A senior United Nations official Monday urged policymakers not to exploit the work of volunteers to compensate for budget cuts in welfare spending, calling for more support for voluntary efforts worldwide.'We live in times where, everywhere, the financial crisis has put into question the very sustainability of the welfare state in its current form,' said executive coordinator for UN volunteers Flavia Pansieri.
However, volunteerism should not be seen instrumentally as a way to offset for reduced state intervention in the social area, she told an international volunteer conference in Singapore. Full story
