Исследовательская работа "Роль волонтёрства и благотворительности в жизни современных людей"

Муниципальное образовательное учреждение

«Шахунская гимназия имени А.С. Пушкина»

Исследовательская работа по английскому языку:

«The Role of Voluntary Work and Charity

in Modern People’s Life»

                                                                  Выполнила:

                                                                                ученица 9 «б» класса

                                                                    Грудкина Анна

                                             Научный руководитель:        

                                                                                       учитель английского языка

                                                                      Держурина Е.Н.

г. Шахунья

2011-2012 учебный год

Contents

Introduction 

Volunteering, Charity, Altruism

Where Voluntary Help Is Needed

An Ideal Volunteer

Help From Foreign Celebrities

Russian Celebrities Give a Helping Hand

Can Ordinary People Volunteer?

The Role Of Volunteering in Modern Life

Literature Used

       In this big world, we can’t survive without mutual help. Not all of us can do something for another without compensation. Are there those who want to do it, ready to give their time and energy to others? Everybody wants to live in a better world. What can each of us do to help others, to give people a small chance and make their dreams come true? How to start? Are gifts of time, skills, things, and ideas as important and effective as contributions of money? Do we need such help nowadays?

       Interested in these questions, I hypothesize: life in the 21st century is impossible without voluntary actions which have always played an important role in society. It is thought to be true because all of us benefit from charitable activity: those who receive help as well as those who give support.

       My aim is to define the role of volunteering in modern society.

       During my research I want to fulfill several tasks:

to clarify the meaning of the terms “volunteer”, "volunteering", "charity" and “altruism";

to identify the characteristics of a true volunteer;

to find celebrities in Russia and abroad whose life is a brilliant example of charity and volunteering;

to determine the role of volunteer and charitable activities for the two population groups: those who provide care, and those who accept it.

For my research I have planned to use the following methods:

studying the Internet resources;

observing real life events;

interviewing people who know more about all forms of voluntary work and charity.

Volunteering, Charity, Altruism

         Voluntary work is work that you do not get paid for and usually involves doing things to help other people, especially the elderly or the sick, or working on behalf of a charity or similar organization. Most charitable organizations rely on unpaid volunteers, and thousands of people give many hours of their time to doing social work or organizing fund-raising events.

       Volunteering is usually enjoyable as people choose jobs close to their personal interests. For instance, people who like animals may volunteer in an animal shelter, a place for animals which have been treated cruelly. Some voluntary work is short term, for example, when people from a community get together to clean up the park. Other work is longer term, such as building houses for poor people. Parents often volunteer at their children’s schools, and do voluntary work. Schoolchildren visit old people in hospitals or homes, and students at college often raise money or charities. (from “Oxford Guide to British and American Culture”).

       Who is a volunteer? A volunteer is someone who gives time, energy and talents to others, expecting nothing in return. Volunteers must have an open mind, be willing to embrace wisdom learned from others and also let the experience of volunteering lead to personal inner growth. Volunteers realize the importance of time and kindness. With the wide range of opportunities, volunteers have the freedom to find an organization that best suits their needs.

       Volunteering is generally considered as an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life, but people also volunteer for their own skill development, to meet others, to make contacts for possible employment, to have fun, and a variety of other reasons that could be considered self-serving. Volunteerism is the act of selflessly giving your life to something you believe free of pay. Although a person may not earn money, it produces a feeling of self-worth and volunteers earn respect instead of money. In general terms, volunteering is the practice of people working on behalf of others or a particular cause without payment for their time and services.

      Volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging people in tackling development challenges, and it can transform the pace and nature of development. Volunteerism benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer by strengthening trust and solidarity among citizens, and by  creating opportunities for participation.

      Now, we know what voluntary work is. But what is the difference between volunteering and charity? Let’s look these words up in the dictionary:

Charity means money or help given because of kindness and generosity towards people who are poor, sick, in difficulties. (“Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English”)

       So, I can conclude that both concepts are based on the altruistic human qualities but the difference is that while charity implies material assistance, volunteer work includes all types of help. Altruism is a concern for the welfare of others. It is a traditional virtue in many cultures, and the main aspect of various religious traditions. Altruism is the opposite of selfishness and can be distinguished from feelings of duty and loyalty. Altruism is a motivation to provide something of value to a party who must be anyone but the self, while duty focuses on a moral obligation towards a specific individual (for example, a god, a king), or collective (for example, a government).

Where Voluntary Help is Needed

      Altruistic human activities pierce all spheres of our life where voluntary work is highly demanded.

 Help to the lonely and disabled:

children's homes

homes for the elderly

Help to nature:

parks

nature reserves

zoos

farms

Emergency disasters:

natural disasters

fires                                              

crash of transport 

technogenic catastrophes

Education:

conferences

presentations

master classes

Health care:

donation

care of patients

care of patients in hospices

acts of charity

Show business:

calmness in the concert hall and behind the scenes

assistance on tours

distribution of promotional leaflets and CDs

web sites

excursions

An Ideal Volunteer

     Who is the perfect volunteer? What qualities should he or she have? Let’s try to create a portrait of an ideal volunteer. This is what a volunteer should be like.

Responsible - capable of responding to any reasonable claim, able to answer reasonably for one's conduct and obligations. Able to be trusted, reliable, trustworthy.

Responsive - able to receive and respond to external stimuli. Susceptible to the feelings of others.

Communicative - someone or something which tends to eagerly and effectively communicate.

Courteous - showing regard or thought for others; especially, displaying good manners or etiquette.

Organized - of a person, characterised by efficient organization.

Hardy - having rugged physical strength, inured to fatigue or hardships.

   So, who can be a volunteer? In my opinion, everything depends on altruistic qualities of a person. It does not matter who you are and what you do. If you have no possibilities to do charity work, you can do voluntary work where it is needed.

What do you have to give as volunteer?

4. Help From Foreign Celebrities

        Voluntary work has recently become an important part of modern life. In order to prove it, first, I have tried to search for some examples of volunteering among celebrities. I have come across so many examples of charitable work made by famous artists, musicians, actors and I have found there even the members of the royal families!

      The British Royal Family is one of the brightest examples of charity. Almost everyone of its members helped and is helping others. I think the following: if famous personalities do some voluntary work and take part in charitable actions, we can suppose that this altruistic activity has already become a significant part of modern life.

       Queen Elizabeth the II donated a considerable sum of money from personal funds to the fund for help victims of cyclone.

       Princess Diana is noted for two major contributions to humanitarianism, although during her lifetime she was President or Patron of over 100 charities. However, her work with land mines and her work on behalf of AIDS patients were forever noted in telling photographs and consequently, her efforts in these two areas of humanitarianism are most well known. The charity work that she has done has become her legacy and continues on through both of her sons.

       Prince Harry continues to give of himself, just as their mother did for so many years. Harry visits the London home for orphans, a hospital for children with leukemia, as well as the center for the treatment of adolescent drug abusers.

       Prince William and Kate Middleton visited the hospital Marsden, which has long been under the patronage of William. The couple talked to the staff and the children with cancer. There was also the opening of the center for children and adolescents with cancer.

         Many Hollywood stars exert all possible assistance to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

        Lady Gaga has released a collection of bracelets. All proceeds from the sale are transferred to the funds which are working in the country.

        Actress Sandra Bullock has transferred one million dollars to help victims of natural disasters.

         Michael Jackson is one of the brightest examples of volunteer assistance. The King of Pop more than 20 years helped to hospitals and orphanages. Michael Jackson was more than an incredible artist - he was an incredible man. He will always be remembered for assistance to Sarajevo during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Michael Jackson gave to charity more than $ 300 million! He also created a foundation called “Heal the world”.

Annie Lennox has come a long way since fronting the Grammy Award-winning Eurythmics in the 1980s. Since then she has become a successful solo artist, sold more than 80 million records, and become renowned for her charity work with organizations such as Amnesty International, Greenpeace, and Nelson Mandela’s 46664 Foundation. The singer, who received the British Red Cross' Services to Humanity Award in 2008, dedicates much of her time to raising awareness of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa. Earlier this year the 53-year-old Lennox released a special fundraising single called Sing, which featured a 23-member choir of female celebrities, including Madonna, Faith Hill, Pink, and many more. Proceeds from the single went to the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), an organization that provides much needed support in the continent’s struggle against the deadly virus. Lennox believes everybody can do something to help those affected by AIDS in Africa. She is especially supportive of what she calls “Laptop Activism”, and runs many of her charity initiatives through the internet. The singer also recently took part in Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday concert in London, where she urged people to join in the struggle to help the 15 million children orphaned by the disease in Africa. “One third of pregnant women in South Africa are HIV positive,” Lennox told CNN. “We can prevent their children being born with the virus if we let the women have access to treatment. If you do not allow that to happen, you’re going to have future generations simply being wiped out.” Annie Lennox has supported 34 charities.

          Sir Elton John has seen many of his close friends die from HIV/AIDS over the years, and established the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) in 1992 to try to stem the destruction the disease causes around the world. Every year Elton John opens his house to hundreds of celebrities and invited guests for a ball to raise money for the foundation, and also holds post-Grammy and Oscar parties as fundraisers. “I have lost many dear friends to this terrible disease,” he said on the EJAF website. Since its founding, EJAF has raised over $125 million to support programs in 55 countries around the globe through prevention and education, elimination of prejudice and discrimination, and providing services to people living with the disease. The singer also gives large amounts of his personal wealth to charity. In 2004 he donated over $43 million to organizations around the world, making him the most generous person in music for that year. He donated 120 motorcycles to the African nation, to be used by doctors and nurses to visit patients in remote areas. Elton John has supported 41 charities.

        George Clooney seems to have one of the most charitable hearts in Hollywood, and he focuses much of his energy on helping people suffering from poverty. Clooney famously founded the organization which main goal is to stop the genocide occurring in Sudan. Clooney has visited the area personally, and spoken with victims of rape and torture. His charity has donated millions of dollars to help those suffering in the region, with much of the funding going through the United Nations World Food Programme. Clooney has been known to give generous donations to homeless people. He donated $25,000 to writers during the 2007 strike. George Clooney has supported 23 charities.

        An Oscar-winning actress, professional model, mother to six children and a natural beauty,  Angelina Jolie needs no introduction as humanitarian spokesperson to the world. Since 2001, Jolie has been on field missions around the world and met with refugees and internally displaced persons in more than 20 countries, including Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Cambodia, Pakistan, Thailand, Ecuador, Kosovo, Kenya, Namibia, Sri Lanka, North Caucasus, Jordan, Egypt, New Delhi, Costa Rica, Chad, Syria, and Iraq. She visited earthquake victims in Haiti on her latest trip to help survivors of conflict and natural disaster. The Jolie-Pitt Foundation, dedicated to eradicating extreme rural poverty, protecting natural resources and conserving wildlife, donated $1 million to Doctors Without Borders, an international medical humanitarian organization created by doctors and journalists in France in 1971. The organization provides aid in nearly 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters, for emergency medical assistance to help victims of the Haiti earthquake. Angelina Jolie has supported 24 charities.

          Bill Clinton set up a foundation to provide people with help for a number of humanitarian causes. Within the foundation, the Clinton Foundation HIV and AIDS Initiative works to make treatment for HIV/AIDS more affordable and to implement large-scale integrated care, treatment, and prevention programs. The Clinton Global Initiative, funded by the Clinton Foundation, was established in New York City to coincide with the 2005 World Summit. The focus areas of the initiative include attempts to address world problems such as global public health, poverty alleviation, and religious and ethnic conflict. The Clinton Foundation Climate Change Initiative, provides resources to allow participating cities to enter into an energy-saving product purchasing consortium and to provide technical and communications support. Clinton donated the saxophone he played at his inauguration to the American Jazz Museum. Bill Clinton has supported 43 charities.

        Doing my research, I have discovered that a lot of celebrities are involved in voluntary work. As all of these people are rich and wealthy, they participate in volunteering in two main forms: donations and establishing charity organizations. You can see what global problems are being solved with the help of celebrities and how many of them participate in this work:

Children -  559 charities, 1723 celebrities

Health -  444 charities, 1499 celebrities

Education -  250 charities, 771 celebrities

Poverty  - 184 charities, 901 celebrities

Environment -  158 charities, 590 celebrities

AIDS  - 141 charities, 962 celebrities

Women  - 129 charities, 494 celebrities

Human Rights-126 charities, 805 celebrities

Animals -  124 charities, 510 celebrities

Family/Parent Support - 120 charities, 524 celebrities

Homelessness -  69 charities, 453 celebrities

Hunger -  63 charities, 468 celebrities

Adoption, Fostering, Orphans - 60 charities, 265 celebrities

Peace -  54 charities, 291 celebrities

Veteran/Service Member Support - 36 charities, 171 celebrities

Water  - 36 charities, 188 celebrities

Blood, Marrow & Organ Donation - 15 charities, 63 celebrities

Depression and Suicide - 13 charities, 72 celebrities

Missing Children  - 9 charities, 42 celebrities

Emergency services -  5 charities, 26 celebrities

        To continue my research, I am going to find out the general attitude to voluntary work. How many people nowadays are ready to participate in voluntary activities? According to the latest statistics, the leading countries by the number of volunteers are: New Zealand, the United States of America, Australia and EU countries. Today more than one hundred million people are members of volunteerism.

19% of adults in France participated at least once in their lives in volunteer actions.

Every third German that is 34% of the population of Germany is a volunteer devoting more than 15 hours per month to work in the volunteer associations, projects and groups of mutual aid.

26% of Japanese have the volunteer experience in the past and they are sure that volunteer work is very useful for their personal growth and for the society on the whole.

About 33% of the population in Ireland is volunteers. The time spent on volunteer work amounts to 96,454 working hours per year. 72% of the population thinks that volunteers do something that can never be done by the hands of paid employees.

       It’s very sad that Russia takes the 138th place by the number of volunteer activities  and only eight percent of the population of Russia is ready to do volunteer work.

6. Russian Celebrities Give a Helping Hand

        Fortunately, my work helped me understand that a lot of Russians have already started participating in charity and voluntary work. For example, I have found out that Andrey Arshavin, one of his country's most popular football players, was officially appointed a "FIFA for SOS Children's Villages" ambassador in June 2005, in a ceremony at the organization’s children's village in Pushkin near St. Petersburg.

       "SOS Children's Villages is one of the most humane and generous models of a family approach for the long-term care of children," said Arshavin, adding that he hoped to attract the attention of friends, colleagues and the community to the cause of SOS Children's Villages.

Arshavin, who plays for St. Petersburg club Zenit, also pledged his support for 6 villages for 2006. "The cooperation between FIFA and SOS Children's Villages is a great idea. I will try to contribute as much as possible to this project," he said.

         In May 2005, Arshavin visited the SOS Children's Village near St. Petersburg and delighted the children by bringing along souvenirs, signing autographs, visiting a family house, having his photograph taken with the children and playing a match of football with them. The children could not stop chanting "Arshavin, Arshavin!"

         In addition, Arshavin also presented the children with tickets for Zenit's match the following day, which the children attended with their faces painted in the club's blue and white colours. In fact, it was agreed that children in the care of SOS Children's Villages would accompany the team captains onto the pitch at all of Zenit's home matches in St. Petersburg.

        The organization's work focuses on abandoned and orphaned children requiring family-based child care. Millions of children worldwide are living without their biological families for a variety of reasons including:

- parental separation,

- domestic violence and neglect,

- they have lost their parents due to war or natural catastrophes,

- disease (AIDS).

       Such children are supported to recover from being emotionally injured and to avoid real danger of being isolated, abused, exploited and deprived of their rights. SOS provides about 50,000 such children and 15,000 young adults with a permanent new family, with a 24 hours a day new SOS mother to provide family-based care. Typically about ten children are grouped into a house with a SOS mother and between ten and forty of such houses are grouped together as a "Village" with shared facilities. Family groups once formed are kept together as a priority.

         The examples of our celebrities show that voluntary work has already become a very important part of many people’s lives. While doing my research, I have come across a web site www.wse-wmwste.ru and what I have read there, has changed my general look at voluntary work and charitable actions in our country. I have realized that there are a lot of people who want to HELP with what they have. The front page of the web site informs us about the main directions: Cure, Orphans, Adults, Various help, the Disabled, Hospices, the Elderly, the Homeless.  

         In Europe and the United States 80% of children diagnosed with cancer survive.  In Russia fewer than 60% do. Because the only difference is money, the cost of treating children with cancer is extremely high. The organization called “Gift Of Life” «Подари жизнь!» raised over £15 million, with 2000 children receiving support during 2010.  This included 27 patients that were sent abroad for treatments unavailable in Russia. People’s generous donations enable to provide children in need with medical treatments that could save their lives. There is also a lot of work for volunteers in hospitals. The volunteers of the foundation “Gift Of Life” visit children in hospitals, organize concerts, accompany them in the theatres and excursions, look for voluntary donors. Volunteers take part in “Gift Of Life” projects:

“Friends in the Hospital”  Volunteers in Moscow have been coming to clinics for some years already. They make friends with sick children. They bring a piece of joy to the hospital where children always wait for them. Each volunteers’ visit is a possibility to forget about serious disease and hard treatment.  

“Art Project” Volunteers teach children to make up films, books, collages, paint and take pictures. Children share their creativity on annual exhibitions.

“Professional Help” Certainly, the most important help of the foundation consists of children’s treatment: buying medicines, modern equipment for clinics, paying for expensive operations. More than that, some of the patients need other professional help: lawyer, interpreter, system administrator, journalist and many more.

“Charity School” Teachers or other people simply having the appropriate skills teach the sick children on a regular basis.

“Drivers’ Help” Volunteer drivers help transport children from railway stations or airports to hospitals and vice versa.

“Donors’ Call-Center” Coordinators of the project and volunteers answer potential and constant donors’ questions by telephone and e-mail. The make calls to the donors and invite them to give blood for the needy patients.

“Video Project” The aim of the new project of the foundation “Gift Of Life” is to make video films. Children guided by volunteers take a video of all the events in the hospital and outside it.

“Out-of-Hospital Volunteers” Sick children and their parents often need urgent non-repeat or constant help outside the hospital. Volunteers (usually men) help them move and carry heavy things, repair home appliances or nail a picture.

        The foundation “Gift Of Life” is associated with the name of Chulpan Khamatova, the famous Russian actress, mother to three daughters. I think her example of voluntary help is one of the brightest in Russia. I learnt about it from her interview. I didn’t want to translate her answers into Russian as it’s very important to read her original words to understand her feelings:

Why did you start charitable work?

Вся моя история в благотворительности началась со встречи с врачами. Я увидела необыкновенных людей, чутких врачей с неокаменевшими сердцами и поняла, что им нужна помощь. Если есть такие светлячки на этой планете, которые борются за жизнь детей, то оставлять их одних в этой борьбе я не имею права. Увидела, как работают волонтеры, эти люди с большими, добрыми сердцами. Меня поразила их самоотверженность. И, конечно, я познакомилась с детьми. Нашей первой акцией стал благотворительный концерт «Подари жизнь», состоявшийся в День защиты детей 1 июня 2005 года в театре «Современник». Этот концерт объединил артистов, волонтеров, благотворителей. А потом начались акция за акцией. Стало понятно, что нужно создавать фонд, как-то систематизировать помощь.

How did this work change you?

Я стала более открытой. У меня выросла способность к коммуникации. Раньше я в основном общалась только с людьми театра и кино. Сейчас постоянно рядом со мной удивительные дети и их родители, врачи и медсестры, волонтеры, а ведь это люди самых разных профессий и социальных слоев. После знакомства с детьми, которые лечатся в наших больницах, и вхождения в особый мир их детства, где жизнь и смерть, радость и страдания, боль и отчаяние воспринимаются во всей их остроте и бескомпромиссности, я многому научилась сама и многое поняла. Стала абсолютно невосприимчива к обывательским разговорам, «проблемам», которые таковыми не являются. Научилась различать, что есть ерунда и глупость, ничтожная суета, банальный эгоизм, а что действительно важное и безотлагательное. Нужно всегда помнить, что нет ничего главнее в жизни, чем здоровье людей, которые вокруг нас.

      – What does this activity give you personally?

Я, наверное, эгоистка и просто получаю от этого удовольствие. Какое-то невероятное удовольствие оттого, что вижу детей, которые лечатся и выписываются, вижу их глаза. У меня поднимается настроение, когда я вижу, как поднимается настроение у родителей детей, которые знают, что их не бросили один на один с горем. Они так смотрят, что становятся не нужны ни слава, ни рейтинги, ни вся эта мишура, связанная с понятием «популярная артистка». И это делает меня счастливой.  Мне это дает массу любви. Мы живем в такое время, когда понятие «любовь» девальвировано. Каждый человек ощущает нехватку любви, нежности, тепла. Я, как счастливый человек, получаю такую лавину тепла, добра, любви, что потом очень долго этим живу. Кроме того, я живу с ощущением сопричастности к изменению действительности в прямом смысле этого слова. И это тоже прекрасное чувство, которое продуктивно, позитивно, конструктивно двигает меня вперед. Я понимаю, зачем я живу на этой земле. У меня есть приложение, я счастливый человек.

Why do people start charity?

У каждого свои предпосылки. Кто-то просто не может не ощущать чужую боль и чужое горе. Есть люди, которые боятся Бога и хотят поменять свою жизнь для того, чтобы не мучиться этим страхом. Есть люди, которым нужен вес в обществе. Может быть, они не чувствуют чужую боль, но они существуют в социуме и для них важно выглядеть в нем хорошо. Я очень рада, что в России развивается социальная ответственность компаний и частных лиц, и многие люди считают, что должны заниматься благотворительностью, потому что это положительно влияет на их репутацию.

What should we do to start helping?

А вы посмотрите в глаза этих детей, их матерей и врачей, чтобы понять, что нужно что-то делать. Я очень рада, что есть люди, которым стоит только заикнуться о проблеме, и они уже бегут в больницу, что-то придумывают, подключают знакомых. Они очень разные, эти люди. Есть среди них те, кто обладает серьезным капиталом. И есть очень небогатые люди, тоже готовые помочь. И они несут кто сто, кто тысячу рублей, подходят после спектаклей и передают деньги в конвертах, на которых просто написано «Детям». Но главное в помощи – искренность, бескорыстность, это ведь что-то вечное и незыблемое.

 The Russian actress Dina Korzun is also a cofounder of the foundation “Gift Of Life”. This woman is a mother to a grown-up son and two small daughters.

What was your life like before the foundation?

До создания фонда я была просто мамой и актрисой и моя жизнь ограничивалась кругом этих интересов. После создания фонда я почувствовала, что границы моей жизни исчезли, и теперь у меня есть ощущение космического пространства, сопричастности и ответственности.

Why did you begin charity work?

Для меня всегда было естественным думать о других людях и помогать им. Так меня воспитала моя мама. Поэтому ничего нового в моей жизни не произошло. Наш фонд родился из объединения добрых желаний и усилий. Мне повезло, я встретилась с родными по духу людьми.

How did this work change you?

Я стала более бесстрашной, потому что это очень здорово – трудиться, помогать и заступаться за других людей. Когда ты думаешь только о себе, эгоистичная жизнь складывается из миллиона проблем, например, мне надо то, у меня не получается се, а когда ты думаешь и заботишься о других людях, жизнь превращается в радостное действие. Когда проблемы решаются, это очень вдохновляет и придает новые силы.

Who, in your opinion, does charity work most often?

Люди, которые знают по опыту своей жизни, что такое трудности, потери и проблемы. Тогда они всеми силами хотят помочь другим людям пройти через испытания, зная, как это тяжело; хочется помочь другим, подать руку помощи.

What will you answer to those who think that if we cannot save all, we shouldn’t help?

Для меня такого вопроса не существует, потому что жизнь одного человека стоит того, чтобы за нее бороться.

Do you think charity should be hidden or open action?

Благотворительностью просто нужно заниматься, и если необходимо – тайно, если необходимо – явно. Если человек хочет перевести огромную сумму на благотворительность, и ему не нужна благодарность, пусть делает тайно. Если ему нужна благодарность и огласка, я не вижу в этом ничего плохого. Если ты хочешь помочь детскому дому и собрать небольшую сумму, рассказывать об этом всей стране не обязательно, но, если тебе это нужно, ничего страшного нет. Наш фонд занимается тем, что мы всегда и везде громко рассказываем о проблемах наших детей. Нам без этого не обойтись, потому что мы хотим как можно большему количеству людей рассказать о том, что есть беда, но помочь в этой беде можно. Мы много говорим о наших проблемах, но о том, сколько личных денег мы вкладываем в благотворительность, мы не говорим, потому что это наше личное дело. Бывает, что кого-то раздражает, что мы так много говорим о проблемах детей, но мы на это стараемся не обращать внимания. Потому что мы это делаем не ради самопиара, а ради помощи детям. Афишировать или нет свою благотворительность – личное дело каждого. Если человек рассказывает о своей благотворительности и делает при этом много добра, я не вижу в этом ничего плохого. Главное, чтобы делалось дело. Больному ребенку все равно, кто ему помог – человек, который всем рассказал об этом или сделал это анонимно. Я сужу об этом не идеологически, а практически.

7. Can Ordinary People Volunteer?

        Evidence found in the Internet showed me that there are plenty of opportunities for helping others in our country. Even if you are not a rich and famous person and do not have extra money for donations, you can always dedicate your time, skills, help and love to those who are in troubles.  We can help people working in different spheres:

Work in orphanage
       In each Russian city these are state facilities for orphans between 4 and 18 years old. As a matter of fact, they are closed boarding houses where the children live, have meals, and study in conformity with school educational program.

Work in children's summer camp
       Every summer thousands of children head off for camps across Russia. Each camp has its own philosophy, but all provide children with a place to relax while having fun in an outdoor setting.

Work in youth centre
       There are youth centres in all Russian cities. They may have different names, such as Centre of youth activities or Youth labor exchange, but all of them are municipal establishments of social service for teenagers and the youth.

Work in rehabilitation centre
       In every Russian city there are several state Rehabilitation Centres for socially unprotected children and physically disabled children from 4 to 18 years old. These are boarding schools where children live, eat, have therapy and study according to the general school program during 2-6 months.

  Help to work in the kitchen and in the dining room;

  Help to clean the building and the territory;

  Help to unload food stuffs and drinks;

  Help Instructors with their activities.

        Searching in the Internet I have discovered that there are some web sites of charity organizations. One of them is “The Club of Volunteers”. The slogan of this organization is: "TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE CHILDREN’S WORLD BRIGHTER"

      The Club of Volunteers is a community of like-minded people united by a desire to support children in orphanages and social care institutions, who have come to be in a difficult life situation. The Club of Volunteers members are not trying to change the state system. For several years, they have been playing a civic role by performing their moral duty. The state will never be able to provide warmth and care to those in need, as this can only be done by human beings. At the same time they know that we are not able to resolve all the problems faced by children in difficult situations. It can be done only by the state itself through government authorities and social workers. But they think they have the potential to change the future of orphaned children by giving them the support that they have lost from their parents.

       The Club is running several charitable projects connected to each other, which help to foster relations between children and society, as well as raising the awareness of each person involved. The Club has been able to effectively develop preventive and educational methods aimed at the promotion of a healthy lifestyle, the concept of family, civic responsibility, self-improvement and intellectual development.                  

      The main need of children is communication. For them, spending the whole day with elder acquaintances and friends is a great joy. Communication with these friends is very important for children, it is easier to talk to young people for them. Children ask for advice or help, they can learn something or simply follow their elder friends’ examples. The Club organizes different social events, such as master-classes for developing creativity and learning, training in social skills and interactions. All these events help children to develop their personal creativity and individuality and increase their self-confidence.

        Volunteers can also take part in the project «Старость в радость». What are they doing? They write letters to elderly people (grandmothers and grandfathers) («ба-де» in Russian that means «бабушки-дедушки»). Volunteers visit elderly people’s houses. In order to participate in this project, volunteers must follow these rules:

Write to one and the same old person once a month, don’t forget about writing letters, don’t give up.

Put an envelope with your address in the letter, as many old people cannot buy an envelope.

Enclose your photo in the first letter, many elderly people keep them on their night tables.

You are allowed to write about what you want: what kind of person you are, what family you come from, if you have a pet, where you went last summer.

You may not only write letters, but send nice greeting cards, pictures, calendars and not only on special occasions.

Be ready not to receive the replies to your letters, as many old people cannot answer. However, they are very happy and remember your letters by heart. Some of them don’t see well and nobody can help them write back. Don’t worry. As soon as they have an opportunity, they will send you a letter or a present.

If you have to stop writing letters to “your” granny or grandpa, don’t be ashamed. Tell immediately your coordinator about it! It’s not a problem for the organization, but the old person can suffer a lot, it can be a real tragedy for him.

Each “granny” and “grandpa” should have only one “grandson” or “granddaughter” not to mix them up.

           So, I have proved that everyone can become a volunteer and bring joy and love to the life of others!

Conclusion “The role of volunteering in modern life”

         What role does voluntary work play in the 21st century? Does it bring more benefit to those who offer help or to those who receive support and other people’s donations? Which categories of citizens gain more from volunteering?

         Volunteer assistance plays an important role for the needy. They have a chance to live a normal life, when it often seems impossibly. Volunteers give hope making this world better and kinder. With the help of volunteers, life becomes easier for many people. In many spheres of activity professionals can feel relief. Suffering people may feel care and find a stimulus to further life. Many people are getting material assets such as housing, employment, benefits, etc. Besides, a lot of people get something spiritual, for example, friends, experiences, good memories, bright example, hope – it is very important for future life. After experiencing sorrow, losses, dislocations, people begin a completely new life. All this can occur thanks to a joint assistance of volunteers and charity.

         For volunteers it is, first of all, much irreplaceable experience. A person changes significantly for the better. He learns not only to live, work and spend money wisely, but also to give something to others. This is very important for a human. Volunteering is also developing such qualities as responsibility, patience, compassion and endurance. A person develops spiritually, acquires new friends, keeps priceless memories.

          In my opinion, people should be involved in volunteer activities since school. Suppose this is not a global assistance, such as simply cleaning a park or a school yard. Children will have new friends, new skills and desire to help others, of course, if it is not mandatory.

 Now, I can say for sure what a person can gain from volunteering.

Enhance or develop skills 
By developing our skills we will better negotiate in real life situations such as finding employment or even dealing with some problems.

Gain "hands on" work experience 
Volunteering gives us on-the-job experience that can be very beneficial when applying for a paid position.

Find new talents 
Whenever we try something new, we could discover a talent that we didn't know we had!

Meet new people 
Whenever we volunteer, we meet new people; these people bring wisdom and talents of their own that we can learn from. We may even meet some friends.

Learn 
Learning is part of life, volunteering helps expand our knowledge of ourselves and our community.

Discover more about yourself
Learning about ourselves is one of the greatest benefits a volunteer receives, self- satisfaction and personal growth come from taking the time to give a bit of yourselves to help others.

Critical thinking
When we volunteer we get the opportunity to look at our community through a new angle that allows us to critically assess some of our past ideas and views about our community and ourselves.

        My hypothesis was the following: “Life in the 21st century is impossible without voluntary actions and all of us benefit from charitable activity: those who receive help as well as those who give support”. During this research I confirmed my hypothesis. There are a lot of people who help and support others. Voluntary activities and charity pierce all spheres of modern life. I have found out that volunteering is and, I hope, will continue to be a useful, popular and fashionable activity, because without it our society will degrade and fall apart. I also hope that Russia will cease to be kept away from volunteering, and will soon rank among the leading countries.

       I would like to finish my conclusion with the quotation from Bill Clinton’s book: "Who's happier?" he writes. "The uniters or the dividers? The builders or the breakers? The givers or the takers? I think you know the answer." 

Literature used:

“Oxford Guide to British and American Culture”

Словарь ABBYY Lingvo

www.wikipedia.com

www.fom.ru

www.bls.gov

www.wse-wmeste.ru

www.club-volonterov.ru