Anna Murawska University of Szczecin HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT OF VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT IN POLAND

SZCZECIN the beginning of Poland

SZCZECIN the beginning of Poland

SZCZECIN the beginning of Poland

SZCZECIN the beginning of Poland Photos by Przemek Dudek

The hills of history and culture

HILLS OF ATHENS the symbol of Greek culture PHILOSOPHY - the man in the centre; - ethical virtues; - social nature of the man; - philia (mental love) MYTHS Prometheus – the first philanthropist (education, devotion, universalism)

HILLS OF ROME the symbol of Roman culture law humanism caritas

HILLS OF JERUSALEM the symbol of Jewish and Christian culture Tikkun Olam – the idea of repairing the world justice compassion/mercy community

HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT Tomasz Bagiński His film Cathedral in 2003 was nominated to Oscar Award category: animated film Animated history of Poland http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DrXgj1NwN8

SPECIFIC CHARACTER OF POLISH VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT very important role of the Catholic Church = Caritas Polska - more than 9 000 support centres and other caring institutions, the nominal value of help in 2010 was about 100 million € = monastic orders (usually organised help for people severely handicapped: intellectually, mentally, physically) a religious motivation for volunteer engagement = 91% of funds Caritas Polska was collected during different charity events organised with help of dioceses and parishes, 9% come from state institutions

SPECIFIC CHARACTER OF POLISH VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT Variable political circumstances - 1772, 1775, 1795 – lost of independence - 20 years of independence (1918-1939) - The Second World War - non-democratic political system after the war - political, economical and social transformation (after 1989)

SPECIFIC CHARACTER OF POLISH VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT The lost of independence barriers opportunities

SPECIFIC CHARACTER OF POLISH VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT The lost of independence barriers activity is forbidden, illegal lethargy, discouragement

SPECIFIC CHARACTER OF POLISH VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT The lost of independence Opportunities people can not relay on the state institutions women way of emancipation

SPECIFIC CHARACTER OF POLISH VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT Lost of indepen-dence PATRIOTISM DEFENCE OF NATIONAL VALUES AND CULTURE RESISTANCE TOWARDS AUTHORITY

Helena Radlińska: researcher, teacher and social activist (1897-1954) She begun her teaching and community activity as a private teacher of Polish and history and also worked as a nurse in many institutions (Warsaw Charitable Association). Her comunity and educational involvement was closely linked to the political and national independence movement. She developed and organised the first Polish programme in social work at an institution of higher education (Social and Educational Study Programe, 1925). It worked even during The Second World War. In conspiracy. From 1945 to 1954 she was the professor on Łódź University.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER OF POLISH VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT Patriotism volunteer engagement as: expression of patriotism way of shaping national identity way of integrating and reintegrating society element of Polish ethos

SPECIFIC CHARACTER OF POLISH VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT Defence of national values and culture great number of activities supported science development, specially national history, as well as education and Polish literature

SPECIFIC CHARACTER OF POLISH VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT Resistance towards authority During II World War, like during annexation in XIX century, volunteer engagement was the way of saving people’s life and cultural heritage. The people showed extraordinary solidarity, generosity and courage.

World famous Polish social activists World War II

Janusz Korczak (1878-1942) in Warsaw ran the Orphanage’s Home for Jewish children funded by the Jewish Society. He also founded other caring institutions. He was murdered with the children in the Treblinka extermination camp. Although he had the opportunity to avoid death, rejected all offers of leaving his children.

Irena Sendler (1910-2008) rescued 2 500 Jewish children from the Warsaw ghetto during World War II. Trained as a social worker, became a member of Council to Aid the Jews, the Polish underground organization established to save Jews from the Nazi occupiers. Even when captured and tortured (by the Nazis) refused to reveal with whom she worked. In 2007 was nominated for the Nobel Prize Prize for Peace.

After World War II the period from 1947 to 1989 = volunteer engagement did not played important role = political, legal and financial situation did not favourable for truly independent activity = the organisations which survived the war were closed up, new organisations were under control of the state = compulsory collectivism, volunteer engagement was kind of obligation

Polish transformation of political, economical and social system (1989) = an outburst of enthusiasm and engagement (91% of organisations which operated in 2002 were established after 1989) = building civil society and non-governmental sector (former leaders of democratic opposition, e.g. U.S. Agency for International Development) =volunteering more and more popular in Poland, the multitude and diversity of activities led to the establishment of the Volunteer Centre Association in 1996. = 2011 European Year of Volunteering, Polish presidency in EU with volunteering promotion among priorities

Polish Association for Telephonic Help 43 centres all over the country +48 91 813 63 63 The member of IFOTES (International Federation of Telephone Emergency Services)

Polish Association for Telephonic Help It serves support for people who are in crisis. Emotional support hotlines, mostly available 24 hours a day, enable those who call to benefit from genuine human relationship based on non-judgemental listening, offered by experienced trained volunteers. This support is entirely confidential and free of charge. They are available to all, whatever their problems, their age, their sex or their convictions. They endeavour to give the callers an opportunity for a better perspective of what they are going through, a clearer view of the situation, thereby fostering self confidence, leading to their taking new initiatives. Nasze stowarzyszenie: 43 placówki -zajmuje się prowadzeniem Telefonów Zaufania i placówek pomocy telefonicznej, jeżeli na danym terenie zaistnieje taka możliwość i potrzeba; -promuje pomoc telefoniczną zorganizowaną zgodnie ze standardami międzynarodowymi, określonymi w Normach Międzynarodowych International Federation of Telephonic Emergency Services, dbając w ten sposób o jej wysoki poziom fachowy i etyczny; -pomaga nowo-powstającym telefonom zaufania w zorganizowaniu placówki i podstawowym przeszkoleniu dyżurnych; -organizuje i wspiera stałe szkolenie i doskonalenie dyżurnych telefonów zaufania; -zmierza do uznania pomocy telefonicznej za rodzaj pierwszej pomocy psychologicznej,

Polish Association for Telephonic Help Support is entirely confidential and free of charge. Available to all, whatever their problems, their age, their sex or their religion are. It gives the callers an opportunity for: clearing the view of their situation, reinforce self confidence, leading to their taking new initiatives (listening therapy)

Chad Varah – English pastor 1911-2007 founder of Samaritans (1953) Befrienders Worldwide (1974) =

Volunteering engagement in Poland in figures 2010 = 16% of Poles carried out voluntary activities for any organisation or group = key factors: education - every third volunteer is graduated from high school age - every third volunteer is younger than 25 years old = motivation of engagement: pleasure and interest (43%) = ½ of volunteers work no more than 20 hours a year

I know I did not exhaust the subject I know I did not exhaust the subject. I hope I did not exhaust the listeners.