By Debbie Haski-Leventhal
The Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University of Jeruslaem
This article studies the profession of volunteers’ managers in Israel. Management of volunteers is an occupation which includes diverse tasks and duties. However, for it to be considered a profession, professional standards are required. These include the existence of a body of knowledge needed in order to undertake the tasks of the profession; education and training of those who wish to enter the profession; unions and professional associations; and agreement on ethical codes. A study of these aspects in Israel shows that management of volunteers is undergoing a process of professionalization, although additional developments are necessary in order for it to be considered a unique profession. Suggested are the adoption of professional standards that are necessary to assist managers to face some of the challenges encountered in their professional activities, such as the selection of volunteers, their training and socialization, motivating volunteers in the long haul, and discontinuing volunteer’s work. For each challenge the rational aspects, the difficulties and the solutions are discussed as a stepping stone towards the creating of professional standards so that management of volunteers does indeed become an accepted profession.