One of our old volunteers, Mr. Ravindra P. Junagade, sent me this informative and critical article regarding his views on volunteering as well as his personal experience in the sector. Do read it and leave your comments!
Please remember that SOSVA is happy to receive both negative and positive feedback regarding the placement and follow up process, so that we can make our VOLACT-program better! A big thanks to all of you who have written to me so far!
[I] Volunteerism in General
[A] Concept of Volunteerism:
Volunteerism is based on the principle of voluntary action, done out of one’s own free will, rather than compulsion. Generally the services of volunteer are extended free and discharged out of a higher sense of purpose, compassion or strong belief in the cause. Whatever the motivating forces, volunteering is an important cornerstone of philanthropy. It may consist from faith-based groups that distribute food or clothing to the needy or professionals / celebrities who contribute their talents or personal resources. The most capable resource that any country has is its people. Volunteerism is about mobilizing that strength.
[B] Advantages of Volunteerism:
a) Towards Cause or Organization –
i) Volunteer resource is available at almost no cost.
ii) There is a flexibility of increasing or decreasing the strength as per the need.
iii) Services of specialists in various fields like doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, writers, etc. can be made available from time to time as per the need.
iv) Wide spread networking is possible.
v) Many volunteers may be having an intense urge and more dedication than even paid employees.
b) To Individuals Volunteering -
i) Inculcates team spirit, organizing ability and leadership skills. These skills are also useful in their own professional fields.
ii) Gives a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. Kind of satisfaction one gets out of it is not possible by working in any other commercial establishment. Apart from this direct advantage, there is one big advantage which comes indirectly – it reduces the severity of sufferings of those volunteering. When they see problems of others, the intensity of their own problems is felt less by them. This change in attitude is not easily attainable by other means.
iii) For housewives and retired personals it helps to keep them busy. Keeping oneself engaged and active is a healthy practice both for physical as well as mental health.
iv) Developing contacts / Building public image.
[C] Reasons for Volunteering & Positive / Negative aspects of each:
a) Feeling of Compassion for the Needy – They have a real urge and hence can be very dedicated. Ready to work in adverse conditions. They will prefer to work at grassroots level having direct interaction with the needy. But in some cases they may need financial assistance like reimbursement of traveling / out of pocket expenses.
b) Cause Dear to Heart - They have a real urge and hence can be very dedicated. Ready to work in adverse conditions and may strongly fight for the cause. But in some cases they may need financial assistance like reimbursement of traveling / out of pocket expenses. Also their enthusiasm can be tremendously increased by appreciation / reward.
c) Getting New Perspective on Life – Those having a real urge to work for a cause may be very dedicated and work in adverse conditions. Others may tryout the assignment and may work only if it suits them. Likely to shift frequently. They may not be ready to work in very adverse conditions. Retired persons falling in this category can give time on working days also. But they can not take up strenuous jobs, work in very adverse conditions and availability may be uncertain due to health problem. May be less flexible and having an ego.
d) Added Weightage in Resume / part of Curriculum – These are available for short time and hence suitable for small assignments or event management. They may not be very serious and may leave the assignment halfway once their purpose is fulfilled. Can’t expect them to work in adverse conditions.
e) Improving Public Image – Mainly celebrities and those having political ambitions come in this category. They work only where there is publicity or they get a mileage out of it. Very superficial. But they can be a good source of funding and help in getting media coverage for the cause or organization.
f) Socializing or Building Network – Their main intention is not working for the cause but to get a forum for their other interests. For youngsters it is just for socializing and increasing friendships. Those working as agents for insurance, mutual funds or selling products use these contacts for their commercial interests and expanding network. They are not very reliable to be available when there is a need for the cause.
g) Religious Beliefs – They have good dedication and may work in adverse conditions. Time they spent may be limited and may work through their own religious groups / organizations. Hence they can be usually mobilized through such organizations only.
[D] Management of Volunteers:
Effective management of volunteers depends on –
a) Volunteer Programme - Understanding the purpose of the volunteer programme including what the volunteers are going to do once they are recruited (clear job description), how they are going to perform the task (well documented policies and procedures), who the volunteers will be, what sort of skills and qualifications are required to perform the job. This also includes identifying the problem and possible solution.
b) Recruiting volunteers to a specific job - Interviewing and selecting right volunteer considering the cause and likely nature of the work.
c) Volunteer Registration – to enable keeping a list consisting of contact details, skills possessed and time availability of each volunteer.
d) Orientating and Training volunteers – It is necessary since they may be having diverse backgrounds. Moreover they have to deal with difficult and tricky situations. Rights and responsibilities of the volunteers and ideology of the organization should be made clear.
e) Coordinating Activities - As per the need and considering the time availability of each volunteer a schedule has to be prepared by a coordinator. Coordinator has to be responsive to the need. The response needs to be quick since man-hours lost can not be gained and it has to be hassle free so that valuable time and efforts of the volunteers are not wasted.
f) Evaluation – Feedback sessions for volunteers not only provide support and opportunity for personal development, but also provide the organization with a means to evaluate how well its volunteer programme is operating.
g) Rewarding – Even a most altruistic volunteer needs to feel appreciated and not taken for granted. Volunteers investing their time, energy or skill need to feel that they are wanted and appreciated. Recognition is also an important factor in promoting a sense of commitment and loyalty. There are ways to say simple “thank you” –
i) Mentioning the importance of volunteers within organization, news letters, annual report, media, etc.
ii) Planning special social gatherings.
iii) Making daily provision of tea / snacks.
iv) Reimbursement of travel / out of pocket expenses as per the need.
v) Giving certificate / appreciation letters.
[II] Volunteerism in India
[A] Social Sector / Civic Issues Scenario in India & Need for Volunteerism:
Presently in India there is alarming inequality - having a wide gap in between the rich and the poor. Large section of the society is facing extreme poverty, unemployment, hunger, malnutrition, ill health and no access to educational opportunities. If those who are better off do not act now in more socially responsible manner, the society may get further divided. Country’s growth process also may be at the risk since in a globalize economy competitiveness of firms will be threatened by non availability of requisite skilled manpower and unsustainable environment due to lopsided social structure. Besides this the unskilled, underutilized and frustrated young population may also undermine harmony and breed violence.
This is in spite of the fact that government allocations and spending increased manifold in social sectors in last few years. There are many flagship programmes for addressing various social issues. However the results are no where near to expectations. Now with economic downturn it is not expected to further increase the allocations substantially. Moreover, the real challenge lies in proper implementation of the schemes and efficiency in working. Leaving aside the major constraint of inadequate financial resources; in many cases even the allocated funds are not utilized. Inefficient way of working, inadequate coordination, corrupt practices, political influences and lack of accountability are the major factors responsible for various schemes not giving desired results.
Government is aware of this fact and is concerned about it. Hence after recent formation of UPA government the President in her address stated that there will be restructuring of various government schemes along with governance reforms for effective delivery of services. Among other things the governance reforms will include bringing more transparency in government functioning, placing information covering all non-strategic areas in the public domain, periodic evaluation of schemes by independent regulators, public reporting of progress and empowering of NGOs. These developments will further empower citizens with information. Already introduction of RTI act is helping to bring transparency in working and ensure accountability of persons.
With these developments citizens empowered with information can question the implementation failures. Concerned citizens / volunteers as well as NGOs will be in better position to monitor the implementation of various government schemes. If necessary they can take the recourse of RTI act. This will definitely help bringing efficiency in government machinery, which will in turn give better results and better utilization of scares funds.
Apart from social sector there is a scope of volunteers’ contribution for civic issues. There are so many civic problems due to unsatisfactory implementation. With increasing trend of people’s participation in management of various local bodies, there is scope for volunteering for civic issues. People’s participation is one of the provisions of flagship programme JNNURM and many municipal corporations / local bodies are also encouraging.
Due to above there is ample scope of volunteers to contribute towards various causes and also their effectiveness has increased. Therefore volunteers working individually or through NGOs / local forums can play a major role in social sector / civic problems. Fortunately India has a large manpower that can spare time for causes dear to them. It includes working people, housewives and retired personals. Further there is a good potential in utilizing this resource due to large magnitude of social and civic problems, widely spread in the country. Hence there is a dire need of availing this resource. Broadly volunteers may involve in: -
a) Supplementing government efforts by associating with various schemes.
b) Effectively following up government at local level for implementing various policies / schemes. Not only they can monitor the schemes but may take recourse of RTI act wherever necessary.
c) Motivating and empowering people by spreading awareness through their contacts, publishing articles, blog and giving details of websites. This is necessary since there are so many schemes with overlapping objectives and hence the needy can derive cumulative benefits. Apart from this people or beneficiaries empowered with information will be in better position to raise their voice. They can be also trained to use RTI recourse. The effect of this will be wide spread and concerned authorities will be more vigilant when beneficiaries know their entitlements.
d) Raising their demands or expressing opinions through various media to draw attention of government for improvement or change in policies. Those having a flair for writing can send stories for publication of achievements of organizations / individuals working for various causes. This helps organizations in raising funds and gives encouragement to the individuals. Individuals working selflessly need encouragement. Also individuals working in NGOs need appreciation since they work in adverse conditions with very less payments.
e) Working with NGOs - Due to economic downturn fund availability, donations and corporate sponsorships / support are rapidly decreasing. In such situation NGOs need volunteers’ help in raising funds as well as other activities.
f) Managing events / exhibitions / seminars / camps for various causes, where there is a bulk requirement of manpower for a short duration.
[B] Problems faced in utilization of Volunteer Resource:
In spite of having good potential of volunteer resource and scope for utilization, its contribution in social sector is not appreciable. The major reasons being -
a) Problem of properly identifying the issues / possible solutions or avenues where volunteer resource can be utilized.
b) Proper coordination of volunteers to ensure timely availability as per the requirement. All the volunteers may not be available all the time. This action needs to be prompt. In absence of this the organization or forum using this resource is not confident of availing it. Even in a group of volunteers there is a need of coordination and someone taking committed responsibility to ensure working of the group.
c) Organizations registering volunteers and providing list to users do not update the list. Because of this when selected from the list the volunteers are either not available or do not respond. The organizations are also not very prompt in responding to the needs.
d) Problem is faced in assessing the availability of volunteers while deciding about taking up a task. This is because volunteers when contacted do not respond about their non availability. Hence though there may be many on the rolls but there is an uncertainty. This not only affects the work but is discouraging for those who are regular. Also commitment given can not be fulfilled and creditability is lost.
e) There are a large number of youngsters who come forward for volunteering with great enthusiasm. While registering they commit without proper thinking about their other commitments including their job front. They are very inconsistent and at many times not available. Many of them come for socializing / improving their resume and hence may not be serious about the cause.
f) In case of retired persons and housewives, information dissemination is a problem since they are not very conversant with computer / internet. In many places internet is mainly used for communications while coordinating activities. At such places their services can not be utilized.
g) In case of house wives their availability is not assured due to home front commitments which are always in priority. In elderly people availability is uncertain due to health problems. At a time coordination of the elderly becomes a problem due to their inflexibility / ego.
h) For utilizing volunteers for civic issues main problem faced is about coordination and lack of sense of responsibility. Apart from this many come forward for volunteering with their own vested interests. They do not bother about larger issues affecting to other people.
h) In many cases individuals are ready to offer their services without being required to spend on commuting or other out of pocket expenses. In many situations there are practical problems in allowing these reimbursements. Hence services of such individuals can be availed.
[III] Experience in Volunteering
[A] Following up Donors of CRY:
I started volunteering through Child Rights & You (CRY), an organization working for the cause of child rights. It is from the year 2001. The first job involved was following up on phone for donations. CRY were giving me lists of individual donors who have been donating previously, but not donated from last one year. Since many contacts were residential one I used to daily contact them in between 8 pm to 9.30 pm and on Saturdays / Sundays at convenient timings. Due to this many of the donors revived. Incidentally CRY is having major portion of fund raising through individual donors only.
[B] Computer Feeding & Compilations:
After my retirement from service from 1 October 2002, I did not take up any job and offered my services for social causes without any time limit. Only restriction was not to incur any expenses towards it and not to waste much time in commuting. Hence following up donors on telephone was discontinued and I took up the work of feeding information on computer. CRY used to send me the matter by courier and I used to email them after feeding on computer. I was also sending my opinions / views and briefs to CRY on related issues.
[C] Volunteer Initiated Assignments at Thane:
From April 2007 CRY started volunteer initiated assignments at Thane. The concept is that CRY plays a role of a catalyst to facilitate active participation of citizen groups by supporting volunteer initiated assignments as per the need. There are many citizens eager to volunteer, but to effectively utilize their services there is a need of identifying the specific problem, working out its solution and timely coordinating the efforts. CRY has recognized this need and is therefore taking initiative for coordinating such efforts. Also they give support from time to time as needed. Apart from other assignments I am actively involved in this.
With this arrangement, initially an assignment of bringing about improvement in the Special Health Programme (SHP) being implemented through 128 Primary schools under Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) was selected. A survey was carried out in 9 schools and it was identified that there is lot of scope for improvement. Discussions were held with TMC officials. It was felt that more extensive survey needs to be carried out. But the assignment was to be shelved since CRY could not get requisite number of volunteers to offer services on working days.
From March 2008 the volunteer group decided to work for Child Labour issue. It was felt that government machinery engaged in rescuing child labour may overlook rehabilitation aspect. So it was decided to focus on bringing improvement in rehabilitation measures of rescued child labours. In this connection there were campaigns to raise awareness in public, discussions were held with Labour Department / National Child labour Project (NCLP) officials and rehabilitation schools were visited to understand various provisions and problems.
A programme for activities for one year starting from 12 June 2009 has been finalized. Apart from various campaigns for raising awareness it consists of meeting concerned authorities from time to time to help bringing improvement in rehabilitation measures and empowering concerned citizens with related information to enable them to question the authorities. It also consists of interaction with families of child labours to know their problems, inform them about various schemes implemented by government for the underprivileged and persuade them to send their children to school.
[D] News Tracking:
After attaining a workshop by CFAR at Delhi in December 2008, I am working in the core group of CRY engaged in using news tracking for bringing improvement in media. A need was felt for this since media is not giving adequate coverage to child rights issues. Presently we are in the process of finalizing matrix for qualitative assessment of news coverage appearing in newspapers pertaining to child rights. Thereafter interaction with media is planned.
I am already using news tracking for compiling and regularly preparing briefs of important news reports relating to child rights appearing in the Newspapers. This is mainly for feeding information to volunteers and CRY collective.
[E] Civic Issues:
I volunteered for organization Action for Governance and Networking in India (AGNI) for about one year in 2003. It was consisting of meeting civic authorities, drawing record notes and following up. Recently since last two years a group of concerned citizens at Thane is formed to follow up with civic authorities on various civic issues pertaining to Thane city.
[F] Raising Awareness through Publications:
Letters / articles are sent regularly for publications in various dailies. This is for raising awareness on various civic issues, and in social sector particularly pertaining to child rights.
By:
Ravindra P. Junagade,
