Hospice Voluntary Service in the Past and Today. An Attempt at Describing the Changes in the Strategy of Mobilizing for Voluntary Service in the Symbolic Perspective

The text describes the values that are currently implemented in hospice volunteer service under consideration as per the theory of the symbolic dimension of collective action proposed by Donatello della Porta and Marco Diani. The values are presented from the two perspectives: motives mobilizing volunteers to get involved, the most important key in voluntary work and descriptions and interpretations of hospice volunteering by those in charge: coordinators and leaders of the movement. The method was used in order to display the current values of hospice volunteer movement and compare them with the ideology of the movement at the beginning of its formation in Poland. The data used for the analysis comes from my own research concluded in two palliative and hospice centers. Analysis of the transformation of values in hospice volunteer service shows the emergence of new motives to take action, for example, experience of illness, death of a family member and support received from the hospice, and elevation of self perceived value. A service to a person in need, charity, especially in the rhetoric of promoting hospice volunteering fades slowly. Leaders of hospice centers show voluntary service as a way of life, the purpose-making factor, and the possibility to develop people-to-people contacts. The added value of the text is extending the analysis to other areas of voluntary activity, drawing attention to the aspect of values and motivation. A more in-depth analysis on the subject matter would be of value and would furthermore help to determine key human values (selflessness, charity, and the will to help fellow man) surrounding the issue