Volunteering and Voluntary Organisations: between transformative forces and service-oriented action. A journey of reflection
This document, edited by Giacomo Pisani, has been produced as part of the research project “The frontiers of volunteering: between evolution and new forms of engagement“, with the support of the Caritro Foundation. The work brings together contributions from academics and practitioners in the sector and offers a reflection on the identity of contemporary volunteering. At the heart of the analysis lies a constant tension between the transformations that have shaped the phenomenon in recent decades and its original nature, understood as a political and transformative force.
The publication is divided into two parts. The first, which takes a historical and theoretical approach, brings together essays by Renato Frisanco, Carlo Borzaga, Felice Scalvini and Luca Gori, and traces the evolution of voluntary work, focusing on its identity and legal framework. The second part, which focuses more on the observation of contemporary practices, includes contributions from Chiara Tommasini, Francesca Fiori, Maddalena Recla and Elena Taverna, and concentrates on current forms of volunteering and activism, with particular attention to new forms of participation, especially amongst young people.
This journey began with the experience of radical volunteering in the 1970s, described as a genuine ‘call for justice’, capable of tackling social inequalities and contributing to the implementation of the principles set out in Article 3 of the Constitution. Over time, that transformative drive has partly waned, whilst in many contexts volunteering has gradually taken on a role more focused on the provision of services, often under public mandate and with less autonomy in planning. This document, however, avoids simplistic interpretations or rigid dichotomies. As Borzaga and Scalvini emphasise, the real challenge lies in rebuilding the capacity to reconcile the transformative dimension with the service function. From this perspective, Italian volunteering stands out for its ability to translate social values and visions into concrete actions, aimed at supporting people and combating social vulnerabilities.
Particular attention is paid to the most recent developments. Chiara Tommasini suggests using the plural form ‘volontariati’ to reflect the richness and variety of forms of participation – particularly amongst young people – that lie somewhere between volunteering and activism on issues such as rights, the environment and peace. Fiori and Recla explore these emerging experiences in greater depth, whilst Elena Taverna analyses new forms of collaboration with public institutions, such as partnership agreements and the role of the ‘volunteer-partner’, linked to the shared management of common goods. Finally, Luca Gori interprets the Third Sector Code – and in particular Article 17 – as recognition of an ongoing evolution, which must not, however, be set in stone through rigid definitions.
The authors’ analysis clearly highlights the need to preserve the dynamic nature of volunteering, which cannot be reduced to a static function but must be understood as a space for social innovation and for challenging injustices. Volunteering is thus confirmed as a living force, a constant driving force towards a fairer society, the forms of which are redefined through the ongoing interplay between social needs and new ways of collective participation.
