UK Volunteering in International Perspective

Abstract

The increased interest in volunteering from policy-makers, as noted in Chapter 1, has not been restricted to the United Kingdom. Volunteering has histories in the United States and in parts of Europe, but its importance and the attention it is receiving is increasing everywhere. The 2001 UN IYV saw 126 countries set up volunteering committees to draw attention to the work of volunteers and the four aims of the year – promotion, recognition, facilitation and networking – were intended to enhance the profile of volunteering with governments and citizens everywhere (IVR, 2002).