Volunteering is an expression of democracy.

As I listen to the news about the Prime Minister about to roll back on his environmental commitments, I am left somewhat frustrated that we always await politicians to solve our challenges for us.

Democracy must not be purely about casting a vote every few years, and then sitting back in expectation that those we elect will sort everything out? As citizens, we also have a duty to act? We can change our own behaviour, we can work in our community to take local action, we can lobby decision-makers in between elections. 

Locally, I rarely hear from my elected officials between elections. They seemingly accept the status quo in which my democratic role is seemingly complete once I have cast my vote.

Yet, when charities lobby government, there is often a politician telling us to stick to the knitting. Charities are communities of citizens working for a cause. It is our duty collectively and individually as citizens to act. So, I have little sympathy when our elected officials don't like us kicking up a storm over an issue our community feel strongly about.

Volunteering and activism are challenges to this relinquishing of responsibility to politicians. Actively giving time to address the problems in one's community, or to challenge the actions of decision-makers between elections, or even coproducing solutions without awaiting political direction are powerful exemplars of democracy. Indeed, I would argue such active participation in addressing community challenges are a far greater act of democracy than marking a ballot several times a decade?

As volunteering professionals and probably as volunteers, I think we often lose sight of volunteering as an act of democracy, as we focus on the here and now. But I think it is worth us remembering the power of our movement and profession.

So as the media reports on the decisions of Rishi Sunak to push back on environmental pledges and we hear the views of motor manufacturers, what disappoints me, besides the environmental impact, is that TV news seemingly portrays us ordinary citizens as powerless and voiceless in this action. As volunteers and citizens, we do have agency and power beyond voting. We can get involved in community actions that address the climate emergency. Now is a time to be an active citizen, and volunteer.

Chris Wade, Time For Impact, Volunteering Consultancy

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