Universal Declaration on Voluntarism
World Congress of the International Association on Voluntarism, Paris, September 14, 1990
Universal declaration on Voluntarism
Preamble
1. Volunteers, drawing on the 1948 Universal Declaration of human Rights and the 1989 International Convention on the Rights of the Child, consider their commitment to be instrumental for social, cultural, economic, and environmental development in a changing world. They have adopted as their own principle that “Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
2. Voluntarism
* is a voluntary choice based on a personal motivation and option
* is active participation on the part of the citizen in the community and city life
* contributes to improving the quality of life, to personal enrichment, and to greater solidarity
* finds expression in action and, generally, in organised activity within an association
* helps to respond to the p[principle issues at stake in society for a more just and peaceful world
* contributes to more balanced economic and social development, the creation of jobs, and new professions
Fundamental Principles of Voluntarism
1. Volunteers put into practice the following fundamental principles
Volunteers:
* recognise the rights of all men, women, and children, whatever their race, their religion, their physical, social, or material condition, to from and association;
* respect the dignity of all human beings and their cultural; Offer mutual help and services in a disinterested manner either on a personal basis or within an association, in a spirit of partnership and fraternity
* pay careful attention to the needs of people and communities and prevail upon the participation the community to respond to those needs
* aim also to make voluntarism and element of personal enrichment, acquisition of new knowledge and skills, and development of capabilities, by encouraging initiative and creativity , and by allowing each person to be an actor rather then a user or a consumer;
* Stimulate a spirit of responsibility and encourage family, community, and international solidarity.
2. Taking into consideration these fundamental principle, volunteers must;
* encourage expression of individual commitment within a collective moment;
* actively strive to support their association by adhering in all conscience to their objective, by learning about their policies and operations
* commit themselves to carrying out tasks mutually agreed upon, taking into account their capabilities, their available time, the responsibilities accepted;
* cooperate in a spirit of mutual understanding and respect with all members of the association
* accept to be trained
* consider themselves bound by secrecy in the exercise of their functions
3. Associations, with the same respect for human rights and the fundamental principles of voluntarism, must;
* make provisions for regulations necessary to carry out volunteer activity; define criteria fro the participation of volunteers and ensure that the clearly defined functions of each person are respected;
* entrust to each volunteer activities that suit him or her, and provide necessary training and support;
* provide for regular evaluations of results and publish them;
* provide for adequate insurance against risks incurred by volunteers in the exercise of their functions and any damage that they might inadvertently cause a third person in carrying out their work;
* facilitate access by all to voluntarism by reimbursing expenses incurred when necessary;
* provide for a mechanism whereby a volunteers work can be terminated by the association itself or by the volunteer
Declaration
Volunteers meeting in the World Congress on the initiative of the International association for Volunteer Effort, declare their faith in volunteer action as a creative and mediating force:
* to respect the dignity of all persons, recognise their right to organise their own lives to exercise their rights as citizens;
* to help solve social and environmental problems;
* to construct a more humane and just society, by also furthering global co-operation
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