Making the Impossible Possible: A Contribution of connection centered volunteering to local social development action

Abstract

The focus of this paper is to explain the benefits of volunteering from the perspective of local social development. It is observed that volunteering activism contributes to transform social development into an action which is conventionally believed to be a goal of economic development. The authors’ experience in community volunteering programmes demonstrates that modern volunteering is now, unlike its traditional charitable or philanthropic meaning, a community level connection-centred action which generates welfare benefits to the community. It is extensively used in the context of local level activities of Community-based Organisations. That volunteering activism contributes to transform social development into an action, especially at grassroots, and energizes involvement of the community as an active partner in local social development action.