Module 7: Volunteerism PDF

Module 7: VOLUNTEERISM Concepts of Volunteerism Definition: VOLUNTEERISM is the practice of providing time and skills for the benefit of other people and causes rather than for financial benefit. (www.hrzone.com) It is an act, practice or principle of contributing freely one’s time, talents and...

Module 7: VOLUNTEERISM Concepts of Volunteerism Definition: VOLUNTEERISM is the practice of providing time and skills for the benefit of other people and causes rather than for financial benefit. (www.hrzone.com) It is an act, practice or principle of contributing freely one’s time, talents and resources to worthwhile purposes without a tangible compensation (www.quizlet.com) Importance of Voluntary Actions Volunteering increases self-confidence; Volunteering combats depression; Volunteering helps you stay physically healthy; It helps you make new friends and contacts; It increases your social and relationship skills; It provides a sense of purpose; It can advance your career; It brings fun and fulfillment in your life. Republic Act 9148 Republic Act 9418 is referred to as Volunteer Act of 2007; It is an act institutionalizing a strategy for rural development, strengthening volunteerism and for other purpose. It shall be the policy of the State to promote the participation of the various sectors of the Filipino society, and as necessary, international and foreign volunteer organizations in public and civic affairs, and adopt and strengthen the practice of volunteerism as a strategy in order to attain national development and international understanding. The inculcation of volunteerism as a way of life shall rekindle in every Filipino the time-honored tradition of bayanihan to foster social justice, solidarity and sustainable development. Republic Act 9148: Goals and Objectives To carry out the foregoing policy, the government shall pursue the attainment of the following goals and objectives: (a) To provide a policy framework on volunteerism that shall underscore the fundamental principles necessary to harness and harmonize the broad and diverse efforts of the voluntary sector in the country into an integrative and effective partnership for local and national development as well as international cooperation and understanding. (b) To provide a conducive and enabling environment for volunteers and volunteer service organizations by setting mechanism to protect volunteers’ rights and privileges and give due recognition to highlight their roles and contributions to society; and Republic Act 9148: Goals and Objectives (c) To provide an effective institutional mechanism to strengthen the role of the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) to perform its mandates and to oversee the implementation of this Act. Definition of Terms For purposes of this Act, the following shall mean: (a) “Volunteerism” refers to an act involving a wide range of activities, including traditional forms of mutual aid and developmental interventions that provides an enabling and empowering environment both on the part of the beneficiary receiving and the volunteer rendering the act, undertaken for reasons arising from socio-developmental, business or corporate orientation, commitment or conviction for the attainment of the public good and where monetary and other incentives or reward are not the primary motivating factors. (b) “Volunteer” refers to an individual or group who for reasons arising from their socio-developmental, business and corporate orientation, commitment or conviction, contribute time, service and resources whether on full-time or part-time basis to a just and essential social development cause, mission or endeavor in the belief that their activity is mutually meaningful and beneficial to public interest as well as to themselves. (c) “Volunteer service organization” refers to a local or foreign group that recruits, trains, deploys and supports volunteer workers to programs and projects implemented by them or by other organizations or any group that provides services and resources, including but not limited to, information, capability building, advocacy and networking for the attainment of the common good. (d) “Voluntary sector” refers to those sectors of Philippine society that organizes themselves into volunteers to take advocacy and action primarily for local and national development as well as international cooperation and understanding. Role and Modalities of Volunteerism in the Private Sector Role and Modalities of Volunteerism in the Private Sector. — (a) Volunteerism in the academe includes, but is not limited to, provision of technical assistance and sharing of technology within the academic circle, target communities and other clienteles and the upgrading of the quality of education and curriculum methodologies while providing career enhancement and exposure to the volunteers; Role and Modalities of Volunteerism in the Private Sector (b) Volunteerism in the corporate sector as an expression of corporate social responsibility and citizenship refers to activities recognized by the company, where employees give their time, skills and resources in the service of the company’s internal and/or external communities. These volunteering activities include, but are not limited to, employee giving of material resources to specific causes; employee-led fund-raising; one-time outreach activities; environmental campaign; medical and health-related advocacies; knowledge and change management; scholarship programs; and sharing of expertise, particularly of business and developmental skills through mentoring, tutoring, training, business, consulting/advising and rendering of pro bono services on a case-to-case basis; and Role and Modalities of Volunteerism in the Private Sector (c) Volunteerism by not-for-profit organizations includes, but is not limited to, provision of complementary service delivery and human resource development in underserved communities as well as advocacy and articulation of the cause of the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. Role and Modalities of Volunteerism by Foreign Volunteer Organizations. — Volunteerism by foreign volunteer organizations includes, but is not limited to, provision of technical assistance not locally accessible in priority development areas within the framework of technical cooperation and sociocultural exchange. Role of the Government. — The government shall coordinate, facilitate and encourage the participation of the voluntary sector in the promotion, utilization and recognition of volunteerism in national development and international cooperation. This shall be achieved through the provision of enabling and conducive environment for volunteer work. Under Sec. 12. Special Provisions. — Recognition and Incentives to Volunteers. — Government agencies and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) implementing volunteer programs are encouraged to develop and provide volunteers recognition and incentive package which may include, but not limited to allowance, insurance, training and the grant of privileges and status to Filipino overseas volunteers at par with Filipino overseas workers. Visa Privileges for Foreign Volunteers. — Foreign volunteers approved for assignment by the PNVSCA as well as their legal dependents may be entitled to 47 (a) (2) visa with multiple entry privileges and corresponding exemption from visa and immigration fees and other related processing/application fees or charges. Foreign nationals already in the Philippines who have been approved for volunteer assignment by the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) may avail of the above visa category and privileges upon endorsement by the PNVSCA to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Republic Act 8044: THE YOUTH IN NATION-BUILDING ACT Republic Act 8044 or the “Youth in Nation-Building Act of 1995” founded the National Youth Commission, also known as the NYC, as a government agency in the Philippines that specifically addresses issues surrounding the Filipino Youth. IT was founded on June 30, 1995. It is the Philippine’s only policy-making body on youth affairs, but also coordinates and implements programs designed to respond to and raise awareness on youth issues. Its mandate is enshrined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution: to quote: “The State recognizes in the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism; and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.” Role of the Youth in Strengthening Volunteerism The Role of the Youth in Strengthening Volunteerism and the Importance of Voluntary Action ( www.studocu.com/ph/document/pamantasan-n-lungsod-ng-maynila-therapy/physical-therapy/nst-cwts-specific -module-2/ Spread the Good Introduce Fresher Perspective Foster Lifelong Engagement ADDED CONCEPTS OF VOLUNTEERING Volunteering is providing unpaid help or service through groups, clubs or non- profit organizations to benefit other people or the environment. It can be formal, non-formal, informal, project based, online and others. VOLUNTEERING IS: Providing your service for free Contributing to a cause or to the safety and well-being of the community Sharing your skills and talents A way of supporting and belonging to the community A form of individual social responsibility Volunteering is: ◦ Focused on what you can provide to an organization, volunteers do receive multiple benefits in return. It is a good way to gain both technical and soft skills, expand your network, practice your English, and even get a job offer. Volunteering can be a way for newcomers to get their foot in the door. ◦ You may include this under “professional experience” or in a separate section under “volunteer work”. Volunteering is not: Volunteering is not internship. It is similar to sn internship since both interns and volunteers receive training for certain jobs, and both can be unpaid. The difference between the two is motivation – volunteer work is done mainly to help out a cause; internships is done to learn more about a given profession. Also, a volunteer’s work benefits others while internship work benefits the intern. Volunteering is not work experience. Strictly speaking, when employers ask about work experience,, they mean employment for which you were paid. However, most career strategists advice including your volunteer experience in your resume to boost your chances of getting hired. When you do this, focus on the soft skills you developed during your volunteer work and relate them to the job responsibilities listed in the ad. Rights of a Volunteer 1. Receive an orientation; 2. Get guidance and direction; 3. Get training for your porition; 4. Be treated as an important part of the organization and be recognized for your contribution; 5. Be provided a safe and supportive environment; 6. Be reimbursed for volunteer work-related expenses; 7. Have regular performance evaluations. Responsibilities of a Volunteer 1. Come on time as scheduled; 2. Carry out your tasks efficiently and honestly; 3. Commit time for the work; 4. Accept guidance and decisions of the volunteer coordinator; 5. Participate in orientations, trainings and meetings; 6. Keep internal information confidential. 5 Types of Volunteer Work 1. Formal – structured and supervised. ◦ Example: tour guide; hospital volunteer, fund raiser for large charities. ◦ Sample Activities: greeting visitors, giving directions, serving meals to patients, printing out and mailing letters. 2. Governance – volunteers in governance work provide leadership and direction to an organization. They help in the planning and decision-making involved in an organization’s operations. Those who fit this type of work usually have career experience or advocacy related to the organization’s main focus. Example positions: Member of the Board of Directors of a non-profit, member of a parish administration board, treasurer for the PTA. Sample activities: attending regular meetings, taking minutes of the meeting, basic accounting. 3. Non-formal 4. Social Action 5. Project Based 3. Non-formal. Non-formal volunteer work is different from informal volunteer work. Non-formal volunteer work is usually done in local communities in unfunded and unstructured settings. Informal volunteer work, on the other hand, are voluntary acts of helping and kindness (like buying a neighbor’s groceries or babysitting for a friend). Those who join non-formal programs often think of themselves as members or friends rather than volunteers. Example positions: Guest instructor, member of a neighbourhood safety patrol or street clan-up. Sample activities: teching arts and crafts, walking with a group around the neighbourhood to keep it safe, picking up trash. 4. Social Action. Social Action volunteers are joined together by common advocacy or goal. Like non-formal volunteers, they regard each other as friends or comrades. A social action volunteer program can have structure, for example, having a coordinator or leader, but some do not. Volunteers do not usually have regular hours of volunteer time. Volunteers make up for it since they are usually very passionate and motivated about the cause and work hard towards achieving specific social change. Example positions: lobbyist for political groups, campaigner for environmentalism, advocate for research/studies on a certain illness or disease. Sample activities: Attending rallies, talking to people about issues, making placards, gathering signatures, making phone calls. 5. Project Based. In this type of volunteer work, volunteers provide their services for projects that have defined time frames. This requires volunteers to have specific skills to contribute. They follow clearly defined goals to be delivered at defined schedules. Project-based work can exist within a formal program or can be a stand alone project. It can have leaders or coordinators but they are not expected to manage the volunteers. Example positions: Folklorama volunteer, member of a committee planning the anniversary of your town. Sample activities: Welconing visitors, drafting a communications plan, soliciting advertisers for a commemorative book, organizing a drive.