The EU Year of Volunteering is reaching its conclusion, as is the 10-year anniversary of the United Nations International Year which, when introduced in 2001, encouraged – among other projects – the global coordination of volunteering movements, a common vision and social inclusion.

The main targets when 2011 was launched as the Year of Volunteering were a greater awareness and attracting more people to join the various NGOs. It has been rightly concluded that in most quarters, including Malta, these aims have been reached.

Volunteering means helping without any personal gain and those involved make a valuable contribution to society by giving their time, talents, energy and resources, at both local and international level. The work can also be financially quantified.

Voluntary work abroad

According to Eurostat, about 20 per cent of the EU population, which means roughly about 100 million people, give some time to volunteering at national and international level. One only has to mention the sterling work that is carried out by volunteers who work with orphans, embark on the education of various communities to make them aware of the dangers of HIV/AIDS, and provide food and medical assistance in remote and polluted areas where diseases such as malaria and leprosy are rife. This sort of situation is very prevalent in third world countries. In carrying out their pastoral work, the voluntary missionaries are generally faced with heavy odds, and encounter continuous difficulties because of obvious limitations, ignorance, tribal traditions and customs. And hundreds of Maltese people participate in such missions abroad.

There is yet another type of worthy voluntary work that is undertaken when there are natural catastrophes and disasters and a call for urgent assistance of various kinds. One has to remember the most dangerous conditions to which volunteers expose themselves while trying to help the victims of tragedies caused by earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters.

Society cannot exist without volunteers whose areas of involvement also include the protection of animals, birds and other aspects of nature – not excluding the environment.

Volunteering in Malta

Although there is rather a lack of information regarding volunteering in Malta and the ages of those involved and the amount of time actually given, Council for Volunteers chairman Robert Farrugia estimates that there are 33,000 volunteers in Malta and 588 organisations involved in voluntary activities in areas such as recreation, sport, education, children and young people, the environment, arts and culture and social assistance. It is worth noting that among these there are some 4,750 senior citizens actively involved.

In Malta, a volunteer is defined by law (the Voluntary Operations Act of December 2007). Briefly, a volunteer is described as “a person who provides unremunerated services through or for a voluntary organisation. Accordingly voluntary activity is undertaken of a person’s own free-will and motivation and without regard for financial gain”. At a seminar on social volunteering, Archbishop Cremona gave a brilliant definition when he said that “volunteering allows people to shed their egoistic shell”.

Lately a Code of Good Governance, Practices and Ethics for Administrators of Voluntary Organisations has been published that will certainly prove to be most useful for all concerned.

This year, 32 NGOs have benefited from government grants totalling €2.9m and another €1m is earmarked for other associations. The vote for next year has been increased by a further €500,000. In 1994, the government established a fund for voluntary movements and since then €26m has been distributed.

A few weeks ago, I was delighted to open a national conference on Employee Volunteering that was organised by the National Coordinating Body (NCB) that was aimed at bringing together the business community and the voluntary sector.

Discussions focused on a number of very interesting topics such as understanding the benefits of corporate volunteering, the main approach of corporate services, how to establish corporate voluntary schemes and various success stories. The same body has also launched the National Volunteer Award to recognise the important work carried out by those who volunteer with not-for-profit organisations, charities and NGOs.

The climax of the year’s activities was the ‘Bus Tour’ held earlier this month outside Valletta which attracted large crowds to the various stalls and activities and at which useful information was handed out .

It is appropriate to mention the booklet by Agenzija Zghazagh and Eurodesk called U-Volunteer, which is a tool for young people and which was – appropriately – launched during Freshers’ Week at the university.

As the Year of Volunteering comes to an end, it is hoped it will have encouraged more volunteers around the world. More people should be involved: “You make a difference” as one popular slogan said. So my appeal is for more people to get involved. Come forward – there is certainly room for everyone.