December 5th is International Volunteer Day
Every December 5th, we officially celebrate International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development. Mandated by a United Nations resolution in 1985, International Volunteer Day was established to promote volunteerism, encourage governments to support volunteering, and celebrate volunteer efforts from individuals, organizations, and governments around the world.
The day offers a unique opportunity for volunteers and their organizations to share their work over the past year and to raise awareness about their efforts. The day is celebrated globally with volunteer fairs, community cleanup efforts, fundraising drives, volunteer recognition events, and even parades and rallies.
This International Volunteer Day we look forward to celebrating the great work our volunteers do and reflecting on the impact that volunteerism has on both our local and global communities.
The Long History of Volunteerism
Volunteering has been a central part of cultures, communities, and religions for centuries. The official history of volunteering dates back to 12th-century Britain, when hundreds of hospitals were run by volunteers. Yet, it’s likely that the practice of volunteering dates back much further.
Modern volunteer efforts largely developed around war times when community members - often young women - would volunteer their time to care for wounded soldiers and collect supplies. More official and organized volunteer efforts formally emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries with the rise of organizations like the Red Cross, YMCA, Peace Corps, and Rotary Clubs.
Interestingly, the internet had one of the greatest impacts on volunteerism and its development, as online resources gave individuals and organizations a way to globally recruit and organize. As a result, the age of the internet has ushered in a new phase of volunteerism, where it’s much easier to access and mobilize volunteers worldwide to meet specific needs as they arise.
Documenting the Impacts of Volunteers
While we’ve all seen anecdotal evidence of the benefits of volunteering, research done on the topic shows that it has a number of tangible benefits on both the global community and on the individuals that volunteer. Specifically, volunteerism:
- Makes a significant contribution to the global economy
- Leads to increased civic engagement
- Allows for increased public services, especially in the areas of youth education and environmental support
- Promotes improved social connections among governments, organizations and individuals
Beyond the community impacts, there is evidence showing that volunteering has positive effects on the volunteers themselves. Not surprisingly, volunteering leads to increased confidence; serves as a way to form meaningful social connections; lets people take on new challenges; offers opportunities for learning; and is fun. Further, it’s a good way to combat depression and to stay healthy and active.
Committed to Our Community
At Management Solutions, we appreciate the impact that volunteerism has on our community and on our team. That’s why we’ve made volunteering and giving back to our community a part of our team’s DNA. We value sharing our time, energy, thought leadership, and passions with our communities, both close to home and around the globe.
And, we couldn’t be more proud of the diverse talents that our team has and shares. Whether it’s starting a lavender farm and letting community members come and pick bundles; making contributions to STEM accessibility in secondary and post-secondary spaces; developing a holistic project controls training program to help create jobs in disadvantaged communities; or offering their time to present at global conferences, our team is working hard to serve those around them and to help make their communities better.
This December 5th, we’ll be celebrating our volunteers and looking for more volunteer opportunities in the year ahead. We hope you’ll join us in serving this December 5th, and, if you need help finding a volunteer opportunity near you, check out one of the many online matching tools - like VolunteerMatch, Engage or Just Serve - that make it easy to get started.