Volunteering outside the System

An article by Mary Merrill looks at the phenomenon of independent or unaffiliated volunteers who do not feel obligated to do their volunteer work through established channels.

New kinds of volunteers are taking matters into their own hands, creating ad-hoc organizations, or finding personal ways of doing what they want to do.

Years ago volunteers would not so readily have worked outside of the system. That is no longer the case according to May Merrill whose article appears on the World Volunteer website.

The actions of these entrepreneurial volunteers cannot be viewed as exceptions, but should be viewed as a growing tide of response to current practices and organizational structures, says Merrill.

They are creating a challenge to traditional organisations that employ volunteers:

• how do organisations attract and engage these independent, creative, individualistic volunteers?
• will these volunteers shape and change structures and organizations?
• will they even be interested in engaging with traditional volunteer organisations?

Follow this link to Merrill’s article on the World Volunteer website (opens in a new browser window)

For further information

Contact

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World Volunteer Web, Coordinated by the United Nations Volunteers Program

WWW

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http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org