The International Volunteer Day is celebrated every year on December 5th all around the world. On December 17th, 1985, in New York, the UN decided to create the International Volunteer Day to promote the work of volunteers for economic and social development at local, national, and international levels, and to highlight the role played by associative structures that strive to meet various social needs, mainly among young people, seniors, and disadvantaged areas.
Since then, International Volunteer Day is celebrated every year on December 5th all around the world.
But what is volunteering?
It is:
– Giving your free time to an activity that you want to encourage and are interested in.
– Providing others with help, energy, and skills willingly and without pay.
– Enriching yourself personally by getting involved with other volunteers in meaningful actions.
In 2016, it was estimated that there were 13 million volunteers in associations. Between 2010 and 2016, the proportion of French people who volunteered their time for others, outside of family, increased from 36% to 39%. By the latter date, 63% of French people reported giving their time or having done so, and 1,300,000 structures were documented within the associative sector.
France can thus boast of being Europe’s champion in volunteering and volunteering. Indeed, 4 out of 5 associations are exclusively managed by volunteers, and 4 out of 10 French people, or 43% of the population, report participating in at least one voluntary activity during the year.
