Pillars of volunteering

THERE'S a debate raging at the moment about what constitutes volunteering and whether certain organisations or causes should be ranked higher than others.

- SHARON GORDON

Should service hours spent caring for children or the elderly be considered more valuable than hours spent helping animals or protecting the environment? Is feeding the homeless somehow more meaningful than planting trees or rescuing pets? These questions are sparking passionate discussions across communities, schools, and even volunteering platforms.

I don’t really have a strong opinion either way, but it has made me think deeply about the purpose of volunteering.

If we're starting to measure and compare causes, perhaps we're moving too far from the heart of what volunteering is truly about. Maybe we need to return to the basics and ask ourselves: What are the true pillars of volunteering? What core principles make any volunteering experience valuable, regardless of the setting?