Sunday, October 25, 2009

American volunteering system

Society has a complicated system which all of its phenomenon have interrelations with each other. The system differs in different countries according to their cultures and values.

One of the interesting parts of American society is volunteering groups. According to its interest or profession, a group of people try to help others by defining various projects. These projects would have a wide variety. Naming its variety, according to what my dear American friend has informed me, I can mention: movements in favor of green plants, adaption of an orphan either in the country or abroad, collecting food, clothing and other essential items to give to those in need, helping at a hospital, humane society (where pets without homes are kept), nursing home (care for elderly), Habitat for Humanity (an organization that uses volunteers to build homes for families who would not be able to afford to buy one), service organizations that help people with household chores or yard work or transportation or shopping if they are unable to do those things independently. Genrally American volunteerism encompasses almost anything.

The background of these volunteering institutions turns back to the beginning of American Revolution. According to Oxford encyclopedia volunteers were "a part‐time military force raised by local initiative during 1778–9. Its original purpose was to guard against invasion and to preserve law and order, at a time when regular troops had been removed to combat the American Revolution, and government lacked the money to revive the militia…. The movement soon took on a wider political importance, both as the expression of an emerging middle‐class consciousness and as the basis of a new kind of organized extra‐parliamentary support for popular causes."[1]

This atmosphere is reinforced by the government and the different states usually wish people to sustain that spirit, its reason may be due to use it in emergencies. The feedbacks of the statemen have been to make people feel proud of that and continue it. For instance there was news from President Obama in Washington Times: "President-elect Barack Obama kicked off a nationwide volunteer program Monday with an advertising campaign aimed at what the Presidential Inaugural Committee characterized as a "new spirit of service in America." He opens the ad saying, "America's greatness was not crafted in skyscrapers alone...But on the ground by those who could see what needed to be done." [2]

Finding causes of doing such kind of social activities would be an interesting topic in sociological, psychological and also political researches. Introducing the findings to other people may help them to increase their activities and make them more organized. It also would serve to remedy its deficiencies.

[2]http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/12/obama-volunteer-campaign-kicks/#s

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