Evaluating Malta's voluntary sector : a way forward

Abstract

Volunteering is defined in the literature by certain common aspects: It is an activity which is not obligatory; it is done so that other people may benefit, such as for society or to help an organisation; it does not offer payment; and it typically occurs in contexts which are organised (Dingle, 2001; Govaart et al., 2001). The term ‘voluntary sector’ typically refers to those organisations which have a primary purpose of creating social impact, as opposed to producing profits. Other terms referring to the voluntary sector include ‘civil society’, ‘the not-for-profit sector’, ‘the third sector’, ‘non-profit organisations’ (NPOs), amongst others. Organisations within the voluntary secretary function independently from local or national government, whilst being distinct from the private sector (Reach Volunteering, 2017). Organisations across the world which form part of the voluntary sector are expanding in “number, size and prominence” (Connolly et al., 2013, as cited in Ortega-Rodríguez et al., 2020, p. 1). This growth has been attributed to a growth in social problems which are linked to political, economic, or religious (Austin, 2000). Voluntary organisations play an important role due to their social mission which aims to provide assistance when the state cannot meet demand (Ortega-Rodríguez et al., 2020). Studies which have attempted to quantify the number of people who volunteer have, however, found difficulties in adequately defining what constitutes volunteering (Angermann & Sittermann, 2010). This has been due to a lack of consensus about whether both formal and informal volunteering should be considered as volunteering, or if this only relates to formal volunteering. Moreover, there has been a question about whether individuals are considered to be volunteers by virtue of holding membership with an organisation, as opposed to individuals who assume concrete activities within an organisation (Angermann & Sittermann, 2010).