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VOLUNTEERING/
IYV 2001
source: www.worldvolunteerweb.org/
dynamic/infobase/pdf/2002/02
_09_01GBRiyv_final_evaluation.pdf
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The International Year of Volunteers (IYV 2001) launched by the United Nations was an opportunity to highlight the achievements of millions of volunteers worldwide… - the IYV follow-up survey reported 63% of responding countries claiming to have seen an increase in the number of people volunteering. However, of these only 36% gave recorded evidence to back up this claim, and often this was quite localised in its reach. In Brazil, for example, one organisation estimated that while in 1998 there were 15,000 inquiries about volunteering in 2001 this had increased to 30,000, while a blood bank project in Rio de Janeiro saw volunteer numbers go from 3 in 2000 to 30 in 2001; (1)
- alongside an increase in volunteer numbers, the follow-up survey offers evidence of an expansion in the demand for volunteers, with 34% of responding countries reporting an increase in the number of volunteering opportunities created during the Year. Again, only a minority of countries (42%) had recorded evidence of the increase, and this tended to be inferential, such as records of the numbers of organisations registering at national volunteer centres;
- many governments used the Year to review the legislative framework relating to volunteering. 31% of respondents to the follow-up survey reported that specific legislation on volunteering was either considered or implemented during IYV; with 23% saying that existing legislation was reviewed to take into account the impact on volunteering;
- in some instances the impetus for legislative change came from government; in others it came from the voluntary sector. In Mozambique a proposal for new legislation on volunteering was delivered to the Minister of Youth and Sport; while in Kyrgyzstan a law on ‘volunteer movement’ was developed by the voluntary sector ‘Fund of Legal Problems’. In Germany changes were made to the law on the Volunteer Ecological Year to make it easier for young people to get involved, and legislative reviews were also carried out in the Czech Republic;
- the follow-up survey found that in 63% of responding countries major policy statements or plans had made reference to volunteering during the Year (i.e. Sri Lanka, Nepal, Portugal). Specific programmes to promote volunteering were introduced or strengthened in 77% of those countries which responded to the follow-up survey (i.e. Hungary and India);
- in many countries governments at the local and regional level embraced IYV and introduced provisions to strengthen volunteering. In Tanzania, for example, the regional and local authorities included self-help projects in their annual plans; while in Northern Ireland 16 out of the 26 local authorities in the province were involved in recognising and supporting volunteering during the Year;
- some governments took steps to strengthen volunteering within the public sector. In some countries this involved politicians themselves signing up to take part in voluntary activities, such as in Northern Ireland where 30 of the 108 members of the Legislative Assembly committed themselves to volunteer during the Year;
- in other countries steps were taken to expand the role of volunteering in the key public services, such as health and education. In Hungary the Ministry of Health Care launched a funding programme to develop volunteering in hospitals. In Brazil a meeting of 500 health professionals was held during the Year to discuss how volunteers could contribute to health care. In India partnerships between voluntary agencies and schools were established in several states leading to the involvement of students of all ages in a range of volunteering activities such as disaster preparedness, community cleanliness and road safety.
(1) “IYV Global Evaluation Report”, prepared by the Institute for Volunteering Research in association with the Development Resource Centre, South Africa, September 2002.
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