VOLUNTEERING INFRASTRUCTURE

4. Structure of the non-profitsector involved in volunteeringIt is estimatedthat there are140 registeredfederationsacting likeumbrella bodiesand networksin specific policydomains, such aswelfare, health,disability,environment,culture, education,marginalisedgroups,poverty, humanrights, women’srights.Undoubtedly, the structure of the sector reflects the unique characteristicsof the history of the island 19 which has been progressively developedaccording to the specific socio-economic and political circumstances ofvarious eras of the history of Cyprus. The current structure of the sectoris comprised of a wide range of organised forms spread at national andlocal levels, covering satisfactorily, the geographical map of the island.Although measures for improving various dimensions of the volunteeringlandscape can be made, it can be stated that the way the sector 20 is organisedand structured in the Republic of Cyprus provides a relatively enablingenvironment for the development of volunteering. Voluntary associations/non-profit organisations, etc, are structured as follows:a) under an organised structure of federations and confederations acting likemiddle level umbrella bodies of homogeneous organisations (i.e. PancyprianCon-Federation of Organisations for the Disabled, Pancyprian Federation ofAssociations for the Welfare of the Elderly, Federation of Environmental andEcological Organisations of Cyprus, etc),b) under a broader (high-level) national umbrella or coordinating body of diverseorganisations with a geographically structured membership (i.e. the Pancyprianand District Coordinative Volunteerism Councils).Other organisations may not be a part of an organised structure (i.e. have amembership to a middle or high-level organisation) and choose to functionindependently.As already identified in the previous sections of this chapter, the Cypriotnon-governmental/non-profit context reflects a rich landscape of organisedstructures composed of coordinative councils, associations, organisations,foundations, networks, federations, confederations, community councils andcentres, which serve different purposes and tasks in various policy domains.All structures engage volunteers in different ways to achieve diversepurposes. The forms of volunteering performed in most structures may takethe following forms: administrative/leadership volunteering (volunteersas board members and leaders), grass-root volunteering (volunteering inlocal/community projects), ‘professional’ level volunteering (highly skilledand trained volunteers who run or supervise social programmes andservices), campaign/advocacy volunteering (volunteering which promotespromotional, fund-raising or policy campaigns), etc. Depending on theirmission, organised structures utilise volunteers and other human resourcesto meet different purposes and needs such as supporting and promotingvolunteering, conducting research and policy work on volunteering, etc.‘Outside’ the strict ‘volunteering sector boundary’ (if one can claim that19. The island of Cyprus has experienced an extensive history of conquerors and foreign rule, a turbulent socio-politicalenvironment, has the characteristics of postcolonial societies and has only enjoyed its democratic status only recentlywhen it was granted its independence in 196020. As in many other countries, various ‘labels’ are used to describe the structures that engage in non-profit activitiesand volunteering outside the boundaries of the governmental domain (such as the ‘non-profit sector’, ‘voluntary sector’,‘civil society’, ‘NGO sector’, ‘third sector’).88 Volunteering infrastructure in Europe 6 Cyprus