Volunteering is the provision of free assistance to needy categories of the population. Many people start volunteering while still in school. For some people, volunteering becomes a social elevator, with the help of which they acquire useful competencies. In this article, you can learn how to get a volunteer book.
The relevance of the volunteer book today
2018 has been declared the Year of Volunteers and Volunteers by Decree of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin. This year, many events are taking place in different parts of our country aimed at motivating and supporting volunteerism.
Volunteer book - a document that confirms and regulates the activities of a volunteer. Often a volunteer’s book is even called a volunteer’s passport, which reflects all the achievements and activities in which he took part.
There is no official document confirming the privileges of the owners of the volunteer book. However, in some universities, when enrolling, the presence of a volunteer book is taken into account. The same thing with hiring - for some employers, the experience of the socially significant activities of a potential employee is important.
How to get a volunteer book? Where to get a volunteer book?
Each region of Russia independently issues a book of volunteers. For example, Muscovites can get a volunteer book at the Resource Center for the Development and Support of the Volunteer Movement Mosvolonter. This is a special project of the City Government. To get a volunteer’s personal book, Muscovites must come to the office of the resource center on their own, take a passport and 2 photos of 3x4 in size, fill out special documents for the book. At the same time, it is necessary to have documents confirming the volunteer experience: letters of appreciation, diplomas, letters of recommendation from the organizers of the event.
Within 14 days, the volunteer will be able to receive his personal volunteer book.
Where can I get a volunteer book? Mosvolonter is located at: Volgogradsky Prospekt, 145, bldg. 2. (Moscow).
How to get a volunteer book in St. Petersburg? To do this, you need to contact the administration of the city of St. Petersburg, where you can get all the necessary information.
At what age can I get a volunteer book?
Any person over 14 years old can become the owner of a volunteer book.
What is volunteering?
Today, the range of volunteering is constantly expanding. Volunteer activities are often divided into several main categories:
- Targeted assistance / social volunteering. In every city there are many people who need regular and systematic help. Most often these are people with disabilities and senior citizens. They always need the targeted help of volunteers who will come to their home to help with household tasks. In addition, social volunteering includes assistance to social institutions of the city: hospitals, nursing homes, animal shelters, etc.
- Sports volunteering. Every year, sports volunteering is gaining momentum. Volunteers participate in major events - the Olympics, the World Cup, the Universiade - and get, in addition to rich experience, many other advantages.For example, official souvenirs, stylish sportswear, and, of course, a lot of acquaintances with Russian and foreign athletes and fans.
- Event volunteering. In Russian cities, many major events are held annually (not only sports). Each of them requires the help of volunteers. Event volunteering is notable for the scale of events.
- Family volunteering. Often you can meet whole families who volunteer together. This is not only a good team building training for the family, but also an opportunity to do useful and good deeds together.
- Corporate volunteering. This type of volunteering is relevant for business companies, enterprises, various organizations. Very often companies organize their social and charity projects, and work together with non-profit city organizations. Employees of organizations are involved in volunteer projects. Corporate volunteering is a great opportunity to unite the work team.
- School volunteering. Volunteering is often started in youth. Volunteer groups are being created in schools that come up with various projects, carry out social campaigns, and initiate events both in the school and beyond. Volunteering helps students develop their creative potential and organizational abilities.
- Inclusive volunteering. Actively developing and relevant direction of volunteerism. Inclusive volunteering involves the involvement of all members of society (including young people with disabilities) in active socially significant activities. People with disabilities along with their healthy peers do not become objects, but subjects of volunteerism.
- Silver volunteering. Many senior citizens feel a constant need for self-fulfillment. They are bored of spending time at home. Therefore, silver volunteering is a great opportunity to make new acquaintances and usefully spend your energy. In many cities of Russia there are already associations of silver volunteers who daily prove that age is just the numbers in the passport.
- Environmental volunteering. Some volunteer associations specialize in eco-volunteering. It includes everything that is connected with the help of nature: starting from a community work day in the yard, ending with large-scale international volunteer programs for cleaning water bodies and natural objects.
I want to volunteer. What should I do?
Often people want to help, but just don’t know where to start. In many cities of Russia there are coordination volunteer centers for the development of volunteering. For starters, you can try contacting them to find out about current volunteer jobs in the city.
Volunteers are needed always and everywhere. In oncology centers, hospitals, nursing homes, animal shelters, in correctional schools, orphanages, at major events. Even on the street and in nature, volunteers are needed.
To become a volunteer, it is enough to take the initiative. You should learn about the volunteer and charitable organizations of your city, which regularly need volunteers. You can also initiate the creation of your own volunteer squad - for this you need to assemble a team of like-minded people and inspire them to joint socially significant activities.
What will volunteering give me?
In addition to the personal volunteer book, which was already written about earlier, volunteering provides many other important advantages.
- New acquaintances, friends. In the process of joint volunteering, volunteers become real friends. Common goals, objectives, activities truly unite people.
- The opportunity to participate in major events.Volunteers of major events not only work, but also participate in events. For example, sports volunteers can watch all matches and competitions.
- Unique experience. This includes many useful skills and abilities: organizing and conducting various events, public speaking, finding and attracting partners, business communications, teamwork experience, creative thinking, creativity and much more.