For some people a word “volunteering” is still mysterious or has a very limited meaning. In those cases it might be associated with military services, or as it happens quite often – people who do voluntary services might be considered “crazy”. However, phenomenon of voluntarism already has a long history as an important part of social interrelations. Usually it is partly or fully a basis of creating communities, a way to gain working experience that eventually helps to get employed in the same area, many NGOs are created starting from voluntary initiatives. Apart from that, volunteering is without any doubt a way of personal growth and education, not only in means of gaining skills and knowledge, but especially in means of developing social skills.

Understanding and popularity of volunteering differs a lot from country to country, and we found it interesting to take a look at its situation in Greece and Lithuania. Even though intuitionally we feel that in both countries volunteering exists and is based usually on good will and motivation of young people, we also saw some differences when comparing the statistics found in both countries. As methodologies of surveys done in both countries differ a lot, we can not make a valid comparison of the available data, but nevertheless we can mention some significant numbers that could help us have a picture of volunteering situation in both countries.

Differences

According to the survey implemented in Greece in 2005[1], only 4,7% of young people report on participation in voluntary work organizations. This percentage brings Greece at the negative extreme of the total European picture, where youth volunteerism, especially in the North, is particularly strong. While a recent survey implemented in Lithuania[2] claims that 46% of citizens of Lithuania participate in at least one voluntary activity per year (most of them participate in activities related to environment or help other people in various ways). Due to difference of respondent groups we can not directly compare this percentage, but on the other hand, survey in Lithuania states that the age group most involved in volunteering is 15-19 years old, which lets us claim that volunteering in Lithuania is much more popular than in Greece among young people.

Same could be assumed about involvement in civic activities in general, as a number of NGOs registered as active in Lithuania reaches 3000 associations, several hundreds of them offering placements for voluntary services. While in Greece, being several times bigger country, there are around 2000 registered active NGOs (270 of them – working on issues of children and youth). Those numbers confirm a stereotype about differences of North and South, as it is often claimed that Northern countries are more developed and active in volunteering and youth work.

There are 76 European Voluntary Service (EVS) hosting projects in Greece[3], some of organizations that are coordinating those projects are also EVS sending organizations. However, the number of EVS volunteers hosted annually in Greece is twice bigger than those sent to do their voluntary service abroad. While in Lithuania we have 67 EVS hosting projects, and the number of volunteers sent abroad every year is higher than the ones hosted. Such difference may be related to differences of economical situation in the compared countries, even climate and various social traditions most probably influence those numbers. Nevertheless, it is obvious that different numbers would be expected from first glance according to the difference of size of the countries (Greece having population of 11 millions and Lithuania – only 3,5 millions).

Similarities

Apart from differences, both countries have something in common: a very limited legislation regarding voluntary services exists. In both countries there is no specific legal document determining volunteering. Volunteers in Greece are assimilated to other categories of people depending on the case (e.g.: students, workers, etc.) and there are some national laws which refer to particular types of volunteering (for instance firemen). On one hand lack of legislation might be seen as an obstacle, but on the other hand, as it is in Lithuania, volunteers might benefit from that. In Lithuania you can sign a voluntary service contract with the organization or institution where you volunteer, having a right to determine specifics of the service. A need to sign an agreement stating responsibilities and rights of the volunteer helps to avoid exploitation, human rights abuse or similar cases. At the same time it gives a chance for volunteer to have an officially signed document, showing his commitment to voluntary service placement. Eventually this can be a starting basis for officially including voluntary experiences in one’s CV.

However, recognition of volunteering is still not yet developed enough in both countries. There are efforts to acknowledge voluntary services in various ways: many volunteers receive honors by local authorities for their voluntary activities, Youthpass for EVS volunteers is available since January 2007, it becomes more popular to include voluntary experience in CV confirmed by signatures of organizations in which voluntary service was held. But anyway, volunteering has still a long way to go to be adequately acknowledged.

Also there is no general system of ensuring quality of volunteering in both countries. There are efforts to improve quality of voluntary activities by organizing trainings and seminars, creating databases for voluntary organizations, creating communication channels on national and international levels, but there is no overall coordination in terms of administration, theory or approach. In addition it has to be mentioned that none of those trainings lead to an officially recognized qualification.

If we look for reasons and try to understand obstacles that still exist for volunteering development in both countries, we can mention absence of comprehensive legislation, lack of access to appropriate information on existing voluntary activities, and difficulty to involve people from disadvantaged backgrounds. But on the other hand, the existing voluntary organizations, activities, active volunteers are proving that volunteering is possible. So we openly claim our opinion, that the key word in this issue is the motivation. When you do have one – you find space for volunteering, you find the activities fitting your interests, you even find time to do something that is not paid for.

Volunteering opportunities in Greece

Volunteering opportunities in Greece are mostly offered by voluntary non-governmental organizations. Range of voluntary activities is really wide: social assistance, environment, human rights, humanitarian aid, religious volunteering, education, arts/culture, sports, animal welfare, blood and human organ donations, support for immigrants, minority groups and many others.

Interesting examples of voluntary programs could be the one annually organized by General Secretariat for Youth and Hellenic Postal Service – “Holidays and Voluntary Work” Program. This program targets young people aged 18-26, who are called to cover the additional staff requirements of Post offices during the summer months in Greek tourist resorts. Another interesting example could be a summer camp in Crete held by the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece ARCHELON and General Secretariat for Youth. This program “Volunteer for Nature” is inviting young people to help protecting eggs of species of turtles in beaches that are under extinction. Searching for interesting and motivating voluntary activities can be started from your Municipality or the closest Youth Information Center. Next step would be to check other information channels, such as:

-          General Secretariat for Youth, www.neagenia.gr,

-          Greek Centre for the Promotion of Volunteering, www.anthropos.gr,

-          Citizens’ Union Paremvassi, www.paremvassi.gr,

-          Volunteering Organizations Initiative, www.simetexo.gr,

-          General Secretariat for Adult Education, Educational Voluntary Program for Emergency Situations, www.ethelontismos.gr,

-          Hellenic Federation of Voluntary NGOs, www.ngofederation.gr,

-          Panhellenic Network of Ecological Organizations, www.eco-net.gr,

-          Other.

European Voluntary Service and AMICUS program are most common and least resources demanding (thus being really available for youth) programs for volunteering abroad, also there are many other programs, available depending on your age, qualifications, priorities for activities, etc. One step is to want to do it. Another – and very important one – is to do it now.

Resources:

-          EVS database http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_en.cfm

-          General Secretariat for Youth, H Nea Genia stin Ellada Simera (Youth in Greece Today), University of Athens (Institute of Applied Communications), Athens, Greece 2005.

-          Voluntary Activities in Lithuania, Volunteers‘ Center and TEO, Lithuania 2008.

-          Voluntary Activities of Young People, Youth-partnership survey, data of Greece 2006.

In addition, a part of the article is based on qualitative information collected during consultation with youth expert Dora Giannaki, Thessaloniki 2009.

[2] Voluntary Activities in Lithuania, Volunteers‘ Center and TEO, Lithuania 2008.

[3] EVS database http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_en.cfm

Tags: compaire, EVS, Greece, youth, Kilkis, Lithuania, NVO, organization, volunteer, Volunteering