Introduction
Volunteerism is vital for a society to maintain good connections as humanity adopts globalization trends. Simultaneously, encouraging the participation of all possible volunteers in the long term to build a sustainable community. Studies indicate that the global number of volunteers is increasing, making volunteering an increasingly popular cultural practice (Talaue et al., 2020). This is seen in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, in which “An Ambitious Nation” objective is to expand the number of volunteers to a remarkable 1 million every year (Talaue et al., 2020). The significance of volunteering is in the selflessness of an act that embraces the many current global trends, such as social, economic, environmental, and political developments. The role of volunteerism is experiencing development across multiple perimeters, and the role of social media is increasing.
Recruitment Strategies
The core of volunteering programs is recruitment of participants. There are various approaches to the recruitment processes that differ by the mode of information sharing and motivators for volunteers. The study of Requier et al. (2020) identified that a combination of online and face-to-face interaction was effective in the recruitment process of volunteers for the citizen science program for beekeepers. Offline mode of recruitment was effective for those that did not have access to the internet. Consequently, it seems that the utilization of online technologies such as social media may bring large benefit in the process if proper motivators are stimulated by organizations.
In detail, the research by Kpanake (2021) examined that during Ebola pandemic volunteers followed the feelings of moral duty and patriotism to help with the relief programs. At the same time, some addressed personal growth, compliance and collective good as motivators (Kpanake, 2021). Consequently, it could be argued that the effective strategy for large-scale volunteer recruitment should follow a morally good cause and advertised across the internet to warranty the reach of wider audience.
The Role of Social Media
Social media benefits of electronic volunteering are realized via activities such as promotion, training, fundraising, information sharing, and problem-solving. As social media’s powers expand to include an ever-improving ability to organize essentially spontaneous reactions, a new form of worldwide volunteering emerges (Safrit & Schmiesing, 2011). Electronic-volunteering behavior is connected with communal, personalized, and visible affordances, followed by persistence and virtual cooperation. These affordances are heavily impacted by electronic volunteering behavior through work culture and personal privacy (Ahmed & Radwan, 2022).
According to Filsinger and Freitag (2019, as cited in Ahmed & Radwan, 2022), internet use lowers the likelihood of volunteer activity. First, it discovers that the negative link between internet usage and volunteering is stronger among young individuals than older persons, who are more likely to volunteer when they use the internet (Ahmed & Radwan, 2022). Second, it seems that using social networking sites mitigates the unfavorable impact of internet use on volunteering (Ahmed & Radwan, 2022). Another research found a positive association between social media usage and involvement and that more than 80% of the coefficients are positive (Ahmed & Radwan, 2022).
According to Lee’s (2020) research, the younger generation’s increasing usage of online social network sites has sparked concerns and disputes regarding the effect of social network sites on civic involvement. The results show a link between a modest amount of Facebook usage and volunteering. Suggesting a possible prospect for the new development of volunteering experience.
Saudi Arabia Volunteerism
In Sound Arabia, the young are still one of the most productive age groups, with a population proportion of over 30% of about equal numbers of the male and female gender. This demonstrates that when young people are assisted or supplied with the necessary reinforcement, they may help improve their community by improving lives, which leads to alignment with Vision 2030 (Thompson., 2017). Empowering young volunteers will aid in overcoming issues brought about by current societal trends. Volunteering is an act in which one contributes his or her unselfish act without regard for monetary compensation, without regard for how much time he or she has spent on the act, but rather for how the volunteerism influences the area he or she has selected in providing a benefit to society. This occurs even when there is no need for motivation.
Volunteer work helps individuals in dealing with pressing social issues such as recessions, declining healthcare, and a lack of education. The jobless have greater opportunities to create or obtain work via volunteering, particularly for those with vocational and technical abilities. Through volunteering, one may develop people’s empathy levels by making connections and understanding their feelings and circumstances.
One who is not a part of a situation can never comprehend it until they become involved in the lives of people who are. Volunteering allows one to realize tiny problems or things that are utilized or taken for granted while gaining empathy for individuals who have uneven chances in the community (Haski-Leventhal et al., 2016). Another social problem related to volunteering is how one becomes aware of community social concerns. When one begins to build a network, it is impossible to ignore social concerns. Finally, volunteering gives skills that may be employed as an entrepreneur to serve the community one is in, which will contribute to the achievement of the 2030 goal.
Volunteerism is strongly linked to the battle for democracy in political developments. As a volunteer, one might join political groups to advocate for ideas that will benefit the community he or she represents. Political engagement and development will represent many people, particularly the disenfranchised. When their difficulties are brought to the table and handled, it is a positive and a growth guarantee; community development is directly related to vision 2030 vision accomplishment (Busch., 2018). As a result of technology, practically everyone is interested in it, and this has become unavoidable, as everyone who uses or knows Google can attest.
E-Volunteering Emerging Trend
Saudi Arabia strives to reach its greatest state in its Vision 2030 since it has lately become so common that it decreases the obligations of community institutions. The feeling of collective responsibility among individuals and organizations has grown, which has propelled the development wheel ahead (ALeiban, 2020). However, the Corona pandemic has diminished the efficacy of social activities owing to societal conditions, whether global or local (ALeiban, 2020). Thus, E-volunteering was the ideal option since technology plays a significant part in voluntary activity if it is appropriately invested to overcome crisis difficulties.
E-volunteering is regarded as a supplement to field voluntary work and represents a qualitative jump within conventional voluntary work disciplines. Two truths have become clear to Saudi Arabia. The first is that volunteerism has gotten insufficient attention in the Arab world (ALeiban, 2020). As a result, it is still so restricted that it is exclusively used in lobbying, social domains, and assistance to the poor and needy (ALeiban, 2020).
Second, to fulfil its objectives, volunteer work must effectively invest human resources connected to youth and eliminate barriers to profiting from their contributions (ALeiban, 2020). E-volunteering has arisen as a professional tool for keeping up with community changes, facilitating the volunteering process, and overcoming pertinent hurdles. However, ALeiban’s (2020) research reveals a variety of impediments to the growth of E-volunteering in the area of social work practice in Saudi culture. The majority of them are administrative impediments connected to the social worker, the community, or the organization (ALeiban, 2020). Their resolution is easily followed via the implementation of e-volunteering.
Conclusion
Nevertheless, volunteering cannot be separated from the present trend in Saudi Arabia and throughout the globe. Volunteerism is a selfless deed that does not need to be pushed or rime calculated. Therefore, it goes hand in hand with the country’s progress. Consequently, the government of Saudi Arabia plans to expand the number of active volunteers to 1 million annually. Volunteerism is done to help society or a community in general, and the growth of a community equals the growth of Saudi Arabia.
Social media currently reshapes existing tropes in the volunteering field as the notion of e-volunteerism emerges. It is important in the Middle Eastern demographics where volunteering is essential for the cultural and infrastructural progress of the community. The research in the field indicates that this trend is bound to remain as the popularity of e-volunteering is increasing. After the pandemic, the technology importance in social work is high. E-volunteering allows people to engage in helpful practice by avoiding major administrative obstacles on the way and physical proximity to the area of interest.
References
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