Volunteering and community development in rural areas

Abstract

In rural communities in Romania, other forms of aid have a presence and immemorial tradition alive today. Volunteering (activity defined as helping a contractual relationship between an individual and a nonprofit legal entity, public or private) is present but less local rural areas compared with urban areas. However, the presence of components of voluntary involvement of community members is a necessary component by a series of grant programs (eg, the Romanian Fund for Social Development). Also, active involvement in development projects is desirable (and dotted as it is) in the European funding programs in post-accession period (primarily the National Rural Development Program). From a sociological standpoint, is that true community development involving voluntarily by those interested in developing a specific project, indicating the need for measures to increase the degree of activism in local communities, primarily the rural ones. Current characteristics of voluntary work in Romania (definition, statistical data, socio-demographic characteristics of volunteers), features local rural community development and its alleged role in the development of local communities. Presenting both current characteristics and trends of volunteering in our movement and how volunteering can be developed in rural areas as an important component of rural development activities.