Bonn, Germany: To mark the International Volunteer Day (IVD) on 5 December, the Bonn-based United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is partnering with AIDS-Hilfe Bonn to organize activities on 1,5 and 8 December highlighting the work of volunteers and their contribution to combating HIV/AIDS.  Read article

Basel, Switzerland: The Basel-based Welfare Group for Disability and Sexuality already arranges erotic massages for people with disabilities. But it is now providing full sexual intercourse and is also signing up gay volunteers to have sex with homosexual disabled people. The group's leader Aiha Zemp said it was a subject that "needed to be tackled." She said: "It's a big taboo that needs to be broken. Having sex is a basic human need like eating and drinking and we have to fight for this right for the disabled."  Visit site

California, USA: Throughout November nonprofitshoppingmall.com highlights the spirit of volunteerism by designating US-based volunteer organization Points Of Light & Hands On Network as its default beneficiary.  Read article

Fears of being falsely accused of harming children is the major factor preventing Scots from volunteering, and while 69% of adults consider working with children, only 5% actually do, a report claims today. Concerns over the culture of litigation is also a factor when it comes to working or volunteering with young people, a survey by Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People (SCCYP) found. In the poll carried out for the commissioner, 48% of adults said concern about being falsely accused of harming young people is the number one obstacle to becoming a volunteer.  Read article

Bongo district, Ghana: Gilbert Azagsa, one of 400 Ghana Red Cross Society volunteers who is helping to register the needs of people affected by the rains and flooding in Ghana is talking to Aduko Akolbire, a widow from Soe community. Aduko tells him that she is mostly worried about the lack of food and money.   Read article

Bonn, Germany: The civil society sector in a wide range of countries contributes about as much to gross domestic product as do the construction and finance industries and twice as much as the utilities industry, according to a Johns Hopkins University report released Tuesday at the first "Global Assembly on Measuring Civil Society and Volunteering" in Bonn, Germany.  Read article

Bonn, Germany: The “Global Assembly on Measuring Civil Society and Volunteering”, convened by the Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies in cooperation with the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and the United Nations Statistics Division, was launched today at the United Nations offices in Bonn.   Read article

Berlin, Germany: Germany launched yesterday a government-funded program aimed at encouraging up to 10,000 young people a year to work as volunteers in developing countries.  Read article

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Dermot Ahern TD, and the Minister of State for Overseas Development, Mr Michael Kitt TD met today with volunteer members of Ireland's Rapid Response Corps – recently established to provide a pool of seasoned technical experts to be deployed in humanitarian emergencies.   Read article

Manila, Philippines: Companies are venturing more into volunteerism to share with the community part of the benefits they’ve received. Tasks for the volunteers range from cultural and global education for local schools, to community cleanups, house-building, fund raising for local charity—or anything that would have “a positive and practical contribution to community initiatives.”  Read article