2. What is volunteerism?
Volunteerism is defined as activities
undertaken of free will, for the general public
good and where monetary reward is not the
principal motivating factor.
3. What’s the relationship between volunteerism
and civic participation for youth?
• Volunteering represents an important form and
manifestation of youth participation globally
• General Assembly Resolution 56/38 recognises the
contribution of volunteerism to civic participation and
social and economic development
• In a survey informing the UN System-Wide Action Plan
on Youth, 62% agreed that promoting global, regional,
and national youth volunteering schemes to engage
youth is a good way to address citizenship.
4. What is volunteer infrastructure?
Volunteer infrastructure is defined as the
systems, mechanisms and instruments needed
to ensure an environment where volunteerism
can flourish.
5. What do we know about volunteer
infrastructure in Asia Pacific?
• Given ‘volunteerism’ is a relatively uncontentious
term compared to social mobilisation, political
engagement or activism, there is more room to
negotiate space for it.
• Volunteer infrastructure in Asia Pacific is very
diverse and is growing.
• While we can observe trends, there is little
substantive region-specific data on the contribution
of volunteerism to civic and economic participation.
6. What do we know about volunteer
infrastructure in Asia Pacific?
National Infrastructure:
- Policy and Legal Frameworks
- Civil Society Networks
- Informal Volunteering
7. What do we know about volunteer
infrastructure in Asia Pacific?
Regional
- Incorporation of volunteerism into regional
frameworks such as ASEAN’s work plan
- Increased reciprocity between Asia Pacific
countries on South-South knowledge
exchange on volunteerism
8. What are the challenges for
volunteer infrastructure in the
region?
- Recognition
- Specific challenges for Youth
- Research
- Matching demands to needs
9. What are the opportunities for
volunteer infrastructure in the
region?
- More research
- Exploring and supporting a diversity of volunteering
infrastructure to reflect the diversity of the region.