Should we support volunteerism ? Hot to do it without the risk of - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Should we support volunteerism ? Hot to do it without the risk of doing ‐ more harm than good? Polish case Kuba Wygna ń ski

Complicated mixture Polish transformation narratives and its consequences for civil society Problem of collective self – reflection: Polish inclinations towards • lamenting, complaining, mix of over appreciation and self ‐ complaining, complex etc. Homo Sovieticus (helplessness) • Homo Sarmaticus (anarchism) • Extreme individual entrepreneurialism, lack of „cooperation scripts” • Heroic period ‐ Solidarity ‐ Political Promethesim • Shifting involvements (Hirshman) ‐ „interval” of first 20 years – • concentrating on private dimension of life „Big Weak State” (institutional „bulimia” of state, local • administration competing for political mandate with NGOs). Market proselytism – dominant bi ‐ polar (state and market) model of • service delivery Adversarial (anachronic?) concept of relations of State and Civil • Society

OUR PERFORMENCE?

Extent of active participation or voluntary work in the EU, 2006, according to the Eurobarometer survey. Emabarasment for Poland ? Source: GHK Consulting on the basis of Eurobarometer survey data, 2009

Source: World Values Surveys: Inglehart, R.& Welzel, C. (2005) Modernization, Cultural Change and • Democracy. New York, Cambridge University Press. p. 64 http://www.worldvalues

Level of volunteerism in Poland (formal) (KLON/JAWOR) (Omnibus survey N=1000 ‐ 4000) 25% 23% 22% 20% 18% 18% 16% 15% 13% 13% 11% 11% 10% 10% 5% 0% 2001 r. 2002 r. 2003 r. 2004 r. 2005 r. 2006 r. 2007 r. 2008 r. 2009 r. 2010 r.

Unformal volunteerism (last year) (SHIPYARD + SMG/KRC Millword Brown 2010 N=1005) 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% simple household reparations etc. 15% gift in kind for someone outside family 15% shopping, paying bills on behalf of some other 13% people incidental taking care of others people kids 12% support in transportation or "walking with" 10% someone taking care of ill or disabled person 9% giving advice regarding formalities etc. 7% short term financial support to someone 6% outside family

How much Third Sector is Voluntary Sector? • Number of NGOs in Poland: (aprox 112 000) – including: • 12 000 foundations • 87 associations including: • 25 000 sports clubs, • 16 000 Voluntary Fire Brigades • 50% of Ngos are cooperating with external volunteers • 70% of Ngos do not employ anyone and it is purelly based on work on activities of its members

Demography and geography of third sector 12 000 • foundations and 71 000 assocations 75% active • More condensed • in urban enviroment „History matters” • – strong dependecny related to histrocial division of country dated more than 200 years ago Every year aprox • 5 000 is registered

Recipient side – NGOs ‐ do we have a problem? • Only 14% of NGOs belive that they need training in the volunteers recriutment and managment • In the same moment second bigest challange percived by Ngos is lack of people willing to engage altruistically in the activities of the organization (56% ) • Volunteers as resource and as…. problem • To often poor managment of volunteers

Challanges for third sector Bigger number of NGOs is not translated to wider involvement of • individuals Generally, small, anagogical scale of activities of third sector • Predefined „right to run” services by public administration ‐ • ignoring constitutional subsidiarity principles – lack of honest „division of labor” Isomorphism / lack of innovations / opportunism as a key to survival • strategy Constantly challenged integrity, trust and quality of work of third • sector Naive approach to efforts needed to „rebuild” civil society – • synthetic vs. organic approach to „growing civil society” High level of dependency of NGOs on public funding • Ambivalent role of EU funding (consumption vs. deliver) – is there a • life after EFS ? Grant „lotteries” – „unhealthy diet”.

SUPPORTING VOLUNTEERS AND VOLUNTARY SECTOR IN POLAND

Polish Law on Public Benefit and Volunteerism (2004) Part of regulation ‐ Volunteer Work The Act of law includes provisions concerning legal status of volunteer work. • Volunteers shall provide benefits to support non ‐ governmental organizations • in the field of public benefit and to support public administration facilities, with the exception of business operations they may engage in. According to the Act, the scope, manner and duration of providing benefits • shall be defined jointly by the volunteer and the beneficiary in the appropriate agreement. The beneficiary shall be obliged to guarantee the appropriate personal safety • measures determined by the type of benefits provided and related hazards. The beneficiary shall also notify the volunteer of any risk to health and safety stemming from the process of providing benefits, and on the rules of protection against occupational threats and hazards. The beneficiary may cover the costs of health insurance in case that the • volunteer is not eligible for health care benefits by any other way.

New development ‐ pilot project for long ‐ term volunteerism in Poland Inspirations (US , UK, Germany, Austria, Italy, France) • Proposal: National Long ‐ Term Volunteer Pilot Program – (drafted by Public • Benefit Council). – Pilot project based on general idea of supported long term relations between host organization and individuals committed to volunteer work – Participants: min 19 years old, Polish citizens + citizens of Eastern Partnership – Host organizations: NGOs from Poland and Eastern Partnership – Support for host organizations – small grants to cover costs of volunteers – Time 6 ‐ 12 months / Place: min 100 km outside of place of living – Co ‐ financing by host organization min 10%. – Other optional elements: business „sabbatical” Start next year ? Reality or wishful thinking? ‐ closing window of opportunity • (now or never). Need for „What works approach” ‐ beyond good intentions •

Challenges / questions / dilemmas for those who want to support volunteerism Provocation: Should public sector support volunteerism? ‐ – fulfilling • dreams or kiss of death? Administrative arrogance – „commanding heights style” • Mastering art of regulating „just enough „ • Risk of „sweetening to death” ‐ political correctness, empty rhetoric, • childish, naive, romantic, joyful symbolism Duty, necessity, co ‐ responsibility , part of life routine vs. luxury, • paternalistic, rare rituals, of „acts of kindness” False assumption about residual nature of volunteerism („ if only State • be more efficient we volunteerism will be redundant”) Need for clear objectives – who is benefiting (formation of volunteers • vs. maximizing service „output”) Open dialogue about motivations: Self ‐ interest ‐ Self ‐ development ‐ • Mutualism – Altruism (Misanthropy ?)

Borders of what is volunteerism – risk of „catch all” approach – • integrity sacrificed for „good looking” statistics Language and symbols of volunteerism (need for a reset?) • Path dependency traditions „hijacked” words, turbulent history of • collectivism (preventing authentic collective action) Event bases low „cost” volunteerism vs. long ‐ term commitment • (part of life routine) Dilettantism vs. Skills based volunteerism • Inclusive vs. „creamed” volunteerism • Work on both sides: Push & pull / Supply & Demand ‐ NGOs • solution or problem

Thank you Kuba.wygnanski@gmail.com