In English-speaking countries, volunteer projects are called Adventure projects, since it is this area of ​​​​programs that provides the opportunity to get acquainted with anywhere in the world on a budget through adventure, language practice and new acquaintances with young people from different countries peace. International volunteering is a program accessible to absolutely everyone, both in terms of age and financially. This is a unique opportunity to explore the country from the inside, improve your foreign language and just have a great time with people from different parts of the world.

Age

Program date

all year round

Duration

from 2 weeks

Price

What is international volunteering?

• Budget travel.
• An alternative version of tourism.
• Intercultural exchange.
• Language practice.
• Professional experience.

The main idea of ​​volunteering is to unite people from different countries with common interests to spread ideas of peace and national tolerance through intercultural exchange.

The motivation for volunteering is different for everyone. For some, this is an opportunity to see Europe or Asia, gain international work experience and make new acquaintances. For others, it is an opportunity to realize their ideas and ambitions, contribute to the development of society and help other people. For others, it’s practicing a foreign language and self-development.

Maria Kolenikina, senior coordinator of the TravelWorks International Volunteering program for Russia and the CIS countries.

History of creation

The international volunteer movement began in the 20th century on the initiative of young people full of energy and desire to restore the destruction after the First World War. Currently, more than 3,000 volunteer projects operate annually in 107 countries around the world.

The number of people who took part in volunteering from 1987 to 2018 increased from 80 to 320 million.

What is a volunteer project?

An international volunteer project is an international team of 10-20 people who voluntarily come together to accomplish a useful task - for example, organizing a festival for children, restoring an ancient castle, or planting flowers in a national park.

During the project, participants are provided with free food and accommodation, entertainment activities and excursions. Each project has one or more camp leaders—curators of program participants.

A camp leader is a project participant with volunteer experience, often a citizen of the country where the project takes place. He oversees volunteer activities and the cultural and entertainment component of the program, and is the link between the foreign volunteer and the host organization.

Types of projects

Work in a volunteer project is prerequisite and the voluntary initiative of everyone. The type of employment in the project can be different - from organizing a world music festival and working with children and animals to archaeological research and restoration work of an 18th century castle.

International volunteering is not free labor force. A project participant’s work usually starts in the morning and lasts 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week. Since the main goal of the program is to obtain intercultural exchange, all free time volunteers devote themselves to entertainment, excursions, cooking national cuisine and international communication.

After finishing the project, 93% of our participants share their emotions with us and say that participation in the volunteer project changed their outlook on life, perception of the world and awakened a desire to develop and travel.

Who is the program suitable for?

• Looking for options for an interesting holiday.
• For those looking for budget travel options.
• Those wishing to practice the language and improve its level.
• Tired of standard tourist trips.

Requirements for participants:

1. Age: 16-99 years.
2. Basic spoken foreign language and higher.

For those who want to know more:

Leave a request for the program below, or call 8 800 3333 915 - we will be happy to help you go on an unforgettable journey.

10 cool volunteer programs around the world

Sometimes there comes a moment when you want to give up everything and go to the ends of the world. Don't hold back. Go save turtles in Thailand, teach Brazilian children, or sign up as a volunteer at the UN. This way 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 volunteer programs around the world. Accommodation and food are free almost everywhere.

Teach children in Thailand

Karenni Social Development Center invites volunteers to train young Karenni people living in northern Thailand. The task 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 accommodation and three free meals a day. You will live close to the beach, so there shouldn’t be any problems with leisure time during the time remaining from work.

Requirements: English language Sign up here: https://sdcthailand.wordpress.com/

Help 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 your faith. The contract is for a period of six months. You can work in education, child care, 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

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms helps people travel the world and learn about different cultures. You will live with 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 as sitting in a stuffy office. You will unwind and look at the world. The scheme is this: 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 you, and if everything is ok, then he sends an invitation. Transport back and forth, as usual, is your own, and on site you will be met and surrounded by comfort and not particularly exhausting work.

Rescue turtles in Thailand

If you don’t see any special teaching abilities in yourself, but still want to live in Thailand, then join environmental project Naucrates. You will save sea turtles. Volunteers’ tasks include monitoring beaches, collecting and processing data. You will tell local residents that turtles are in danger of extinction, 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 room and board.

Teach 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. At the Santa Marta center they try to help street children and children from poor families. You can teach them a language, conduct cooking or computer courses, teach them art, or offer some kind of direction. Any initiative is very welcome here. You will only have to spend money on a flight to Peru (we know, it’s not cheap), but accommodation and food will be provided.

Teach English in Honduras

At Cofradia, a bilingual school near San Pedro Sela, Honduras' second-largest city, poor children are taught by volunteer teachers from around the world. Lack of experience as a teacher is not a problem. The main thing is to have teaching 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 undoubtedly be useful when you return home. By the way, no knowledge of Spanish is required, because all classes are held in English.

Teach drawing to children from Brazilian favelas

About 20 million people live in Sao Paulo, and most 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 slum children a decent education and the opportunity to eventually escape poverty. Volunteers from all over the world are welcome here. If you have some interesting skills or knowledge (music, drawing, science) 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 children and at the same time deeply study the culture and life of Brazilians.

Volunteering in the Peace Corps

Volunteering in the Peace Corps is not suitable for someone who just wants to travel around the world, look at others and show off themselves. It’s 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 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's not very difficult to get there, but when you return home you will have a recommendation from a very respected global organization. They pay for the flight, full provision on the spot and even medical insurance. You will also receive a monthly stipend.

Save children in Mexico

Can you forget about your problems for a while to solve other people's? Go to Mexico to teach orphans what is good, reasonable, and eternal. NPH USA can 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 go married couples. We are sure that such an adventure will greatly refresh your relationship.

Volunteering at the UN

Participation in the UN Volunteer Program is as serious as 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. During this time, they also receive a stipend, full board, health insurance and a killer resume entry with a recommendation from the United Nations.

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SEARCHING FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR THE GORNO-ALTAI BOTANICAL GARDEN

Source: doseng.org

The botanical garden contains exhibitions with plants of the Altai Mountains, Europe, North America and Far East. For five hours a day, volunteers will study the basics of botany and working with plants, and care for exhibits.

Age: from 18 years old

Requirements: love of plants

What is needed: write your personal information and send by email address

Conditions: The volunteer pays for travel and 1000 rubles for the registration fee. Accommodation and meals are free.

INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMAIESEC

AIESEC is an international youth non-profit organization, run entirely by students and recent graduates. The goal of the program is to discover and develop the leadership and professional potential of young people to contribute to human society. Operating since 1948, it is represented in more than 120 countries.

Global Citizen is international program volunteering, which gives young people the opportunity to develop their leadership abilities in an international team. There are four areas: education (English teaching), problem environment(organization of conference and lectures about environmental problems ah of the country in which the volunteers are located), social entrepreneurship (working with non-governmental organizations on social problems) and culture (volunteers talk about the country’s tourism, filming blogs and preparing articles).

Age: 18 – 30 years old

Period: 6 - 8 weeks, from 22 hours per week. Recruitment for internships is ongoing all year round.

Requirements: be a student or recent graduate

What is needed: register on the website, indicating your personal data, hobbies, interests and what projects you would like to participate in. Managers invite you to the first meeting, then a Skype interview with the host is scheduled.

Conditions: The volunteer pays for the visa, flight and personal expenses, and accommodation is provided.

Contacts: [email protected]

For example, teaching English language in Egypt

Requirements: knowledge of English, teaching it to children or adolescents, participation in events organized by AIESEC

Age: 18 - 30 years old

Opening hours: 12 hours, 5 days a week

What is needed: in addition to the application, you must record a one or two minute video where you answer the questions “Why did you choose Cairo”, “Why did you choose Egypt?” You also need to answer the question “What is your motivation for submitting?”, and there is a word limit of no more than 100.

Conditions: The volunteer covers the costs of flights, visas, meals, and provides free accommodation for 6 weeks.

UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

Source: facebook.com/unvolunteers

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) program is based in Bonn, Germany, and operates in 100 countries around the world. You can contribute to improving people's lives by becoming a volunteer. Work can be carried out both locally and online. The main areas of activity are development assistance, as well as humanitarian and peacekeeping operations.

Age: from 25 years old

Period: 6 – 12 months

Requirements: University diploma, at least two years of work in a related field, knowledge of one of the languages: English, French, Spanish. You must also be responsible, be able to work in a multicultural environment, be able to adapt to difficult living conditions, and have organizational skills.

What is needed: fill out the form on the website, indicating your personal data. You must completely add all the information, representatives of the United Nations will contact you, and if you are suitable, they will assign you an internship. Possible assignments and internships are not published in advance. Registration in the database does not mean that you will necessarily become a UN volunteer

Conditions: the organizers pay for the internship allowance, accommodation, travel expenses, life insurance and medical insurance, annual leave, relocation allowance, which is calculated at the end of the internship

SEARCHING FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR A VILLAGE WITH HORSES

Source: huffingtonpost.com

If you love horses, fresh air and just want to take a break from city life, then this volunteer program is for you. The organizers will be happy to see both those who know how to handle these animals, and those who only dream of learning how to care for horses. You will be taught how to handle horses and horse riding. The hut is located in the Tver region in the Oleninsky district. We invite volunteers to join us in exchange for help with housework.

Age: from 18 years old

Period: There are no specific dates, please notify about the visit a month in advance

Requirements: boundless love for all animals and absence of bad habits

What is needed: write to the organizer by email, indicating information: education, availability of free time, information about work experience and your expectations from communicating with horses

Conditions: Travel at your own expense, accommodation provided. If you volunteer for more than two months, you get free food

Contacts: [email protected]

RECRUITMENT OF VOLUNTEERS FOR THE WORLD FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPFIFA 2018

Not a single FIFA World Cup or major sporting event can take place without the enormous contribution of volunteers. Volunteers provide vital support in a variety of operational areas, and their friendliness and fun create a fantastic tournament atmosphere.

Participants in the Volunteer Program of the World Championship FIFA football 2018 in Russia there will be thousands of people from Russia and other countries of the world who will have a unique opportunity to become part of this tournament, as well as the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017. In total, about 5,500 volunteers will be involved in the events of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017, and in the events of the FIFA World Cup — more than 15,000 volunteers. International candidates will be able to apply and complete the selection process from their home countries online.

Age: from 18 years old

Requirements: English language proficiency and teamwork skills. Having previous volunteer experience will be an additional advantage for candidates. Volunteers will provide support in areas such as ceremonies, transport, media, protocol events, language services, doping control and fan services

What is needed: fill out the online form. To fill out you will need a passport and a photo in digital format.

Conditions: First, the staff of the Russia-2018 Organizing Committee will remotely check how thoroughly the candidate answered the questions and whether he is suitable in terms of age and education. After this, candidates will undergo online testing (for analytical skills, personal qualities and knowledge of English) and an interview at a volunteer center (in person or online for applicants living outside of Russia)

All candidates for FIFA Confederations Cup 2017 volunteers will learn the results of the selection no later than February 2017, and candidates for volunteers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup - no later than February 2018. Candidates who successfully pass the selection will be invited to the next stage - training. Training will take place at 15 volunteer centers for the 2018 World Cup: each volunteer candidate will be assigned to one of them and enrolled in the training group, after which he will receive invitations to classes in electronic format.

VOLUNTEERING IN INDIA

Volunteering as an idea of ​​serving society is as old a concept as “society”. In all centuries, those who realized themselves in communication and helping their community. We'll look at what volunteers do these days in this article.

What is volunteering?

Volunteering is an activity that is aimed at providing free services to a person or group of people who are not relatives of the volunteer, without relying on monetary compensation. This formulation most accurately defines the meaning of volunteer activity.

Unfortunately, at the moment there is no legal definition of the concept of “volunteer”. And very often this word is used in the most different situations. For example, volunteers are people who participate in government projects and receive monetary compensation for this. Many argue that it is not volunteer work, but has the form of ordinary hired labor. According to the above formulation, volunteers can be called workers who work at well-known enterprises without pay in order to gain experience. However, such people are not considered volunteers.

Volunteering in Russia

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

In Russia, volunteering is controlled by higher authorities and regulated by legislative acts. Thus, in 1995, the State Duma adopted a law on volunteer activities, 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", which also regulates the activities of volunteers.

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

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

Problems of volunteering in Russia

IN lately Volunteer activities in the Russian Federation are gaining new momentum. But, despite the positive trends, there are problems that hinder the development of volunteering. Thus, the current economic situation of the country makes it difficult to use unpaid labor. Even in Soviet times, volunteering had a voluntary-compulsory form. Participation in community service was mandatory for everyone. This approach violated the principle of voluntariness. For this reason, most Russians have a negative attitude towards such types of activities and are in no hurry to sign up as Russian volunteers.

Today it is based on young, proactive people, in whose minds thoughts of supporting and helping those in need appear.

Areas of volunteer activity

Volunteers play an important role in the life of society. IN modern world there are many problems that cannot be solved without the help of volunteers. Thus, volunteer activity can manifest itself in such main areas as:

• AIDS prevention;
• nature protection and preservation of the cleanliness of the environment;
• prevention and control of smoking, alcohol and drug addiction;
• providing assistance to the elderly, disabled people, orphans, the poor, migrants, refugees, homeless people and other people who need material and moral support;
• improvement of streets, houses, green areas;
• helping animals, maintaining nature reserves and zoos;
• conducting educational conversations with young people in order to prevent free sexual relations and teenage prostitution;
• online volunteering, exemplified by Wikipedia;
• assistance in organizing charity concerts and various festivals;
• providing assistance to law enforcement agencies, doctors, rescuers; for example, conducting a population survey or searching for a person 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 surroundings. Typically, volunteers wear clothes and hats with the symbols of the volunteer organization. You can also recognize a volunteer by their badges. Such an ideology and adherence to principles makes the participants 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. Promotion of a healthy lifestyle. Volunteers do not smoke or drink alcohol.
3. Always show kindness. You must not use words or expressions that may 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 areas 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 type of services provided and work performed: escort, transportation, communication with the blind and deaf-mute, care for bedridden patients, meeting at the train station or at the airport, serving 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 with the organization: school, church, corporate, university, organizing committee volunteers.
7. Depending on the type of financing: self-sufficiency and subsidized.

Forms of volunteering

The following forms of volunteer activity are distinguished:

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

Why do people become volunteers?

People become volunteers for different reasons. The main ones:

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. Finding new opportunities and interests - volunteering is often associated with non-standard approaches and new areas of activity.
5. Opportunity to earn money - a lot of people volunteer for financial gain. Although volunteering is considered free of charge, the volunteer still receives something, be it moral pleasure or material reward, if this is provided by the organization.
6. Self-realization is an opportunity to improve your career. By volunteering, you can make new connections and gain respect in the community. Also, during volunteering you can develop new
7. Desire to share own experience- people who have experienced 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.

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 on average Russians spend about nine hours a month on volunteer work. Most help children, the elderly, and the disabled. Volunteers are also involved in garbage collection and landscaping in their populated areas, raising funds for charity, providing free medical or legal assistance, and helping animals.

2018 in the Russian Federation by Decree of the President of Russia V.V. Putin has been declared the Year of the Volunteer.

In this regard, the Russian Government was instructed to form an organizing committee for holding the Year of the Volunteer (Volunteer) in the Russian Federation and approve its composition; ensure the development and approval of a plan of main activities for holding the Year of the Volunteer (volunteer) in the Russian Federation; recommend to the executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation to carry out the necessary activities 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 emphasized that the volunteer movement has great potential.

The volunteer movement today needs to formulate a socially significant order for the mass training of volunteer leaders who will be able to attract creative and thoughtful people to volunteer. To do this, it is necessary to continue to cultivate an appropriate attitude towards volunteer activities, open educational centers for training volunteers, develop and apply a competent information policy, the Minister believes.

Today, the level of development of volunteer activities in Russia compared to European countries remains extremely low. 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 about how this can be done, they do not participate. This is the main reason for the low prevalence of volunteering.

In recent 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 unique elite of volunteering, which will be able to attract creatively thinking strata of Russian society into volunteerism. However, this “impulse” is not enough - it is necessary to qualitatively change the attitude towards volunteerism in the minds of the public in Russia. In the process of this change it will be necessary to solve the problem that, due to political conditions, social stereotypes, features historical development countries, the popularity of volunteer activities in Russia is significantly inferior to European ones. This is due to the fact that in Europe the work of volunteer centers is based on a well-thought-out communication policy.

What happened 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 have become the basis for the massive selfless work of religious communities. The basis of free, altruistic labor is the historical phenomenon of intraspecific mutual assistance primitive people, 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 perceived as significant economic resource. Statistics show that in 1998, almost half of citizens were involved in volunteering, and taking into account adolescents over 14 years old, 79% of citizens. All segments of the population participate in it, regardless of education level, profession and income. Volunteering is seen as a form of civic participation in public useful deeds, a method of collective interaction and an effective mechanism for solving current social problems.

Story volunteer movement in Russia differs from abroad primarily in the approach to organizing the process of volunteer work. In the USSR, the participation of young people in socially useful work played a decisive role in the process of socialization of the younger generation. For this purpose, work was organized in training and production plants, youth production teams, forest districts, 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 into history, it has always existed, for example, in the form of the sisters of mercy service, the Timurov and pioneer movements, various societies for the protection of nature 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 the BAM, they received a salary for their work, with which the state compensated for the difficult living conditions. The voluntariness of work on subbotniks, harvesting, or patronage work was often closely related to 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-functioning mechanism for organizing socially useful labor for young people ceased to function. Russian children's and youth social movement in the 1990s, experienced a radical change 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 performing an educational function in educational institutions and work collectives. Gradually, however, the situation changed: many new youth associations appeared, and attempts were made to recreate movements of children and youth on a state scale. So, although " Russian Union Youth” is officially considered the successor of Komsomol, but in practice it certainly does not have the same power.

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

Due to the growing number of social problems, in solving which, given the current economic situation, volunteers have become indispensable, the volunteer movement began to develop. There are people who are voluntarily ready to spend their energy and time for the benefit of society or a specific person.

What about them?

In the West, a powerful ideological and financial support various forms of charity. For example, according to UN data 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 has participated in volunteer activities at least once in their life. Of these, 60% regularly participate in volunteer work, devoting more than 20 hours per month. 46% of respondents said that they became volunteers because they felt a great desire to help others. Every third German is a volunteer, devoting more than 15 hours a month to 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 preparing and serving food (23%), performing work or helping with transportation (20%), and 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, families who would like to take part in any volunteer projects have to choose between social activity and spending time with family. Family volunteering, widespread in the West, allows us to get rid of this dilemma. In the United States there is even a 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 and unusual option for volunteer participation is virtual or online volunteering. It provides an opportunity to be socially active for those who cannot sacrifice their time. This is especially close to those whose professional experience or lifestyle is connected with the Internet environment, as well as people with disabilities. Within the framework of such activities, it is possible to work on the development of Internet applications, creation and moderation of websites, online communication with various groups of people, including psychological help, support groups and so on. Online volunteering is becoming a reflection of the modern realities of the information age, and therefore involves a wide range of activities.

Volunteering is given great importance from outside 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.

It is not surprising that in Europe there are a number of successful international volunteer organizations, 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 areas of activity.

New trend in Russia

In Russia, unlike European countries, the level of development of volunteerism remains low. So, according to research (Gallup International), in Russia only about 10% of the population is engaged in volunteer activities, mostly 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 theory and practice social work in Russia, modern Russian society cannot accept any of the models of organizing social work that are effective in other countries.

“The Concept of Promoting the Development of Charitable Activities and Volunteering in the Russian Federation,” approved by Order 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. To others important element 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 systemic work. For its development, we need programs to work with families and, of course, promotion of this important type of social activity.

Virtual volunteering in charity has so far been quite rare in Russia, but recently its importance has been growing. Thus, 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 participate in writing articles for this large-scale resource. As an example of charitable online volunteering, we can note the work of the LiveJournal community pozar.ru, which coordinated the work of volunteers involved in putting out fires and providing assistance to victims in many regions of Russia. Another volunteer Internet resource was the “Help Map,” which collects information about victims of fires and collection points for assistance to victims.

Factors and sources of volunteering

Let's consider some factors in developing the potential of volunteer work.

The main factors are:

State policy, including encouraging tax legislation, organizational and financial support NPOs, 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 a tradition of direct and indirect charity;

The level of development of voluntary sector organizations that have the knowledge and skills to attract and organize the work of volunteers;

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

Civic values ​​and conscious service to society, and not to media personalities;

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

Conscious active position on the development of civil society on the part of the community of scientists and teachers.

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) systematic methods of attracting the population to volunteer activities have not been developed; 3) the volunteer movement is characterized by spontaneity, spontaneity, and instability; 4) positive propaganda of volunteerism is insufficiently developed.

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 of joint activities of social welfare institutions, secondary schools, law enforcement agencies, employment services, cultural institutions, labor collectives as participants in 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 have more than 100 volunteers.

Thanks to the cooperation of industrial, trading enterprises, banks with public organizations, employers encourage volunteer activities of their employees. A “typical” employer-supported volunteer works a couple of hours a month in social organizations, fundraising or providing targeted assistance. Moreover, large companies 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 a company include, first of all, the creation of a positive image and increased identification of employees with the workplace and, as a result, increased consciousness and productivity. The connection between business and public organizations is often institutionalized through the participation of business representatives on 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 introduced by the UK Volunteer Center. Through its public campaigns, the creation of a national and regional networks, The center is seriously developing.

The Value of Volunteering research found that the majority of senior executives at the UK's top 500 firms now believe that a candidate who lists volunteering experience on their application is more conscientious, has good communication and teamwork skills.

Gradually, this practice is taking root in Russia, since the Russian employer understands from this recording that in front of him is a person with an active life position, who can become a charismatic leader who will successfully cope with the assigned tasks 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 an 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 types of information materials: leaflets, posters, announcements messages in public places, newspapers, radio and television, as a result of information events (32% of respondents). Often the motivation 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 to 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 volunteer association. Members do not have a permanent membership or "membership in the society." Volunteers organize clubs in the hematology department, children's competitions and trips to the theater for children and parents, and organize fundraising to find bone marrow donors and medicine. And they just come to play with the children and chat with their parents. All these people are donors, and it doesn’t matter whether 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, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. N.N. Blokhin, on the initiative of citizens of different countries, united by the desire to help sick children, created the Nastenka Charitable Foundation.

The Foundation aims to improve the quality of diagnosis and treatment of children with cancer, and provide comprehensive assistance to the families of sick children. Main object charitable assistance The Foundation is a research institute of pediatric oncology and hematology of the Russian Cancer Research Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences named after. 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 in the children's department of the Moscow Regional Oncology Center "Seventh Petal", whose patients need friends. This can be either one person or a family, a group of friends, participants in various forums and clubs who can take patronage over a specific child and help him go all the way to recovery. You can call back, visit, communicate, give gifts with or without a reason. If possible, provide support in the purchase of medicines, clothing, and groceries.

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 Otkazniki.Ru.

Each hospital has its own coordinator who is responsible for organizing care for a specific medical institution. This is absolutely different people, often not familiar with each other. The project website is a platform for joining efforts to solve this problem and more effectively collect assistance. Otkazniki.Ru collects essentials for children. The list of hospitals that need help is constantly updated and is quickly growing. The guys are always waiting for volunteers who want to join the project and provide assistance to orphans in hospitals.

The volunteer group "Peace in the Palm" is a non-profit, non-political, informal, voluntary association of people providing assistance social institutions mainly working with children.

The regional public fund for helping the elderly "Good Deed" was established in Moscow in 2000 as a non-profit organization with the following mission: helping to improve the quality of life of elderly and elderly victims of totalitarian regimes by organizing medical, social and historical rehabilitation.

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

Volonter.ru - a unified volunteer coordination service

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Volunteer management: A manual for employees 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 activities of volunteer centers. - Kazan, 2012 (Full text)

On the path of goodness: a methodological guide to the development of the volunteer movement. — 2nd ed., revised. and additional — Vologda, 2011 (Full text)

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Serving 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 Civil Education, 2009 (Full text)