Charity Foundation

t The concept of volunteer movement has only recently emerged in our country. First true non-commercial organizations started to appear in Russia about twenty years ago. This period can be roughly considered to be a start of volunteer movement in Russia. Irrespective of a field of activity of any non-commercial or public organization a need of volunteer helpers emerges sooner or later. It's a fact.

t Now let's look into the term or, if you like, concept of “volunteer”. According to a viewpoint of the average Russian man a volunteer is a citizen who acts in a charitable way in a form of unpaid work in interests of recipient of good, including interests of a charitable organization. Volunteer activity is a wide field of activity that includes traditional forms of mutual assistance, rendering of services and other forms of civic participation, and which is voluntarily and without interest of gratuity. I think that the more the volunteer activity is developed in the country the more the civil society is self-sufficient and advanced. So, why people became volunteers? 1. Creative display of personality 2. Volunteer activity gives an opportunity to find new friends and like-minded people 3. Possibility to improve social status 4. Receipt of moral satisfaction 5. Self-development and personality development 6. Work in team 7. Psychological need to be necessary 8. Communion with the idea 9. Interesting and useful life 10. Exchange of experience This list can be extended. But a question is ripe. What about the volunteer movement in Russia? Frankly speaking, we are noticeably behind the rest of leading in this sense countries, but we are on the right track of establishment and we just begin to realize the importance of this activity. There are a lot of volunteer movements and groups in Europe. They find understanding and support in society. Their lines are quite diverse. For example now I`m following the group of European volunteers, they defend blue whales from Japanese poachers. They are usual people, who put to sea for a few months to rescue blue whales from death. They invest their money in this project. They announce their attitude. They endanger their lives. Quite a bit already… By the way, I`ve heard recently that the Japanese Government had decided to suspend a catch of blue whales. It`s the first result. As we can see, volunteer work is versatile and original. The question is another. Can the Russian society accept the idea of volunteer work? I`m sure it can. But in due time. Dear friends! Join this useful and necessary movement. Let`s do good!