Extremely vivid and interesting mosaic of attributes appear from the report, overcoming the stereotypes  and showing new trends in modern volunteering. For the first time has been created the catalogue of key values of volunteering, describing driving force and heart of volunteering! Please note however, that catalogue isn’t closed – quite the contrary, it depends on you!

We encourage you to discuss values of volunteering. Arrange meetings with your peers and colleagues at schools or organizations which whom you are working with, and ask them:

• Does volunteering have to be a sacrifice? 
• Does activist changing the world is volunteer as well? 
• What values are the most important for volunteering? 

Use this Report in Powerpoint presentations, add your own values and share your thoughts.
We are interested in your opinions! Send your thoughts to biuro@e-wolontariat.pl or create a video clip with your phone and post it on the campaign website „Key values of volunteering” – www.tojestwolontariat.pl.

About the project:  

Campaign “Key values of volunteering” was part of the project „Values and activities of volunteering and e-volunteering”, organised as part of celebration of the 2011 European Year of the Volunteering by Good Network Foundation (Fundacja Dobra Sieć) with Orange Foundation from Poland, Academy for the Development of Philanrophy in Poland (Akademia Rozwoju Filantropii w Polsce), Polskie Stowarzyszenie Pedagogów i Animatorów Klanza, Fundacja Rozwoju Wolontariatu, Centrum Myśli Jana Pawła II as partners. Study was conducted by Pracownia Badań i Innowacji Społecznych „Stocznia”.
The goal of the campaign was raising awareness among the society about values and importance of volunteering, as well as promotion of its various forms. Report is describing the definition of the volunteering and shows various forms of activities falling within that concept.
The purpose of the study was describing volunteering in present Poland, what motivate volunteers and what problems they face.
Members of various forms of the volunteering organisations were asked to participate in the study, such as campaigns volunteering, e-volunteering, sport volunteering, corporate volunteering, community volunteering and informal initiatives etc. We asked volunteer about their experiences and opinions in 20 focus groups conducted during summer 2011.
Preliminary results indicate that the most significant benefits and joys of the volunteering are:

• opportunity of spending time actively
• broadening the mind 
• possibility to be with other people
• making the world a better place
• career opportunities
• higher self-esteem

On the other hand, among frustrations and obstacles volunteers mention the lack of respect for volunteering, poor perception among the society, problems with accomplishing the assignments and, sadly, poor preparation non-governmental organizations for cooperation with volunteers.
What are the most important values of volunteering in Poland? The common denominator of the values are positive energy, deep conviction of doing good work for others and the world:

• kindness
• being with other human
• self-fulfillment
• positive energy
• career
• self-esteem
• responsibility
• time good spend
• voluntary
• feeling of being someone special

You can read more about preliminary results of the study in the presentation above.

[translation made by e-volunteers – THANK YOU!]