Volunteering: What it means to you

Well, economy and government sectors are subsystems of society, or the social sector. Every human is part of society but less than 50% participate in economy (if you subtract slaves and semi-slaves even less). Society indeed does work and creates value, mostly unpaid, and in the form of volunteering.

If economy or government does leave gaps - and they do, either by mishandling or by outdated targets - per default society and volunteers jump in. Because society has to survive and we appreciate to help others.

Over 60 million US citizens were volunteering in 2015 and creating value. The fire fighters in Germany are 95% volunteers (over 1 million).

In PMI, we mainly volunteer for PMI administrative and internal targets. Some exceptions exist where PMI volunteers serve for other society parts, NGOs, e.g. Germany has a social services program centered in Munich providing PMs to run some projects for other NGOs
https://pmi-gc.de/en/service-offering/soci...ty-projects-eng

Typically in a progressive society the government assumes, or should assume, responsibility for the less fortunate. This is done through taxes. When volunteer organizations and individuals assume that responsibility it lets the government off the hook - the government does less and less as the volunteer groups take on more and more.

I'm not saying there is no room for volunteers just that one needs to look at the bigger picture and consider the macro impact.

I have a hard time contributing to hospital foundations. They are often set up to purchase equipment needed by the hospital. If they are needed, why are they not part of the hospital and provincial purchase plans?

@Peter,

yes, caution and judgement is necessary before taking on a volunteer role. And it has to suit to your passion.

Regarding not to be a volunteer if someone else could be getting paid for it, I do not agree in every situation. Take food supply as and example, which can be bought from farmers and supermarkets, but - in Germany - there are many volunteers supplying food to poor people. Or the 1000s of volunteers who came to help people loosing their homes and cars and loved ones after the 2021 flooding in Germany.

Business and economy has no priority above society.