Dr Vedabhyas Kundu,
Programme Officer,
Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti
Volunteering is a distinct human characteristic.
It is a socio-psychological bridge connecting the self and the individual
consciousness to the collective consciousness of the community. On the one
hand, it is an expression of free will of an individual, while on the other; it
is an expression of a certain set of values imbibed from society values that
enable an individual to locate her or himself in relation to others (Kundu,
2005 , 2010 & 2012).
Volunteering can be either a conscious or an
unconscious act. A large number of human beings unconsciously volunteer in some
way or the other almost every day. Such unconscious acts of volunteering play
an important foundation in the formation and survival of various processes of
socio-cultural institutions. The conscious act of volunteering is often defined
by socially and culturally evolved values. Therefore, when a person helps an
elderly woman cross a busy road or feeds the hungry, all these acts are defined
by a set of socially evolved values (Kundu, 2005 , 2010 & 2012). In this
context, Mahatma Gandhi had said, “Consciously or unconsciously, every one of
us does render some service or other. If we cultivate the habit of doing
service deliberately, our desire for service will steadily grow stronger, and
will make not only for our own happiness, but that of the world at large.”
The socio-psychological need of every human being
for a sense of belonging in relation to the other forms the basis of
volunteering. The need for a sense of belonging also arises from the need for
emotional well-being and for a socio-cultural identity. The need also propels
human beings to go beyond the self to reach out to people and nature (Kundu,
2005 , 2010 & 2012).
The encompassing of inner satisfaction and
happiness also forms the basis of volunteering. Albert Schweitzer talks on how
service to others brings one appiness, “I don’t know what your destiny will be,
but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are
those who have sought and found how to serve.”
Volunteering as part of Indian Ethos
Volunteering
has been the part of Indian culture and tradition since time immemorial. If we
look at the fundamental level, in the Hindu philosophy, there is no difference
between volunteering or work for the self. It is Karma or duty which
is to be performed. The law of Karma, according to Vedic literature,
is the law of cause and effect. One may perform pious activities that will
produce good reaction or good Karma for future enjoyment. Or one may perform
sinful activities which produce bad Karma and future suffering. (Kundu, 2005)
Swami Vivekananda had said, “A yogi seated in a Himalayan cave allows
his mind to wander on unwanted things. A cobbler in a corner at the crossings
of several busy roads of a city is absorbed in mending a shoe, as an act of
service. Of these two, the latter is a better yogi than the former.” Explaining
the Indian tradition, he further says, “Asks nothing; want nothing in return.
Give what you have to give; it will come back to you – but do not think of that
now, it will come back multiplied a thousand fold – but the attention must not
be on that. Yet have the power to give; so give willingly. If you wish to help
a man, never think that the man’s attitude should be towards you.”
Also the
underpinnings of Inclusive Volunteering traditions of India can be eloquently
put by what Swami Vivekananda said, “But appreciation or no appreciation, I am
born to organize these young men; nay, hundreds more in every city are ready to
join me; and I want to send them rolling like irresistible waves over India,
bringing comfort, morality, religion, education to the doors of the meanest and
the most downtrodden.”
Swami
Vivekananda eloquently sums up, “How you see what Karma – Yoga means; even at
the point of death to help anyone; without asking questions. Be cheated
millions of times but never ask a question, and never think of what you are
doing. Never vaunt of your gifts to the poor or expect their gratitude, but
rather be grateful to them for giving you the occasion of practising charity to
them.”
“We have
to bear in mind that we are all debtors to the world and the world does not owe
us anything. It is a great privilege for all of us to be allowed to do anything
for the world. In helping the world we really help ourselves,” he further says.
Swami
Vivekananda recounted that renunciation and service have been our main national
ideals. He said: “The National ideals of India are renunciation and service.
Intensify her in those channels, and the rest will take care of itself. The
Indian nation cannot be killed. Deathless it stands, and it will stand so long
as that spirit shall remain as the background, so long as her people do not
give up their spirituality. Aye, a glorious destiny, my brethren, as far back
as the days of the Upanishads we have thrown the challenge to the world -’Na
dhanena na prajaya tyagenaike amritatwamansshuh - not by wealth, not by
progeny, but by renunciation alone immortality is reached’. Race after race has
taken the challenge up, and tried their utmost to solve the world-riddle on the
plane of desires. They have all failed in the past –the old ones have become
extinct under the weight of wickedness and misery, which lust for power and
gold brings in its train, and the new ones are tottering to their fall. The
question has yet to be decided whether peace will survive or war; whether
patience will survive or non-forbearance; whether goodness will survive or
wickedness; whether muscle will survive or brain; whether worldliness will
survive or spirituality. This is the theme of Indian life work, the burden of
her eternal song, the backbone of her existence, the foundation of her being,
the raison d’etre of her very existence –the spiritualization of human race. In
this her life course she has never deviated whether the Tartar ruled or the
Turk, whether the Moghuls ruled or the English”. - India and Her Problems -pp.
10, 12-13
The Constructive and Inclusive
Volunteering
Towards
the beginning of the 20th century, Mahatma Gandhi brought
changes in the concept of volunteer action in India. Mahatma Gandhi added a
very significant dimension to the existing philanthropic traditions – his idea
of creative, constructive and inclusive volunteerism for human development. He
gave special emphasis to the betterment of the downtrodden and the excluded and
they were termed as Harijans by him.
According
to the Gandhian perspective on Inclusivity, Gandhi was clear that
“Swaraj (self rule) for me means freedom for the nearest of our
countrymen.” He further says that “Swaraj is a meaningless term, if we desire
to keep a fifth of India under perpetual subjection, and deliberately deny them
the fruits of national culture. We are seeking the aid of God in this great
purifying movement, but we deny the most deserving among His creatures the
rights of humanity.”
Mahatma
Gandhi laid great emphasis on the selfless nature of service. In his Booklet,
‘From Yervada Mandir’, he writes, “Voluntary service for others
demands the best of which one is capable, and must take precedence over service
of self. In fact, the pure devotee consecrates himself to the service of humanity
without any reservation whatever.” In fact, so much so, Gandhi likes
the spirit of service to character. In ‘Art of Living,’ he writes, “We should
render devoted service to the world in every possible way, resembling that
every one of our brethren has a claim on us. Those who think that they are
responsible only to themselves can never be men of high character.”
Volunteering
is something one does out of one’s free will. Gandhi puts this eloquently in
his Autobiography, “My Experiments with Truth, “Service can have no meaning
unless one takes pleasure in it. When it is done for show or fear of public
opinion, it stunts the man and crushes his spirit.
Mahatma
Gandhi exhorted the people to take to constructive work for achieving complete
Independence of what is termed ‘Poorna Swaraj’. In the Foreword of his
Constructive Programme, Mahatma Gandhi writes, “Readers, whether workers, and
volunteers or not, should definitely realize that the constructive program is
the truthful and non-violent way of winning Poorna Swaraj. Imagine
all the forty crore of people busying themselves with the whole of
the constructive programme which is designed to build up the nation from the
very bottom upward.” He dreamt of the entire country volunteering to take up his
constructive program. His 18-point constructive programme included removal of
untouchability, prohibition, village sanitation, new or basic education, adult
education, women, economic equality lepers, students, labour, kisans,
national language, education in health and hygiene, etc. These constructive
programmes form the basis of an equalitarian society and a sustainable
development process.
Gandhi’s
spirit of volunteering and his determination to ensure that the excluded find a
place in the mainstream society can be eloquently stressed by the way he
himself attended to the Sanskrit
scholar, Dattataray Parchure Shastri who was afflicted by
leprosy. When he was afflicted by leprosy, Shastri requested Gandhiji if
he could be admitted to Sevagram Ashram. Some members of the Ashram
objected as they feared infection. People with leprosy during Gandhi’s time
were considered outcastes and had no right to stay in the society. Gandhi not
only ensured Parchure Shastri stayed in the precincts of
the Sevagram, he himself would wash his wounds every day. For Gandhi
everyone was equal in the society and none were excluded. This was the basis of
his Inclusive Volunteering approach.
This thrust for inclusivity is further
accentuated by Gandhi when he writes, “We must widen the circle of our love
till it embraces the whole village; the village in its turn must take into its
fold the district, the district the province, and so on till the scope of our
love becomes co-terminus with the world.”
Even in contemporary discourses, the
importance of volunteering to promote social cohesion and inclusion has been
highlighted. Different literature in this regard talks of about how
volunteerism nurtures solidarity and cohesion. Research on international volunteering as well as case
study documentation of community volunteerism in developing countries support
the view that volunteerism engenders a sense of agency in people. Fostering
such a sense of responsibility also helps to mobilize communities for their
collective long-term wellbeing.(UNV, 2011)
Loha Choudhury & Shome (2012) talks about how
reciprocity is a trans-generational value inculcated in Indian society from the
Vedic period. It includes both giving and receiving but without an iota of
selfishness and greed. They note, “Mahatma Gandhi applied this value of
reciprocity when he formulated the trusteeship principle of offering and
organizing service by the rich Indians.”
The philosophy of reciprocity is an essential component of volunteerism.
Mahatma Gandhi explanation of his theory of
trusteeship gives us a guidepost to the understanding of reciprocity,
“Supposing I have come by a fair amount of wealth – either by way of legacy, or
by means of trade and industry – I must know that all that wealth does not
belong to me; what belongs to me is the right to an honourable livelihood, no
better than that enjoyed by millions of others. The rest of my wealth belongs
to the community and must be used for the welfare of the community. I
enunciated this theory when the socialist theory was placed before the country
in respect to the possessions held by zamindars and ruling chiefs. They would
do away with these privileged classes. I want them to outgrow their greed and
sense of possession, and to come down in spite of their wealth to the level of
those who earn their bread by labour. The labourer has to realize that the
wealthy man is less owner of his wealth than the labourer is owner of his own,
viz., the power to work. The question how many can be real trustees according
to this definition is beside the point. If the theory is true, it is immaterial
whether many live up to it or only one man lives up to it. The question is of
conviction. If you accept the principle of Ahimsa, you have to strive to live
up to it, no matter whether you succeed or fail. There is nothing in this
theory which can be said to be beyond the grasp of intellect, though you may
say it is difficult of practice.” (Harijan, 3-6-1939)
Contemporary Discourses in Volunteering
According to
the report of the UN Secretary General on the follow-up to the implementation
of the International Year of Volunteers, 2001; “Opportunities for citizens to
be engaged through voluntary action at the local level and have their action at
the local level recorded and recognized are steadily expanding. Acceptance is
spreading for the idea that all people have a right to development and that
active participation through volunteerism is one important avenue for
exercising that right. New communication technologies make it ever more
possible to build contacts and support networks among individual volunteers and
organizations that involve volunteers on a local, regional and global basis.”
Meanwhile,
the Expert Working Group on Volunteering and Social Development commissioned by
the United Nations in 1991 underlines the following benefits of Volunteering:
a) It
makes an important contribution to society.
b) Volunteering
is a key means by which individuals articulates their engagement as citizens, and by building trust and reciprocity among citizens, volunteering contributes
to a more cohesive and stable society.
c) Volunteering
is an important tool, which can help integrate into society people who are
excluded or marginalized.
d) Volunteering
has a key role to play in promoting full employment by enhancing the
employability of unemployed people.
The terms volunteering, volunteerism and voluntary
activities refer to a wide range of activities, including traditional forms of
mutual aid and self-help, formal service delivery and other forms of civic
participation, undertaken of free will, for the general public good and where
monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor. Within this conceptual
framework, at least four different types of volunteer activity can be
identified: mutual aid or self-help; service to others; participation or civic
engagement; and advocacy or campaigning. (UNV, 2011) The last two
points are a point of departure from the traditional goals of volunteering.
Increasingly across the world we find volunteer groups advocating on issues of
civic concern like environment, disability rights, transparent government, etc.
It also underlines that volunteering extends beyond the actual act of service
to helping communities become more participatory and cohesive and to nurturing
the development of democratic principles.
A
contemporary definition of volunteering has been articulated by the Universal
Declaration on Volunteering adopted by the International Association of
Volunteer Efforts (IAVE) in 2001 which underlies that, “Volunteering is a
fundamental building block of civil society. It brings to life the noblest
aspiration of humankind – the pursuit of peace, freedom, opportunity, safety,
and justice for all people. All people in the world should have the right to
freely offer their time, talent and energy to others and to their communities.”
This approach of volunteering is again a marked departure from the classical
tradition, and for the first time talks of ‘people’s right to volunteer’.
Volunteering and Youth
Young people in every country are viewed as major
human resources for development and are recognized as key agents for social
change, economic development and technological innovation. They are the
greatest source of hope for a nation’s future. It is thus imperative to prepare
young people as future guardians and custodians of the country by addressing
their current and future needs. Youth constitute a unique group within our society
who represent a positive force with enormous potential to contribute to
development.
According to the initial figures of the 2011
census, the youth population in the country including adolescents is around 550
million. This phenomenal rise in the youth population has made India the
youngest nation with a demographic dividend appearing to be a reality. It is
indeed vital to utilise this demographic dividend and channelize the youth and
their creative energies for nation-building.
Also vast population of the young generation is on
a journey towards change. The change is not just in terms of education, social,
economic or political empowerment, but development in every other sphere that
correlate to the overall human personality. The challenge however is how this
change contributes to issues of justice and equity in our contemporary society.
Given that such a huge population constitutes the
youth, their role in the process of community-building and nation-building
cannot be ignored. Also it is important to note that in the backdrop of
indiscriminate commercialization and a trend towards a materialistic culture,
it is a challenge to bring together the real potential of the youth. Besides to ensure that we are able to yield
this demographic dividend, we need to identify issues and concerns from the
lenses of the youth.
Promoting volunteerism amongst young people is
both an opportunity and a challenge. In the backdrop of competing indulges and
the race to become successful makes it difficult for young people to locate
space and time to volunteer. Post-modern trends like the new hyper
technological environment, an increasing consumerist society, neo liberalism,
materialism and affluent culture, and the challenge to acquire status in
society through education and financial resources seems to be metamorphosing
lives of ordinary Indians. (Thomas & Kundu, 2012). In such a situation, the
passion of putting self-interest and individual gain are in direct conflict
with the philosophy of volunteerism.
However, on the other hand the widening economic
gap between the rich and poor, environmental concerns and a host of other
issues in our society provides a fertile ground to promote volunteerism amongst
young people. Volunteerism, as a form of civic participation, can be a powerful
mechanism for giving youth a voice in decision making. Studies show that
engaging in volunteerism from a young age helps people take their first steps
towards long term involvement in development. (UNV, 2014)
ICT and Volunteerism
New opportunities for volunteering are provided by
the proliferation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Though
there are contention and contestations on the impact of technological
revolution, the exponential growth of ICTs has led to the increase in interactivity,
which was not possible before, emergence of new social ties and networks and
access to diverse forms of information from different sources, which could not
be gauged previously. (Thomas and Kundu, 2012)
Tornero et. al. (2010) says, “During the last few
years of the 20th century and the early years of the 21st century, digital
technologies and new media (ICT) have come to occupy the epicentre of our
lives. They are responsible for having constructed the hyper technological
manmade environment in which almost all people and objects have been endowed
with a kind of digital interface, so we work, live and interact in a digitally
enriched environment, in a digital bubble.” Tornero further writes that the
‘new hyper technological environment, the deepening of communicative
globalization, has not only altered the way we perceive and use time and space,
it has also changed the chemistry of our everyday life and our culture’.
The hyper technological environment also opens up
completely new avenues and tools for individuals and groups to volunteer.
According to the State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR) (2011),
volunteers can count on a rapidly growing range of technology to help tackle
many global challenges of today. It notes that ‘the advent of mobile and
Internet-based ICT is revolutionizing volunteer actions in terms of who, what,
when and where’. Micro-volunteerism has evolved as a new trend in volunteerism
due to deep proliferation of mobile technology. The SWVR notes, “Mass short
message service communication (SMS) is one form of micro-volunteerism that
contributes to the production and sharing of information. It is frequently used
by volunteers to raise awareness on local issues, inform people’s choices and
monitor public services.”
Also during
disasters, volunteers use the social media in a big way to not only to reach
out to people but also share crucial information. In fact the social media is a
powerful tool in the hands of volunteers across the world to take up causes and
promote these. A large number of young people are involved in online
volunteering which offers immense opportunities.
Acevedo (2005) notes,
“Online Volunteering represents the free and targeted provision of information
and knowledge in perhaps its purest form. Online volunteers typically use the
simplicity of e-mail to communicate with their host organizations and remit
that information and knowledge. They can also carry out online services (e.g.
moderating an electronic discussion forum or managing a web site remotely), in
which case they are managing information for their organizations. Using the
ubiquitous nature of the Internet, they learn about opportunities for virtual
collaboration emanating from any corner of the world.”
Traits of an effective volunteer and HEALTH
model of volunteering
Compassion and feelings for others are essential
ingredients for human unity. Swami Vivekananda had said, “Do you feel for
others? If you do, you are growing in oneness. If you do not feel for others,
you may be the most intellectual giant ever born, but you will be nothing; you
are but dry intellect, and you will remain so.”
If we can’t promote feeling and compassion for
others, we cannot promote oneness amongst one another. An essential attribute
of an effective volunteer is to have feelings and compassion for others. The
essence of compassion has been stressed by the Dalai Lama who says, “Love and compassion are necessities,
not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.” Mother Teresa had also
said, “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to
each other.” Without compassion
we cannot think of actions by humans which are benevolent in nature; without
compassion the spirit of volunteerism for greater good of our society would be
missing.
Self discipline is
critical in being able to inspire others and also contribute effectively. For
instance, Mahatma Gandhi strictly enforced punctuality in all that he did; for
him time was precious. He had said, “There must be orderliness in one’s life.
If the sun, moon and earth do not observe their laws, the entire universe would
collapse. Every minute of mine is scheduled for certain duties.” Kumarasamy
(2010) talks how great people like Mahatma Gandhi chose to work on their
character, ‘they work from inside out, because they understand that character
is the foundation of success, happiness and meaning in one’s life’.
Perseverance is
another important attribute of an effective volunteer. One should not lose hope
by initial failures. Epictetus (55 AD-135 AD) had rightly said, “Nothing great
is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me
that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first
blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.”
If a volunteer
wants to contribute and initiate something really constructive and
far-reaching, s/he must be a dreamer who can visualize on what they want to
achieve. The great sage, Patanjali had so pertinently said, “When you are
inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project...your mind
transcends limitations...Dormant forces, faculties and talents come alive, and
you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed
yourself to be.”
For an effective
volunteer, it is also important to be meticulous in whatever initiative they
want to take up. Great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi extended their
meticulousness to the minutest of details. We must understand the virtues of
meticulousness.
In the above context, the often discussed HEALTH model of volunteering is
significant.
H= Honesty
It is important that a volunteer is honest to
oneself and to the work s/he is doing. It is not volunteering if there are
ulterior motives or some hidden agenda behind the volunteer work one is
planning to take up.
E= Empathy
Developing empathy for fellow beings is an
essential trait that every volunteer should develop. Only if you are empathetic
then you will be able to understand the concerns of others. Also it is critical
to enhance one’s emotional intelligence. It includes develop greater
understanding of oneself, know how to control one’s impulse, perseverance,
enthusiasm, motivation and empathy. Emotional intelligence has been defined as
the capacity of the individual to appropriately regulate one’s emotions and
involves the ability to monitor one’s own and others, to discriminate among
them, and use this information to guide one’s thinking and action.
A = Authenticity and Acceptance
A volunteer should strive to discover and honour
her/his authentic self. If we can honour our authenticity we can develop
positive emotions, enhance our self respect and self esteem and be optimistic.
A good volunteer should be positivist so that they can contribute in an
effective way.
Acceptance: A volunteer should learn to accept other people
equal human beings. If a volunteer goes to a community to work, it is important
that s/he accepts the people in the community as equals. Then only, in turn,
there will be greater acceptance of the volunteers themselves.
L= Listen
If a volunteer is to be an effective communicator,
they should learn the art of listening. Only by developing good listening
skills, one can initiate meaningful dialogues and respond to conflicts and
contribute to conflict resolution in a nonviolent way.
T= Trust
Honesty, empathy, authenticity and acceptance lead
to trust. Trust building with the community where the volunteer works is
important. Without trust, one cannot work for long.
H= Heart
The passion for selfless service is an attribute
of a good volunteer. To contribute meaningfully, one should try to contribute
and act from the heart. There should be no superficiality in what one does. Antoine
De Saint-Exupery had rightly said, “It is with the heart that one sees rightly;
what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
Conclusion
For a young person,
volunteering for causes in the society offers immense opportunities to learn,
is a great life skill education, develop understanding and knowledge base of
different issues, enhance one’s capacities to negotiate with challenges and
have inner satisfaction. Mahatma Gandhi has rightly pointed out in Bapu in
Ashirvad that there is not a single
moment in life when man cannot serve. With this in mind, we need to
motivate young people to take to volunteer for constructive work so that they
can contribute to community and nation building.
To end let me quote
these lines of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore which encompasses the spirit of a
volunteer:
Our voyage is begun.
Captain, we bow to
thee!
The storm howls and the
waves are
wicked and wild, but we
sail on.
The menace of danger
waits in the way
to yield to thee its
offerings of pain,
And a voice in the
heart of the tempest cries:
‘Come to conquer fear!’
Let us not linger to
look back for the
laggards, or benumb the
Quickening hours with
dread and doubt.
For thy time is our
time and thy burden is our own and life
and
Death are but thy
breath
playing upon the
eternal sea of Life.
Let us not wear our
hearts away
picking small help and
taking
Slow count of friends.
Let us know more than all
else
that thou art with us
and we are
Thine forever.
References
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(2005). Volunteering in the Information Society: [Research Paper].
Retrieved 11 January 2012 from http://www.onlinevolunteering.org/resources/documents/Acevedo_Volunteering_in_the_Information_Society_20051.pdf
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