THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BIG V IN TIME OF COVID 19
In time of crisis you truly realize the importance of volunteerism or as I prefer to call it, the BIG V.
Voluntarism is intangible, a hard to define “thing” that has been so transformational since the beginning of human history and yet it is often too overlooked, disregarded and devalued.
The BIG V is becoming central in the war against the corona virus.
We are reading stories from all around the world of indomitable acts of heroism that volunteers are producing day in and day out.
These stories range from operating ambulances and emergency services in Lombardy to the new NHS volunteering program recently launched by the British government to the commendable task of distributing food in the streets of New York for the needy.
Many other examples of endless generosity can be seen throughout the world.
In all of these circumstances where we are living in unique days of fear, anxiety and, for too many, grief, committed and selfless citizens are truly making the difference.
This comes, often, at the cost of high personal sacrifices.
Imagine the corona virus pandemic without such grassroots safety net: the number of victims, including those who are suffering its social economic consequences, would be much higher, with more people deprived of their rights to health care and with levels of poverty incrementally much more severe than what we have now.
Certainly volunteers are not going to replace the much needed interventions from the governments but they can be complementary to them and play a key role in their implementation.
With the crisis still unfolding and with many nations still at risk of massive infections, governments and donor agencies must step up their support to all the social purpose organizations, especially those who are not profit, the real engines of this BIG V movement.
It is not just about providing volunteers with whatever they need to deal with the ongoing emergency like the indispensable equipment and other tools that allow the delivery of essential services right now.
It is also about disbursing the vital financing that would allow BIG V organizations to double down their efforts to turn the tide against the pandemic in the months to come.
Recognition and non-monetary incentives will be also paramount.
For example the Flemish Government is offering free insurance for all local volunteers, a simple and practical initiative meant to help and ease their work.
Yet dealing with such an emergency by leveraging the power of the BIG V also requires strategic thinking and long term vision.
Leaders at local, regional and national levels all over the world should truly realize that investing in volunteerism is the smartest and safest bet they might ever undertake.
These are resources that will create stronger and better volunteering infrastructures able to interact, collaborate and support local governments, especially the municipalities on the front lines, in their massive efforts to rebuild local communities once this mayhem will be over.
This is the idea of Cities of Service, a not for profit network that was initiated by Michael Bloomberg to kick off a volunteering revolution across America by helping local administrations connecting with the expertise, energies and inventiveness of local volunteering groups.
The Italian Government recently announced a new initiative to enlist local municipalities to work in partnership with not for profit organizations to reach out and support the most vulnerable families affected by the corona virus.
Volunteering Centers in U.K. and Italy already have been playing a very important role within their communities, often doubling down as youth resource and training centers.
In the months ahead, they could play an even bigger role in the aftermath of the corona virus, matching the increased demands for help with enthusiastic new volunteers ready to embrace the cause and offering other services and opportunities for professional development.
The crisis offers us an incredible opportunity to expand the base of committed citizens, going beyond the usual minority of individuals already engaged before the virus struck, helping kick start a true global volunteering revolution.
For this to happen we need the best minds from the marketing and advertisement worlds and the best behavior science experts to band together with not for profit practitioners to launch a smart, attractive and inventive BIG V promotional campaign.
This could be done locally and, nationally but also globally with a common message that can be tailor made to fit the local context.
All the BIG V organizations, including the tiny ones who struggle with over complex administrative requirements often imposed on not for profits, should become the engine of this new wave of civic engagement.
Even those corporate houses with already in-house volunteering programs, normally multinationals, could unleash their citizenship engagement endeavors to support their employees in helping those local communities most affected.
In addition these big businesses could help smaller ones in coming up with cost effective and doable corporate volunteering schemes.
Financial resources will be crucial to promote the BIG V thanks to cross sector partnerships and train a new generation of community champions.
Involving schools at all levels with more service learning activities and a review of national curricula to embed the essential elements of the BIG V movement will be a prerequisite for a long term civic project that can redefine the social contract between the state and its citizens.
Even the Sustainable Development Goals, the ambitious framework driving the implementation of the Agenda 2030, can only be achieved if multiple actors come together with long term partnerships and collaborations that put the BIG V at the center.
Interestingly the year 2020 was already destined to be an important one for the BIG V: the United Nations is currently undertaking a global exercise to better understand the role of volunteerism in global development and the 26th World Volunteering Conference is scheduled in Abu Dhabi for October.
Moreover, in the America, this month of April is celebrated as Global Volunteering Month, an initiative that is now re-focused on the role volunteers can play to fight the pandemic.
The virus is creating a tragic momentum for rethinking our life, our existence as humans and the BIG V can help in such transformation.
This revolution starts with small acts of kindness like the ones you find in the lobbies of many apartment blocks in Milan where generous people offer their help to buy groceries not only for the elders but also for those now facing daunting economic times.
Similar examples can be found throughout Italy where people’s new sense of generosity and empathy is making a true difference and is changing the normal ways of living.
As consequence of the crisis, people are reconsidering their priorities and rediscovering values that have been too often neglected.
Let’s turbo charge such positive dynamics stemming from this global tragedy and rethink the role the BIG V can have on future generations.
Certainly, the pandemic will definitely help us decide how we want to run our lives.
Hopefully there will be less ego and less greed, more solidarity, more kindness and more sense of belonging.
Galimberti is the Co-Founder of ENGAGE, an NGO partnering with youths to promote social inclusion in Nepal. He can be reached at simone_engage@yahoo.com
