Volunteering and volunteers From ourselves – to ourselvesVolunteering has existed for a long time and has been practiced when there has been a need to help someone or to do something useful for the whole community. Through times in various countries and social systems different terms have been used: voluntary work, volunteering, civic engagement etc, however, basically the characteristics have always been the following: - it is a voluntary, not imposed activity; - the motivation results from the unselfishness, the will to help or to do something for common good; - you do not get any material or financial compensation for it; - it is an engagement out of the occupation.