Volunteering – volunteer benefit
The individual and social benefits of volunteering can be summarised as follows [1]strong>. Benefits of volunteering for the volunteer:
- learning new skills,
- gaining work experience,
- experience of organisational and work culture,
- getting to know occupations, career orientation,
- establishing working relationships,
- experiencing existence in a community,
- providing the individual with existential and mental stability,
- sense of usefulness,
- feeling respected,
- self-expression,
- self-awarding,
- recreation,
- personality development,
- formal and informal learning.
The social and community benefits of volunteering include:
- social integration,
- facilitating group involvement,
- reduction of dropping out,
- strengthening the group’s system of norms, institutional and organisational loyalty,
- helping to consolidate community foundations,
- increasing equal opportunities,
- social equity formation: building and enriching formal and informal relationships with clients (for whom), other volunteers (with whom), official institutions and their representatives,
- the spatial and temporal performance of the group, the fulfilment of the volunteering plan,
- economic benefits,
- benefits of socialisation and mental health, increased social sensitivity and responsibility, in particular towards disadvantaged social groups,
- political benefits: strengthening democratic civic values, modelling.
Rewards to volunteers
Some of the benefits provided to volunteers are needed to enable volunteers to carry out their tasks safely, with appropriate work equipment and protective equipment. The host organisation may also take out liability insurance in respect of employment. In addition, the organisation may reimburse volunteers for the costs of their activities (travel, telephone, meals and, where appropriate, accommodation).
The other part of the benefits is called rewards: it is used to motivate and retain volunteers. The availability of these services depends on the means, circumstances and host organisation capabilities required to carry out the volunteer tasks.
Care must be taken to the traceability, accurate recording and legal title of benefits and rewards. The latter is particularly important because it may involve an extra tax liability if you receive an annual bonus for one volunteer in excess of 20% of the monthly minimum wage.
Tip: The reward system of the Szentendre Skanzen (Open-Air Museum)
- Every time: A pastry and a drink
- After the third time (3×8 hours): Admission ticketfor two persons
- After the fifth time (5×8 hours):Family ticket
- After the eighth time (8×8 hours):20% off at Portéka shop
- After the fifteenth time (15×8 hours): Skanzen card for 2 adults
After the 20th time (20×8 hours): Once a year, if a volunteer organises a family programme at the Open-Air Museum, the area can be visited free of charge.
References:
- [1] Fényes H. – Kiss G.: 2011 az Önkéntesség Európai Éve. Az önkéntesség társadalmi jelensége és jelentősége. Debreceni Szemle, 2011, Debrecen, Debreceni Szemle Alapítvány. http://szemle.unideb.hu/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/156_2014-06-08.PDF (utoljára megtekintve: 2018.08.09.)
This article based on the following document: This article based on the following document: Practical Guide for the Establishment and Operation of Volunteer Programmes at Institutions : abridged English version