engleski

Volunteering as a response to society's challenges

Volunteering, with its potential for economic and social contribution, has gained the growing interest of decision makers. In parallel, the research community tried to build comprehensive theoretical frameworks in order to better understand volunteering as a phenomenon. Also, the importance of measuring the contribution of volunteering was recognized in order to create informed decision-making and to the preservation of volunteering as a complementary phenomenon to the welfare state. This paper is aimed to answer what are the key theoretical views on volunteering, what are the key challenges in the measuring of volunteering and how volunteering can be a response to challenges in society. By reviewing the relevant literature and presenting the case of volunteering infrastructure in the Republic of Croatia, recommendations for further development are given. Documents created at the European level are recognized as a mirror for decision-makers to check the state of their country and to take the further steps towards the development of volunteering. The contribution of volunteering as the response to the priorities of the countries of the Western Balkans, is highlighted as well.

volunteering, volunteering theories, volunteering measurement, social policy, social innovations, volunteering infrastructure

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