.

If we talk about the types of volunteer activity in most European countries, then most often volunteers are involved in fundraising (about 27%). Other popular types of volunteering in the West are cooking and serving food (23%), doing work or helping with transportation (20%), volunteering in education (19%).

The reason for such a developed volunteer movement abroad lies, among other things, in the culture and education of future citizens in the spirit of “family” volunteering. Often, family people who would like to take part in any volunteer projects have to choose between social activity and spending time with their family. Family volunteering, which is widespread in the West, makes it possible to get rid of such a dilemma. In the US, there is even Family Volunteer Day, which is celebrated on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This event not only brings family members together, but also allows them to make a joint contribution to the development of the local community.

A new unusual option for voluntary participation of volunteers is virtual or online volunteering. It provides an opportunity to be socially active for those who cannot donate their time. This is especially true for those whose professional experience or lifestyle associated with the Internet environment, as well as people with disabilities. As part of such activities, it is possible to work on the development of Internet applications, the creation and moderation of sites, online communication with various groups of people, including psychological assistance, support groups, and so on. Online volunteering is becoming a reflection of the modern realities of the information age, therefore, it involves a large area of ​​activity.

Great importance is given to volunteering by the European Union. Thus, according to the decision of the European Commission, 2011 was the official Year of Volunteering in Europe. This was a reaction to the actions of European civil society, which proves the importance of the work of volunteers for different regions, countries, nations and Europe as a whole.

Not surprisingly, there are a number of successful international voluntary organizations in Europe, such as UNV (United Nations Volunteers), SCI (Service Civil International), NB: World4U, ICYE (International Cultural Youth Exchange), Alliance, CCIVS (Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service), AVSO (Association of Voluntary Service Organization). Each of these organizations has its own specifics and activities.

New trend in Russia

In Russia, in contrast to European countries, the level of development of volunteerism remains low. Thus, according to studies (Gallup International), only about 10% of the population in Russia are engaged in volunteer activities, mainly young people, most of whom are students, which is explained by the presence of a sufficient amount of free time and increased mobility.

Despite the fact that the experience of other countries in the field of volunteer work makes a significant contribution to the theory and practice social work in Russia, modern Russian society cannot accept any of the models of organizing social work that are effectively operating in other countries.

The “Concept for promoting the development of charitable activities and volunteering in the Russian Federation”, approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1054-r, sets as the main goal of state policy in this area “activating the potential of volunteering as a resource for the development of society, contributing to the formation and dissemination of innovative practices social activities. Another important element of the Concept is the development of infrastructure for information, consulting and educational support for volunteering.

As for family volunteering, in Russia it manifests itself only at the level of individual actions, but not as system work. For its development, programs of work with families and, of course, the promotion of this important type of social activity are needed.

Virtual volunteering in charity has so far been quite rare in Russia, but recently its importance has been growing. So, there are separate projects with the participation of online volunteers. The largest of them, perhaps, can be called Wikipedia. A lot of Russian-speaking users are involved in writing articles for this large-scale resource. An example of charitable online volunteering is the work of the pozar.ru LiveJournal community, which coordinated the work of volunteers involved in extinguishing fires and providing assistance to victims in many regions of Russia. Another volunteer online resource was the Help Map, which collects information about victims of fires and collection points for victims.

Factors and sources of volunteering

Let's consider some factors of development of potential of voluntary work.

The main factors are:

State policy, including encouraging tax legislation, organizational and financial support for NGOs, a developed legal framework for the activities of public associations;

The level of development of the private business sector, which is the main source of various resources for the activities of the third sector;

Developed middle class with traditions of direct and indirect charity;

The level of development of organizations of the voluntary sector, which has the knowledge and skills to attract and organize the work of volunteers;

Family values ​​and traditions of active service to society, altruism, care and social innovation;

Civic values ​​and conscious service to society, and not to persons from the media;

Strategies for civic education and upbringing implemented by the public education system;

A conscious active position on the development of civil society on the part of the community of scientists and educators.

In addition, the Russian volunteer movement has undoubted features. This is due to the fact that: 1) the status of a volunteer in society is not defined; 2) systemic methods of attracting the population to volunteer activities have not been developed; 3) the volunteer movement is characterized by spontaneity, spontaneity, instability; 4) positive promotion of volunteerism is underdeveloped.

Currently, among the priority areas facing the volunteer movement, experts in this field highlight the expansion of the volunteer space - the search for forms and methods joint activities social protection institutions, secondary schools, law enforcement agencies, employment services, cultural institutions, labor collectives as members of the volunteer movement.

It's all about perception

The great social significance of volunteering is recognized in Europe, both by the general population and by political and economic figures. Thus, in the UK, more than two thirds of public organizations annually employ more than 20 volunteers and about one third - more than 100 volunteers.

Thanks to the cooperation of industrial, trade enterprises, banks with public organizations, employers encourage volunteer activities of their employees. The “typical” employer-supported volunteer works a couple of hours a month at social organizations by doing fundraising or providing targeted assistance. Moreover, large firms have a specialist who coordinates the volunteer activities of their employees. Other firms award prizes to organizations where their employees work. In addition, competitions are announced for the organization with the best volunteer program. The benefits of corporate volunteering for the company are, first of all, in creating its positive image and increasing the identification of employees with the workplace and, as a result, increasing awareness and productivity. The relationship of business with public organizations is often organizationally formalized through the participation of business representatives in the board of a public organization.

This type of corporate volunteering, the concept of which was developed in the USA back in the 1980s, began to be implemented by the UK Volunteering Center. Thanks to its public campaigns, the creation of national and regional networks, the Center is seriously developing.

The Value of Volunteering survey found that the majority of executives in the top 500 firms in the UK today believe that a candidate who has volunteered experience on their application is more conscientious, has good communication and teamwork skills.

Gradually, this practice takes root in Russia, as the Russian employer understands from this entry that he is facing a person with an active life position, who can become a charismatic leader who will successfully cope with the tasks set and will be able to lead people.

Often, young people in Russia are not ready for active work in public organizations because he does not see the real social significance of the work of organizations. A person comes and stays in the organization only if his needs coincide with what the organization can offer him.

In addition, personal contacts - with family members, friends and acquaintances - encourage volunteering. Some became volunteers as a result of receiving various information materials: leaflets, posters, announcements, messages in in public places, newspapers, on radio and television, as a result of information events (32% of respondents). Often the motive for volunteer work is the need for contact with other people and overcoming feelings of loneliness, as well as the desire to learn new things.

Since 1998, the volunteer association World4U has been operating in Russia, which is engaged in youth and student exchange programs and providing air tickets for young people, students, graduate students and teachers. World4U is a member of the Youth Action for Peace, associated group and a partner of many other international volunteer organizations.

In Moscow, there is a group "Donors for Children", which is a completely voluntary association. Members do not have a permanent membership or "membership in society". Volunteers arrange circles in the hematology department, children's competitions and trips to the theater for children and parents, organized fundraising for the search for bone marrow donors and medicines. And they just come to play with the children and chat with their parents. All these people are donors, and it doesn't matter if they donate blood or not.

In February 2002, with the support and assistance of the Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Russian Cancer Research Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. N.N. Blokhin at the initiative of citizens different countries, united by the desire to help sick children, the Nastenka Charitable Foundation was created.

The Foundation aims to improve the quality of diagnosis and treatment of children with cancer, comprehensive assistance to families of sick children. The main object of the Foundation's charitable assistance is the Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology of the Russian Cancer Research Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. N.N. Blokhin, where more than a hundred children from different regions of Russia are being treated. "Nastenka" spends holidays, entertainment programs, concerts, excursions.

In Moscow, there is a volunteer group of the children's department of the Moscow Regional Oncological Dispensary "The Seventh Petal", whose patients need friends. It can be either one person or a family, a group of friends, members of various forums and clubs who can take patronage over a particular child and help him go all the way to recovery. You can call back, visit, chat, give gifts with or without a reason. If possible, provide support in the purchase of medicines, clothing, food.

There is also an association of volunteers who provide assistance to children who, by the will of fate, are forced to spend their childhood in a hospital. Refuseniks.Ru.

Each hospital has its own coordinator, who is responsible for organizing care for a particular medical institution. It's perfect different people often not familiar with each other. The project website is a platform for joining efforts to solve this problem and collect aid more effectively. Refuseniks.Ru collect the most necessary things for children. Constantly update the list of hospitals that need help, quickly replenished. The guys are always waiting for volunteers who want to join the project and help orphans in hospitals.

Volunteer group "World in the palm of your hand" is a non-profit, non-political, informal, voluntary association of people that provides assistance to social institutions, mainly for working with children.

The Regional Public Fund for Assistance to the Elderly "Good Deed" was established in Moscow in 2000 as non-profit organization to fulfill the following mission: to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of the elderly and old people victims of totalitarian regimes through the organization of medical, social and historical rehabilitation.

Nature Conservation Team. V. N. Tikhomirov of the Faculty of Biology of Moscow State University - a voluntary public youth environmental organization, one of the oldest organizations Nature Conservation Movements - All-Union movement for the conservation of wildlife. DOP MSU works both in Moscow and the Moscow Region on its main campaigns ("Zakazniki", "Crane Homeland", "Primrose"), and participates in solving "hot" environmental problems in Russia and around the world.

Volonter.ru - unified volunteer coordination service

Philanthropist: E-zine of philanthropy

Arsenyeva T.N. Innovative management of youth volunteer programs. Arsenyeva T.N., Vinogradova N.V.

Arsenyeva T.V. Psychological and pedagogical foundations for the development and implementation of innovative youth volunteering projects

Biederman K. Coordination of work of volunteers and management of volunteer programs in the UK

Kozyrev A.I. Development of modern volunteer movement in Russia

Kudrinskaya L.A. Volunteer work: the experience of theoretical reconstruction: Abstract of the dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Sociological Sciences. - Moscow, 2006

Methodological manual for executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and educational organizations on the development of the volunteer movement

Bodrenkova G.P. Systematic development of volunteerism in Russia: from theory to practice: a teaching aid. - Moscow: ANO SPO SOTIS, 2013 (Full text)

Volunteer Management: A guide for staff and youth leaders of the Belarusian Red Cross Society on organizing the work of volunteers (Full text)

Volunteer center "Turnkey", or Guidelines for the creation and organization of volunteer centers.-Kazan, 2012 (Full text)

On the road to goodness: a manual for the development of the volunteer movement. - 2nd ed., revised. and additional — Vologda, 2011 (Full text)

Handbook for volunteers of HIV/AIDS prevention programs among peers. - Moscow: Healthy Russia, 2005 (Full text)

Service to society: A guide to the development of volunteer activities of students of educational organizations / Comp. Argynov A.Kh., Zhumakanova R.A. - Almaty: Scientific and Information Center for Civic Education, 2009 (Full text)

If the price is not indicated in the description of the program, then the program is completely free. In any case, the basic requirement is knowledge of English, it is also necessary to attach a resume (CV) or motivation letter to the application for participation in the program (what exactly will be indicated in the response letter to the questionnaire request).

Photo Marathon In Reykjavik (Iceland)

Dates: 06/07/2016 - 06/16/2016.

Volunteers will attend workshops and lectures on the art of photography, explore the sights of Reykjavik, take pictures and eventually take part in a social photo exhibition. the main objective programs - draw the attention of the local population to social problems through photos of participants. Volunteers will be accommodated in a local hotel, food costs are included, but you will have to cook yourself. Participation fee - 220 euros.

Talking Walls/Creative Arts (India)

Dates: 07/18/2016 - 07/31/2016.

Volunteers will have to paint the walls on the RUCHI campus. The main themes of the drawings are love and peace, global warming, intercultural communication and learning. Volunteers will live in the village of Bandh, in a volunteer camp. Meals are included, but program participants will be required to assist the chef in food preparation from time to time. Participation fee - 200 euros.

Muktuk Adventures (Canada)

Dates: 05/15/2016 - 07/15/2016; 07/15/2016 - 10/15/2016.

The Muktuk organization in Canada is looking for volunteers for dog shelters and offers many different jobs: animal care, cooking, security, cleaning, serving visitors to the shelter. Mandatory requirement - love for dogs. Accommodation and travel are paid by the organization, the duration of the working day is from 8 to 12 hours. If you love dogs and dream of visiting Canada, then this offer is just for you!

Youth for Youth Project (Nepal)

Dates: 08/13/2016 - 08/25/2016.

Volunteers will be required to help organize events in certain sports and social events aimed at attracting the attention of young people to entrepreneurial activity. It will be possible to engage in leadership and direct organization or presentation of material for the youth of Nepal. Accommodation - in local families or hostels of the city of Kathmandu, meals included. Participation fee - 230 euros.

Archeology and Culture (USA)

Dates: 07/09/2016 - 07/23/2016.

Volunteers will be based in Allegheny, in rural New York. The area of ​​work includes small towns, forests and farms. Experience is not required as the volunteers will be trained on site by experienced archaeologists. This is an archaeological field school where volunteers learn about excavation techniques, soil sampling and artifact handling. The working day starts at 8:00 and ends at 17:00 (Monday to Friday). Volunteers will be housed in apartments within walking distance of the excavation site. Meals included.

To register for the program, you need to follow this link, add the program to the "Basket" and register. More information about the program can be obtained.

Center of the World (Turkey)

Dates: 07/21/2016 - 07/31/2016.

Volunteers will mainly communicate with local youth in order to help them learn English language. From time to time, it will be necessary to help in decorating schools or landscaping local streets and parks. Volunteers will live in a hostel in the city of Akshehir, meals are included.

Since the host country is Turkey, the official website of the program is in Turkish. But don't be sad! To participate in the program, you need to go through online registration (in English) and choose one of the 50 programs offered by Genctur. In this case, we are interested in the Center of the World program with the code GEN -22. More information about the volunteer camp can be obtained by sending an email to: [email protected]

Maki Farm (Japan)

Dates: 06/15/2016 - 06/26/2016.

Volunteers will help Japanese farmers in rice fields and vegetable plantations with weeding, planting various crops, as well as caring for animals and doing housework at the Kyodo Gakusha Maki Farm in Nagano Prefecture. Be prepared to work for quite a long time - from 5:30 to 18:00 with breaks.

Marburg (Germany)

Dates: 06/18/2016 - 07/2/2016.

Participants will work handmade to prepare the squares of Marburg for the holidays. This includes cleaning the area, gardening, decorating, setting up tents. Hours: 4 to 5 hours a day, four days a week. Volunteers will live in the camp. Each group is separately engaged in the purchase of products and cooking. There are lectures and/or excursions almost every day. Basic knowledge of the German language is required. Participation fee - 160 euros.

Sustainable Development Camp (Thailand)

Dates: 06/13/2016 - 06/25/2016.

Volunteers will teach local villagers (Klongla area) English using a creative approach. Also, help will be needed in the construction of houses for the volunteer camp. But still the main goal is communication with Thais. Accommodation - in a local hostel, meals included. Additional participation fee is THB 9,000.

Teaching With Volunteer (Uganda)

Dates depend on the chosen program.

This organization is dedicated to supporting communities in countryside in southwestern Uganda. The main goal is to help achieve permanent, sustainable development of infrastructure, improve the level of education, create new jobs, and improve the health of the population. Volunteers can choose activities based on their interests. Opportunities exist to educate both children and adults, become a researcher into the causes of poverty in Uganda and look for ways to solve this problem, or even try your hand at football coaching.

Cultural Heritage Preservation and Promotion (China)

Dates: 07/05/2016 - 07/14/2016.

The history of the city of Fuzhou has had a profound effect on Chinese culture in general, but now the authorities are worried about the loss of interest in folk art. Organizers summer camp invite volunteers to study Chinese, calligraphy, traditional wood carving, organize charity fairs where items will be put up for sale folk art, as well as participate in the discussion of the topic of preserving cultural heritage.

International Humanity Foundation

The dates of the event depend on the choice of priorities when filling out the questionnaire.

The company offers many opportunities for volunteers not only in summer, but also at other times of the year. The IHF aims to provide volunteers with the big picture of poverty around the world. If you become a volunteer in one of the IHF centers, you will take practical courses and help the poor, as well as learn administration and general management organization.

It is possible to work either from home or while traveling. The organization needs volunteers in centers in Thailand, Indonesia and Kenya, and the IHF can take you on an amazing journey to volunteer in one of the suggested countries. If you are interested in volunteering to work from home, you will be able to complete tasks that require 1 to 4 hours per week and range from paperwork to Maintenance website. You will be able to choose what kind of work you would like to do.

Blue Mahal - Art of Living (India)

Dates: 1.08.2016 - 14.08.2016.

The main goal of this project is to draw attention to the environmental problems of India by local residents. The work consists of teaching children from poor families and marginalized communities in English math, hygiene and health promotion, as well as the rules of interaction with environment. The basis of learning is creative, includes games, singing, and so on. Accommodation - in a rented house with shared rooms in the city of Jodhpur, meals - Indian cuisine three times a day. Attention, there is an additional charge of INR 14,000.

Maya Universe Academy

Volunteers can try themselves in any role in the field of education, construction, agriculture and management. The organization helps volunteers choose jobs by matching their interests, experience and desires with the needs and resources of the camps while volunteering. This summer, volunteers are sent to either a school in India or an agricultural camp in Kathmandu. The company covers all food and lodging expenses for long-term volunteers, while short-term volunteers must contribute $10 per day.

YMCA Fairthorne Group

Dates depend on the choice of program.

The YMCA is looking for volunteers to work with children and youth as instructors and group leaders. Volunteers will be trained in various active games and activities such as water games, rope games, forest survival skills training. You can also take up teaching English classes for other volunteers.

10 cool volunteer programs around the world

Sometimes there comes a moment when you want to drop everything and go to the ends of the world. Don't hold yourself back. Go rescue turtles in Thailand, teach Brazilian children, or sign up to volunteer at the UN. So you can see the world, learn foreign languages, find a bunch of new friends and, what can I say, make this world a little better.

We have collected for you ten real-life volunteer programs around the world. Accommodation and meals are almost everywhere free.

Teaching children in Thailand

Karenni Social Development Center invites volunteers to train young Karenni people living in northern Thailand. The mission is to teach students social center English, ecology, international law and fundamental human rights. You will have to work for four hours from Monday to Friday. The center provides volunteers with free accommodation and three meals a day. You will live near the beach, so there should be no problems with leisure time left from work.

Requirements: English language Register here: https://sdcthailand.wordpress.com/

Helping children in Bolivia

Amanencer helps abandoned and orphaned children in Cochabamba, Bolivia. This is a Catholic organization, but you can become a volunteer here regardless of faith. Contract for a period of six months. You can engage in education, childcare, psychological and medical care- it all depends on your qualifications. If you love kids and want to do something good, then this option is for you.

Work on a farm anywhere in the world

The World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms organization helps to travel the world and learn about the cultures of different peoples. You will live in a family, and even with full board. You are only required to work on the farm for about four hours a day. Agree, picking pistachios in Israel is not the same thing as sitting your ass in a stuffy office. Relax, look at the world. The scheme is as follows: you choose a country, a farm where you would like to work, fill out an application and send it. The owner of the farm looks to see if everything suits him in you, and if everything is ok, he sends an invitation. Transport back and forth, as usual, is your own, and on the spot you will be met and surrounded by comfort and not particularly exhausting work.

Rescue turtles in Thailand

If you don’t see any special pedagogical abilities in yourself, but you still want to live in Thailand, then join the Naucrates environmental project. You will save sea turtles. The tasks of volunteers include monitoring beaches, collecting and processing data. Will you tell local residents that turtles are endangered, and then train new volunteers. The duration of the volunteer contract is 9-12 weeks. This is the only program presented where you will have to pay for accommodation and meals.

Teaching children in Peru

The Santa Marta Foundation invites volunteers to its Training Center in Peru. This is where the Incas, Machu Picchu, Titicaca, that's all. The Santa Marta Center tries to help homeless children and children from poor families. You can teach them the language, conduct cooking or computer courses, teach art, or suggest some kind of your own direction. Any initiative is welcome here. You will only have to spend money on a flight to Peru (we know that it is not cheap), and accommodation and meals will be provided.

Teach English in Honduras

Volunteer teachers from all over the world teach children from poor families at the bilingual Kofradia School near San Pedro Sela, the second largest city in Honduras. Lack of teaching experience is not a problem. The main thing is to have pedagogical abilities. In other words, love children and be able to captivate them with your ideas. In Honduras, such a distant country with a strange name, you will get an incomparable experience that will no doubt come in handy when you return home. By the way, knowledge of Spanish is not required, because all classes are held in English.

Teaching drawing to children from the Brazilian favelas

About 20 million people live in Sao Paulo, and most of the city's population lives in slums with beautiful name- favelas. These are shacks built with complete disregard for sanitary standards. MonteAzul strives to give children from the slums a decent education and the opportunity to subsequently escape from poverty. Volunteers from all over the world are welcome here. If you have any interesting skills or knowledge (music, drawing, exact sciences) that you can teach children, then this will be a plus. The work schedule is quite normal - from eight in the morning to five in the evening. This is a real opportunity to help poor kids and at the same time deeply study the culture and life of the Brazilians.

Volunteering in the Peace Corps

Volunteering in the Peace Corps is not suitable for someone who just wants to ride around the world, see others and show themselves off. It is worth signing up here if you really want to make the world a little better and are not afraid to overexert yourself. Because you will have to work on a par with ordinary employees of the organization. You can choose one of 75 countries around the world and feel free to go there. The areas of work are: Agriculture, education, healthcare, ecology. It is not very difficult to get there, but when you return home you will have a recommendation from a very respected worldwide organization. They pay for airfare, full on-site provision, and even medical insurance. You will also receive a monthly stipend.

Rescue children in Mexico

Can you temporarily forget about your problems in order to solve other people's? Go to Mexico to teach orphans good, reasonable, eternal. NPH USA will help you channel your energy and connect with Latin American culture. To work with barefoot and grimy children, it is not necessary to have a pedagogical education. The main thing is a great desire to help children, and the opportunity to go there for six months. If you don't want to go to Mexico, you can choose another South American country. By the way, volunteers can travel as a couple. We are sure that such an adventure will refresh your relationship.

Volunteering at the UN

Participation in the UN volunteer program is as serious as in the Peace Corps, but there are many more opportunities. You can choose from one hundred and thirty countries. Where haven't you been yet? Volunteers usually work from six months to a year. At this time, they also receive a scholarship, full board, health insurance and an awesome resume entry with a recommendation from the United Nations.

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A great way to travel the world is to join an international volunteer movement. There are many organizations and communities of volunteers, as well as charitable firms and independent companies that help in this endeavor. In this article, we will describe the main volunteer programs of 2017 abroad, and at the end we will provide resources for finding a job as a volunteer.

There are a number of programs that have existed for more than a dozen years, hundreds and thousands of people take part in them. Let's dwell on them in more detail.

Appalachian Trail

Work and Travel

Volunteering programs 2017 abroad - UN Volunteers

This is the largest project that works in many areas, from caring for the planet's ecology to helping civilians in hot spots. Not everyone will be able to qualify for this volunteer program, but if you can, you will get a large number of pluses, ranging from a grant for the settlement, ending with a severance pay at the end of work. In order to take part in the program, you need to register on the official website at this link: https://ereta.unv.org/html/index.php?module=myprofile.

The name of the organization stands for "Global Opportunities on Organic Farms". Under its terms, volunteers work for several hours a day on farms that grow organic products, for which they receive food and housing. Official website of the volunteer program: http://www.wwoof.net.

Trip Leader for HF Holidays

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The organization is recruiting volunteers to organize and accompany hiking trips around Europe. As a reward, you will be provided with accommodation and food. Register and apply for the free volunteer program here: https://www.hfholidays.co.uk

Other volunteer programs for 2017

per century information technologies volunteering has changed. If earlier there were several large organizations working in one direction, now they act differently.

Volunteer Programs 2017 Abroad - Study in India

Instead of recruiting a few hundred people and distributing them around the world or across a single country, organizations operate differently. They recruit volunteers in small groups of up to 10 people and send them to a specific location. For example, three volunteers can be sent to teach the poor in India or China - there is no need for more people in one place.

Volunteering as an idea of ​​serving the community is as old a concept as “society”. In all ages who realized themselves in communication and helping their community. What do volunteers do today - we will consider in this article.

What is volunteering?

Volunteering is an activity that is aimed at providing gratuitous services to a person or group of people who are not relatives of a volunteer, without the expectation of a monetary reward. This wording most accurately defines the meaning of volunteering.

Unfortunately, at the moment there is no legal definition of the term “volunteer”. And very often this word is used in a variety of situations. For example, volunteers are people who participate in government projects and receive monetary rewards for this. Many argue that it is not voluntary, but has the form of ordinary wage labor. According to the above wording, volunteers can be called workers who work in well-known enterprises without pay for the sake of gaining experience. However, such people are not considered volunteers.

Volunteering in Russia

In the Russian Federation, it originated in the late 80s of the last century. Historians argue that the volunteer movement has always existed, it simply did not have an official name.

Volunteering is controlled in Russia higher authorities and regulated by law. So, in 1995, the State Duma adopted a law on volunteering, which is called "On public associations". It defines the rights and opportunities of voluntary groups. In the same year, the law "On charitable activities and charitable organizations" was adopted, which also regulates the activities of volunteers.

On the this moment The Russian government provides state support to volunteers. Thus, tax and other benefits are provided for voluntary organizations.

Now volunteering is very popular and even fashionable. Voluntary organizations existing in Russia are mainly focused on young people who are not employed family responsibilities and permanent Most often, volunteer groups are organized at universities. Thus, volunteers of the Russian Federation have the opportunity to put into practice the acquired knowledge.

Problems of volunteering in Russia

Recently, volunteering in the Russian Federation is gaining new momentum. But, despite the positive trends, there are problems that hinder the development of volunteering. Yes, the prevailing economic situation countries makes it difficult to use unpaid labor. Even in Soviet times, volunteering had a voluntary-compulsory form. Participation in public works was compulsory for all. This approach violated the principle of voluntariness. For this reason, the majority of Russians have a negative attitude towards such activities and are in no hurry to sign up for volunteers in the Russian Federation.

Today it rests on young initiative people, in whose minds thoughts about support and assistance to those in need appear.

Areas of volunteer activity

Volunteers play an important role in the life of society. AT modern world There are many problems that cannot be solved without the help of volunteers. So, volunteering can be manifested in such main areas as:

• AIDS prevention;
• protection of nature and preservation of the purity of the environment;
• prevention and control of smoking, alcohol and drug addiction;
• assistance to the elderly, the disabled, orphans, the poor, migrants, refugees, the homeless and other people who need material and moral support;
• improvement of streets, houses, green areas;
• assistance to animals, maintenance of nature reserves and zoos;
• conducting educational conversations with young people in order to prevent free sexual relations and teenage prostitution;
• Internet volunteering, of which Wikipedia is an example;
• assistance in organizing charity concerts and various festivals;
• assistance to law enforcement agencies, doctors, rescuers; for example, conducting a survey of the population or searching for a person who got lost in an unfamiliar area;
• technical support.

Principles of volunteering

Any volunteer activity is based on ideology. Various promotions, programs and all kinds of events are often accompanied by entourage. Usually volunteers wear clothes, hats with the symbols of a volunteer organization. You can also recognize a volunteer by badges. Such an ideology and adherence to principles makes the members of the organization feel their importance. Thus, volunteers must adhere to the following principles:

1. Always respect the rights, dignity, national and cultural characteristics of other people.
2. Propaganda healthy lifestyle life. Volunteers do not smoke or drink alcohol.
3. Always show kindness. Do not use words and expressions that can offend or harm another person.
4. Volunteering is a legitimate way to participate in society.
5. A volunteer always has the right to choose.

Types of volunteering

There is a classification according to which the following types of volunteer activities are distinguished:

1. In the direction of sports, virtual, environmental, construction, agricultural, concert, cultural, educational, office volunteering.
2. At the location of the participant of the voluntary organization: city, non-resident and international volunteers.
3. By types of services rendered and work performed: escort, transportation, communication with the blind and deaf and dumb, care for bedridden patients, meeting at the railway station or at the airport, servicing spectators, telephone duty.
4. By event name: festival, Olympic and Paralympic volunteers.
5. By the number of people involved: individual, joint or group volunteering.
6. According to the volunteer's affiliation to the organization: school, church, corporate, university, organizing committee volunteers.
7. Depending on the type of financing: self-sustaining and subsidized.

Forms of volunteering

There are the following forms of volunteering:

1. Individual volunteer activity.
2. Volunteering as part of a group of volunteers.
3. Volunteering through a volunteer organization.

Why do people become volunteers?

People volunteer for different reasons. The main ones are:

1. A noble idea - it reflects the principles and importance of the activity.
2. Psychological need - many people want to do something useful for society. While participating in volunteer programs, they gain self-esteem and job satisfaction.
3. The need for communication - for this reason, very often people look for work in voluntary organizations.
4. Seeking new opportunities and interests - volunteering is often associated with non-standard approaches and new lines of business.
5. Opportunity to earn - a lot of volunteers for the sake of financial enrichment. Although volunteering is considered gratuitous, the volunteer still receives something, whether it be moral pleasure or material reward, if provided by the organization.
6. Self-realization is an opportunity to improve your career. As a volunteer, you can make new connections and gain respect in the community. Also, during volunteering, you can develop new
7. The desire to share own experience- people who survived the financial crisis, alcoholism, drug addiction, can predict and help prevent situations that happened to them.
8. Access to resources - as a rule, volunteers have the opportunity to travel a lot, use the Internet, books, etc.