Volunteering for Democracy

The basic idea of this method is to analyze the deeper meanings of the terms we encounter on a daily basis - such as volunteering and democracy. The purpose of such an analysis is to empower young people to become aware of how powerful volunteering can be as a tool for community change and advocacy for democracy and human rights.

A democratic system is based on the promotion of active citizenship that analyzes the society and engages citizens to work on the necessary social changes. Regardless of that, many young people are unaware that participating in a democratic system is much more than voting. That is why we want to make young people aware that volunteering is one of the best forms of participation in the life of the community and that it opens the possibility of dealing with serious issues which may be obstacles in the development of the community. Volunteering makes a concrete change and therefore restores faith in the possibility of personal contribution to the growth and development of the community in which we live.

The facilitator must have access to a number of experienced volunteers that can share their stories.

1. What is democracy? (10 min)
2. Guided discussion - volunteering and democracy (10 min)
3. Good practice - local volunteers (20 min)
4. Sharing impressions (15 min)
5. Local volunteering opportunities (5 min)

Facilitator needs to think about the connection between democracy and volunteering and understand it before the workshop. Also, facilitator needs to include a couple of experienced volunteers with an inspiring story. Understanding the underlying principles and choosing the right volunteers is crucial for the success of this workshop.

printed out pictures

printed out pictures

For the central part, you will need several experienced volunteers to share their volunteering stories. Beforehand prepare them to emphasize the democratic culture of volunteering and/or choose your volunteers according to the relevance of their experience.

Participants share their experience  during the workshop, what impressed them most and are their more motivated to volunteer. The facilitator shares concrete volunteer opportunities in local community.