Just an add-on? Including voluntary work in a Danish statutory street-level organization

In recent decades, political interest in Denmark in including volunteers in statutory street-level organizations (SLOs) has grown, reflecting a wider European trend. Although complementary voluntary work appears to be a preferred form of volunteer inclusion in such organizations in Scandinavia, research on this critical issue in social work remains limited. This article contributes to social work research by exploring how complementary voluntary work is integrated into the social work effort in a statutory SLO providing ambulatory services for people with long-term drug use. The analysis highlights the importance of first, creating a complementary format between social work professionals and volunteers based on a clear division of roles and responsibilities; second, making volunteer collaboration a professional tool in social work; and third, establishing a workable framework for the everyday collaboration and the provision of voluntary activities. The article draws on a recent in-depth qualitative study involving interviews with central organizational actors in the SLO and a non-profit organization that recruits and trains volunteers, together with relevant strategic and organizational documents.