Definitions of Volunteer
Mandated Volunteering: Oxymoron or Opportunity?
Susan and Steve explore the question:
Are people who are required to do unpaid service really "volunteers"?
Giving Help to Get Help: Where Do Service Exchanges Fit in the World of Volunteerism?
There are many words to describe volunteering and voluntary action, reflecting the many forms of people helping each other survive and prosper over the challenges of their time and place. Whether it is trabalho voluntario in Brazil, benevolat and volontariat in France, gotong royong in Indonesia or harambee in Kenya, supporting each other for mutual survival is a key ingredient to community the world over. In this issue we look at a very ancient, yet still modern, form of community interaction and service to each other that, even though it is no longer extensively practiced, is still is a relevant way for people to be involved in service to each other.
Where Are the Men?
Susan: The question of finding "men" to be volunteers and also to be volunteer program managers surfaces quite regularly, frequently accompanied by deep sighs from female colleagues. When a live male candidate actually appears, the sighs change to heavy panting.
As you can tell already by the bit of computer/gender humor we shared at the top and the last sentence, it's easy for Steve and me to be tongue-in-cheek about this subject. And, to mention the obvious: we have naturally different perspectives on the topic. But gender is important in volunteerism, as in all aspects of life. So, let's see what's really going on.
Steve: At least as much as two people looking at something from totally different perspectives can, at any rate.