International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development: December 5th 2010

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Resources for extending the learning

Help your students experience the many benefits to be gained through volunteering. International Volunteer Day is a United Nations effort that aims to raise awareness about the important contribution of volunteer services, both in local communities and abroad.

 

Service Learning is a powerful means of engaging young people in tackling development challenges. Volunteer efforts benefit both society at large and the individual.  Student volunteers gain opportunities to act on their learning, develop important skills and experience first-hand the feeling of having made a positive difference.  

  • The environment movement was started by volunteers and it has thrived on volunteer effort.
  • Volunteers are an important part of the response to global emergencies such as floods and earthquakes.  They play a central role in post-disaster relief and rebuilding.
  • In developing countries volunteers continue to do wonderful work, conserving biodiversity, exploring alternatives to fossil fuels and biomass, educating others and developing clean water supplies and sanitation.
  • Volunteer programs support capacity building at the local level where poverty reduction and delivery of basic services are most needed.
  • Organizations in our own communities and those throughout the world that provide support to individuals who are most vulnerable, depend on volunteers.
  • One of the greatest challenges faced by community associations and non-profit organizations is recruiting and retaining volunteers.
  • More than 30,000 people in Bangladesh volunteer with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society. Equipped with hand sirens, transistor radios, signal flags, first aid equipment and rescue kits, they are a communications channel relaying weather bulletins to 10 million people living in areas of cyclone risk.

Resources 4 Rethinking  encourages students and teachers to participate in International Volunteer Day and offers the following suggestions to support these efforts.

Other Resources

For more information and activities be sure to check out the website at http://www.un.org/en/events/volunteerday/  and/or http://www.unv.org/en/news-resources/resources/on-volunteerism/doc/unv-report-to-the.html