2.1 What is volunteer work?
Volunteer work goes by many names: philanthropy, altruism, volunteerism, community
work, ideal work and honorary tasks. Despite this, a common understanding of the notion has been established through the 1990’s: Volunteer work is defined as
• volunteer activities,
• which are unpaid or paid for with a symbolic amount,
• which are carried out for unrelated persons,
• which are carried out for the benefit of other people,
• and which have a formal character, i.e. are organized or agreed.