UNIT 4: Voluntary Action and Social Work in India In Indian culture, renunciation and charity are two highly

venerated values of life. We also find that the Rishis were put on the highest pedestal in ancient times. Rishis lived in forests away from major settlements and engaged themselves in penance, in training disciples in various walks of life and devoting time in meditation and spiritual pursuits. We also come across descriptions in epics that whenever a Rishi visited the court of a king, the king used to vacate his throne to receive the sage and make him sit on his throne. The king then used to sit at the feet of the seer and seek blessings and guidance for the smooth and benevolent conduct of the affairs of the state. It appears that these sages and seers exercised a moral restraint on state power. The king also received the feedback from them about how well his subjects were faring in his kingdom. This shows that renunciates enjoyed a very high status in society. In other words, the virtue of renunciation was important and not the acquisition of wealth or power. Indian culture also placed great emphasis on charity. Every individual or householder was expected to help the needy and the suffering. Even during the modern time, erecting drinking water platforms and feeding the hungry is practiced in may parts of the country. Construction of temples, dharmashalas, anna-satras (centres to serve food free of cost) were some manifestations of charity. Even during the British era and with the advent of modern education, donating wealth for construction of schools and colleges was also practiced. Similarly, the hospitals were also constructed by donations and some of them were run as purely charitable bodies providing treatment free of cost. Such hospitals are found to function even today in our country. Conceptual Clarity between Voluntary Action and Social Work Voluntary action can be described as anticipated, but not necessarily conscious, goal-orientated movement. This psychological concept is part of cognitive psychology that is associated with consciousness and will. Voluntary action works with action effect. Action effect is when an individual has learned to associate a particular action with a particular outcome. Thus, voluntary action is demonstrated when one cognitively identifies the desired outcome and pairs it with the action it will take to achieve it. According to psychologist such as Tolman this concept is applicable to humans and animals alike. However, there are some criticisms to the theory of voluntary action. Psychologist Charles Nuckolls explains in his paper that voluntary action is based on the principle that we are in control of our own actions. He states that it is not known how we come to plan what actions will be executed. Social work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or perceived social injustices and violations of their human rights. Research is often focused on areas such as human development, social policy, public administration, psychotherapy, program evaluation, and international and community development. Social workers are organized into local, national, continental and international professional bodies. Social work, an interdisciplinary field, includes theories

from economics, education, sociology, medicine, philosophy, politics, and psychology. In many jurisdictions, clinical social workers are licensed mental health professionals. Voluntary Oragnizations Many Voluntary Organisations are working in this district for socio economic development of rural people and for promotion and dissemination of art, culture & sports. Some of the cultural organizations like Kalakar, Angul Sahitya Sansad, Natyam, Baishnabi Kalaniketan, Sangeet Sangeet, Sanskruti strive to promote performing arts, foster & coordinate literary activities .The Rotary International, the Lions have their branches in this district. The details on these organizations are narrated in the chapter entitled Culture. The ASS, Angul, YARR, Boinda, Biswa Yuba Kendra etc. are working in the fields of socio economic development of rural people, afforestation, child care, health related activities etc. Examples: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Rotary Lions Talcher Talcher Utkal Jan Foundation for Other Voluntary Organisations Club, Club, Rifle Kishore Nabajeevan Shikshan Ecological Angul Angul Club Club Mandal Sansthan Security

Social Workers and People Social workers help people overcome problems and make their lives better. They might work with people who are homeless, sick, or having family problems. Or they might help students who are having trouble in school. One of the ways social workers help is by finding resources for people. For someone with family difficulties, social workers might find a parenting class or support group. For a homeless person, they might find a place to live and a career training program. For a student, they might find a mentor or a learning disability expert. Some social workers set up resources like these. They research what kinds of help people need. Then, they set up programs to provide that help. They might focus on child abuse, poverty, violence, and other problems.

Areas of Intervention and Implications of Voluntary Action

Factors motivating Voluntary Action:
There are all sorts of factors that motivate people to get involved as a volunteer. For many there is a genuine concern for the well-being of others and a belief that to get the most out of life, you need to contribute fully to society. However, there are other less obvious reasons why you might choose to volunteer and it is understandable to think about what you personally might get from this experience. Some of the benefits of volunteering include a chance to develop existing skills or to gain new ones the experience of working in a different environment the opportunity to learn more about yourself and your capabilities, and gain more selfconfidence the potential for relevant vocational training which could lead to a recognised qualification the chance to develop your networking skills by making new friends and developing contacts an insight into the work of a particular sector the intrinsic satisfaction of contributing to something you feel is worthwhile and which will be valued additional material for your CV and future job applications.

Voluntary Organizations at a Glance

Voluntary Organisations play a vital role in the shaping and implementation of participatory democracy. Their credibility lies in the responsible and constructive role they play in society. They have been contributing immensely for quite sometime towards various development programmes. They work at grassroots level even in remote areas and, therefore, their reach is much wider. They are closer to ground realities and know the needs of the communities. Their approach with target group is direct, emphatic and therefore they are able to draw more contexualised plans of action. They also manage to develop intimate contacts with the people and develop confidence among them. The UN General Assembly in its 52nd session declared the year 2001 as International Year of Volunteers (IYV). The proclamation of IYV is in recognition to the vital contributions of the volunteers to recognise their achievement in the past to facilitate them for the outstanding work done in the field of volunteerism. To ensure that the full potential contribution of Voluntary Organisations (VOs) is realised, the fullest possible communication and cooperation between national, state & local governments and NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) should be promoted in institutions mandated and programmes designed to carry out various schemes. VOs / NGOs need to foster cooperation and communication among themselves to reinforce their effectiveness as an important actor in the implementation of Tenth Five Year Plan, which is incidentally also the First Five Year Plan of this millennium.

Objectives of Voluntary Organizations

1. Protection and development of children 2. Welfare of women in rural areas 3. Services for youth 4. Community welfare 5. Promotion of education facilities 6. Spiritual uplistment 7. Training of workers for field work 8. Prevention from diseases 9. Promotion of moral standards 10. Protection of nature, animals and wildlife, etc.

Voluntary Services in India

There are around 2200 voluntary organisations (VOs) spread across India. The NGO Division in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment disburses grants under 11 schemes to these VOs. A review taken in early 2000 highlighted several areas of concern such as delayed releases and poor service delivery on the ground. The challenge before the Ministry, therefore, was to ensure streamlining the functioning of VOs so that only the right kind of organisations got funded and that services delivered to the target groups are at least commensurate with the grants released. Also, while releasing timely grants to VOs it is ensured that large areas of the country which remain unserved are addressed and the full budgetary allocation for the schemes implemented through the voluntary sector is utilised.

Voluntary Services, Pre-19th Century

19th Century During 19th century and before then, few formal charitable organizations existed to help people in need. During this time, America experienced the Great Awakening. People became conscious of the disadvantaged, and realized the cause for the movement against slavery. Younger people started helping the needy in their communities. In 1851, the first YMCA in the United States was started, followed seven years later by the first YWCA. During the Civil War, women volunteered their time to sew supplies for the soldiers.

John F. Kennedy greets volunteers on August 28, 1961 Salvation army is one of the oldest and largest organization working for disadvantaged people. Though it is a charity organization, it has organized numbers of volunteering programs, since its inception. 20th & 21st Century ]In the first few decades of the 20th century, several volunteer organizations were founded, including the Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions club. The Great Depression saw one of the first large-scale, nationwide efforts to coordinate volunteering for a specific need. During World War II, thousands of volunteer offices supervised the volunteers who helped with the many needs of the military and the home front, including collecting supplies, entertaining soldiers on leave, and caring for the injured. After World War II, the passion of people to help others shifted focus to other areas, including helping the poor and volunteering overseas. A major development was the Peace Corps in 1960. When President Lyndon B. Johnson declared a War on Poverty in 1964. Volunteer opportunities continued to expand in the next few decades, and the process for finding volunteer work became more formalized, with more volunteer centers forming and new ways to find work appearing on the World Wide Web.

Relevance of Voluntary Action and Social Work

To promote transparency in the funding of projects run by VOs, the NGO Division of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has initiated a few steps. To begin with, the application proformae for most of the schemes were re-designed. Details regarding the working of the VOs to monitor and evaluate them effectively were also sought. Developing parameters for correlating output with input was the main focus. The proforma tried to ensure that VOs also paid attention to follow up services and ensured that the persons availing the benefit of training programmes run by them are assisted in placements for work or in setting up self-employment ventures. The application proforma also tried to determine the success rate achieved in programmes such as those for coaching the weaker sections and OBCs in entrance tests for professional courses and for selection to the services. Educational institutions run by VOs were expected to reflect their efforts in ensuring admission of the students passing out from their institution to the higher-level classes. The proforma for projects such as those for street children and those providing welfare services for the aged mentioned the range of services expected to be provided. Information regarding all sources of funds of the VO and the different projects being

supported through such support were also sought in the proforma. This was done to obviate the possibility of the same projects being funded from more than one source or expenses for the same items being booked to multiple accounts.

Professional Social Worker and Voluntary Social Worker

Definition: A social worker is a professional who, most often, works with people and helps them manage their daily lives, understand and adapt to illness, disability, and death, and obtain social services, such as health care, government assistance, and legal aid. Other social workers work as administrators in social service settings, write grants for nonprofit agencies, advocate for social policy at various levels of government, and conduct research. What Do Social Workers Do?: The field of social work utilizes social theories to understand human problems, to help improve people's lives, and to improve society as a whole. Many who work in this field specialize in particular areas, such as helping children, assisting those life-threatening problems, or aiding people in overcoming addictions. Social workers: Act as advocates for their clients Educate clients and teach them new skills Link clients to essential resources within the community Protect vulnerable clients and ensure that their best interests are observed Counsel clients who need support and assistance Research social problems to look for remedies

Role of Voluntary Organization in Social Welfare

There was also a feeling that perhaps all the institutions being funded by the Ministry were not performing as expected and that there were occasional complaints about absence of the institutional services on the ground as well. Besides, in the past the Ministry had been relying mainly on the State Governments for inspection of the VOs and the grants were released only where positive reports were received from the State Government. Many States, possibly due to paucity of staff with them or other reasons, were not able to complete the inspections in time and consequently, the grants were delayed. The Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Smt. Maneka Gandhi expressed her keenness that the Ministry should play a proactive role in monitoring the working of the VOs. The task was taken up by the Ministrys own officers, retired army officers, representatives of university departments and designated inspection teams. Over the year around 750 projects were inspected. Performances were found to be unsatisfactory in around 90 cases. Grants were suspended to 56 organizations. Of these 21 were blacklisted for future assistance. These were the ones where services were non-existent on the ground or the

service delivered was very poor compared to the grants released. Those found to be providing services below par were asked to improve. Many of them complied as subsequent inspections have shown. The drive to inspect a large number of VOs has sent a clear message about the Ministrys concern regarding effective utilization of funds. The inspections also helped in quick release of the second installment as in these cases the Ministry did not wait for the concerned State Governments recommendation.

Impact of Voluntary Services in India

India has been a fascinating place for the Western world long before the British Raj was installed in this country. Britain exposed India to the Western world like it has never been exposed before. Trade and business relations integrated the two worlds and made it almost impossible for one to live without the other. English language became a secondary official language of India. As a result, schools began teaching English, and English is no longer a surprise to hear in the streets. Various writers, historians, humanitarians and dramatists have written a lot on Indian culture, society, and art. Tom Stoppards "Indian Ink" (1995) is a great reflection of effect of Britain on Indian culture, history, and art. Stoppard shows that British left a significant imprint on India that is virtually impossible to fade away. Since India is a developing country, a lot of resources are not available. Schools need desks and computers, teachers lack knowledge of English, and communities are in need for health workers. Volunteer abroad programs created a tremendous impact on rural communities all over India. Volunteering abroad has a far greater and more positive impact than merely traveling to another country. Many countries around the globe rely on the tourism industry, but tourists do not leave any long-term impact on communities they visit. Volunteers come in direct contact with the locals and share knowledge and experience between each other which has a positive impact on both local community and volunteer. Volunteering is simply a responsible and meaningful way of travel which, just like tourism, involves tours and sightseeing. This is a great way to become a global citizen and give back to the world. The fact of the matter is that countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America do not have the resources for people to help their own families, thus it makes it impossible to volunteer in their countries as they cant even make the ends meet themselves. That is why they need you. International voluntary service has been a great value added not only in sociological and humanitarian terms, but also in economic. You should consider volunteering abroad to make a difference. They need you to help build homes, to educate their children, to clean up after natural disasters, and to help bring life back in to those who have been dealt an incredibly difficult hand. We all know about class clashes, poverty rates, gender issues, and health problems that India faces today, so lets be responsible global citizens and help those who happened to be less fortunate than us.

Government and Voluntary Action

An effort, as small as spending time helping others, can go a long way in bringing change in lives of many. The sheer feeling of accomplishment or joy that you get by lending a helping hand to people and organizations can be quite overwhelming. We at Volunteering India, provide you with the opportunity to participate in projects dealing with health, community development, child education, disadvantaged residents and many more. We aim to improve the living conditions of the locals in India and need your support for doing so. These projects will not only help the less fortunate but also help you as a volunteer to know another culture, may be another language and make new friends for life. Those who want to discover something new and are willing to share his or her knowledge and experience can plan a volunteer tour to India with us. We welcome everyone to join this adventure. While working as a volunteer in local projects, you also get to know and discover the country through excursions. Workshops and orientation courses are provided to help you learn about the language, culture and traditions of India. This will facilitate your volunteer work in India. We also cooperate with local organizations for the volunteering projects. These local organizations have dedicated professional staff to provide strong field support. Above all, they ensure that your efforts make a positive difference to those in need. Our volunteer opportunities also include facility for food, accommodation and travelling. The safety and security of each volunteer is given an utmost priority during the volunteer period.

Emerging Trends in Voluntary Action

Traditionally, VOs supported by the Ministry have been providing services free of charge. In fact, the beneficiaries are provided fairly generous stipends and transport allowances for attending programmes. It was even seen that in some of the institutions the same beneficiary had been availing assistance for many years but had made little effort to become self-supporting. It was, therefore, decided that even in the vocational training programmes for the special categories there would be a ceiling of three years duration in the period for which the training would be imparted and stipends and other allowances have to be limited to this period at the most. Also, since it was seen that many of the guardians of the beneficiaries have the capacity to pay for the services availed it was felt that the recovery of user charges should be encouraged. However, to ensure that the genuinely poor are not denied services on this account, it has been decided that these charges can be income-related. The VOs can utilise the amounts recovered in this manner for augmenting the facilities provided while ensuring the accounting of these monies in their annual income and expenditure account. These changes have been welcomed by many VOs. This year the Ministry has utilised its full budgetary allocation and the releases have totalled an all time high of Rs. 162 crore. This is indeed a jump over Rs. 58.92 crore utilised in the first

year of the current Plan period. The allocation for 2001-02 is over Rs. 187 crore. The Ministry will continue to inform the MPs, chief secretaries, secretaries of social welfare and the district magistrates about the releases made to keep them abreast of the voluntary efforts in their respective areas being supported by it.