The Volunteer Movement as an Agent of Social Dialogue

Abstract

The article examines the nature of volunteering and the conceptual approaches to its study as an agent in social dialogue with key stakeholders in social policy, namely the state and the business sector. Foundational concepts of volunteering typically address the composition and modalities of participation. At a higher level of analysis, however, researchers frame volunteerism as an activity through which individuals fulfill higher-order needs (in Maslow’s sense) for self-actualization, partnership, and altruism. Furthermore, the volunteer movement serves as a platform for social dialogue between volunteer groups and the state, as well as within society at large, enabling social development and the resolution of pressing social problems. This dialogue proceeds on an equal footing and is characterized by mutual critique that is constructive and generative, not destructive. As an active agent, volunteerism gives rise to a novel form of social action, the “socio-individual” (as conceptualized by A.P. Davydov and V.A. Lektorsky). This form is predicated on a shared social responsibility, realized through partnerships dedicated to addressing critical social issues and advancing the self-realization of participants. Within such partnerships, shared social responsibility is exercised through cooperative action and by integrating innovation into the co-production of public goods. In this cooperative process, the state partially devolves its functions to citizens, who in turn fill functional gaps in the domains of social security, protection, and welfare. The joint activity of diverse actors, grounded in trust and creative problem-solving, gives rise to a “third agency.” This emergent agency represents the synergy of the participants, unlocking new capacities for responding to complex societal challenges.