Are We Meeting the Moment Democracy Demands?

In recent years, democracy around the world has been declining. According to one report, the “global index score is at just 5.17 out of 10, its lowest point in the history of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s annual Democracy Index.” 

Understanding why and where democracy is declining – not only geographically but also in terms of what makes a democracy fully functioning – is important given the ties between democracy and volunteering.  And it’s important to ask: “Are we in Volunteer Engagement meeting the moment democracy demands?”

How Democracy is Assessed

The Global State of Democracy report assesses countries on four categories. Taken directly from the report, these categories are:

• Representation – such as credible elections and effective parliamentary oversight;
• Rule of Law – such as judicial independence and the degree to which people are free from political violence;
• Rights – such as freedom of expression, freedom of press and freedom of assembly; and
• Participation – such as how involved citizens are in democratic expression during and between elections.

Volunteering, both formal and informal, is a core way people engage civically as well as in our communities. It falls squarely in the “Participation” bucket. However, considering the breadth of ways volunteers activate — involvement in the electoral process in many countries, as well as in advocating and demonstrating for rights, and even the many pro-bono cases lawyers and others take on in support of rule of law — volunteer contributions cannot be overlooked. This means that volunteerism is woven through all four pillars identified in fully functioning democratic societies. Indeed, we can’t think of another activity that so completely spans all four pillars. 

Of particular note in the report was the dramatic drop in freedom of the press, the largest drop in 50 years. In fact, this decline is unprecedented. “We’ve never seen such an acute deterioration in a key indicator of democratic health,” according to Keven Casas-Zamora. Many non-profit and charitable organizations work in media and specifically with the press. Moreover, this decline in freedom of the press has merged with a significant rise in misinformation and lack of trust in public institutions, and nonprofits and charities. All these combine to have a significant impact on philanthropic support, both financial and voluntary, for organizations and causes. These are not isolated trends. They form a cohesive and premeditated attack on democracy.

When we talk about volunteerism, we rarely tie it to democracy. Yet we can no longer ignore the significant and deeply woven ties between volunteerism in all its forms and its impact on a fully functioning democracy.  There is a role and responsibility that we as Leaders of Volunteer Engagement have in supporting democracy. If ever there was a time for us to stand up and acknowledge this and act it’s now. But are we? Are we meeting the moment with democracy in crisis globally?

Ties that Bind and Heal?

Some refer to the current global situation as being a “polycrisis” (multiple crises at one time) or “permacrisis” (a constant state of crisis with no apparent reprieve).

Coincidentally – or perhaps not? – the decline in democratic pillars has been mirrored by a decline in both formal and informal volunteering.

Is this a cause or effect? Is democracy the chicken and volunteering the egg or vice versa? It would likely be hard to parse out the directional influence and correlation, however knowing that civic participation is one of the key pillars, it makes sense that as we began to see drops in volunteerism, we’d also see declines in democracy. 

“In a time when communities…face increasing polarisation, social fragmentation, and declining trust in institutions, volunteering quietly emerges as one of the most powerful forces for cohesion. It is often informal, under-recognised, and invisible in policy debates, yet its impact is profound.”  - Susana Marinho & Mónica Babo

So What Can We Do?

"Community is the most effective form of rebellion."
As this quote from Lorgia Garcia Peña discusses, there are ties between many of these crises – both as they inflame and compound one another – but also potentially in how we move forward towards tackling them.

Volunteerism creates unique and, we would argue, critical ties both within a community  (known as bonding social capital) and across a community (known as bridging social capital). When volunteerism is equitable and accessible, it brings together a mishmash of people, from a range of socio-economic classes, cultures, ages and motivations. The spirit and value of volunteering is that the very potluck nature of it breaks down barriers that are used, both in the past and currently, to divide people and pit group against one another (bridging social capital). Volunteering can open people’s eyes to experiences they wouldn’t normally have, meet people they wouldn’t typically meet. This is what builds a resilient, healthy community. It’s not the relationships themselves; it’s that people from all corners of a community come together and work together.

You may be thinking, “OK, I see the connection between democracy and volunteerism, but what can I do?” Consider these suggestions:

• Talk about the important connection of volunteering and democracy to volunteers and help them see how their participation has bigger ripple impacts across the community.
• If you have a fairly homogenous volunteer base, examine why that is. What barriers exist that you may not see. Check out the award-winning toolkit, Is Everyone Welcome?, to learn more.
• Connect with other Leaders of Volunteer Engagement who may have a different volunteer base or different cause focus and create joint or cross-over volunteer opportunities or ways to inform and create connections
• Actively challenge your definitions of volunteering and consider them in the context not only of the work you do but in the wider context of democracy.
• Weave in what’s happening in your local community into your conversations with senior leadership and colleagues. Help them see those connections and influences to your work.
• Reach out to or follow local leaders, both informal community leaders and formal elected officials, to talk about volunteerism in your community. Bonus points if you do this as a collective with your local DOVIA/AVA or even just a group of concerned citizens who happen to be Leaders of Volunteer Engagement

Is This the Moment? Is This OUR Moment?

Many have said that this moment in time will change the trajectory of the world for generations to come. We have an opportunity to make sure the trajectory is one that benefits our communities, sustains volunteerism and ultimately that supports democracy. As Winston Churchill once said, “No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.”

Now is our collective moment to support and strengthen democracy – by doing what we do, to the best of our abilities.