Reconsidering Volunteering: Individual Change as a Result of Doing Good for Others

Volunteerism is an important asset for the society, but also for the beneficiaries and the volunteers themselves. Researchers have tried to understand the main characteristics of volunteerism itself, but also of the volunteer and the organizations that work with volunteers. So far, there are models that describe some defining characteristics of volunteerism or of the volunteer. Other models aim to explain why volunteers continue their service or not, and also to show the public perception of volunteerism in some particular contexts. However, none of the existent models outlines the personal development of volunteers. In this paper, we aim to offer an integrated perspective on volunteerism, which focuses on the individual changes that take place while one volunteers. This alternative perspective will guide research into understanding what changes volunteers go through. These changes are a personal benefit for the volunteer, but also a gain for the society in which they volunteer.