Christian Aid

A voluntary movement

Our roots

Christian Aid originated in the voluntary response made by the churches of Britain and Ireland to the post-war refugee crisis of the late 1940s. The role of paid staff has grown over the years, but they remain a small part of the whole organisation. Christian Aid includes very large numbers of volunteers with a wide range of responsibilities. Hundreds of thousands of people collect during Christian Aid Week; Church Representatives and Local Organisers manage the Week. There are fundraisers, teachers, preachers, administrators, Trustees (who are ultimately responsible for the policies and management of Christian Aid) and many others. The culture of volunteering in Christian Aid is strengthened by the reality that partners overseas include popular movements involving millions of volunteers, and most partners depend on volunteers.

Christian Aid has always advanced its work mainly through voluntary action, and volunteers are, for many, the 'public face' of the organisation. Christian Aid's achievements and its identity as a movement will depend on its continuing ability to engage and sustain people's voluntary involvement. The paid professional contribution is, and will continue to be, best advanced and made manifest by large numbers of volunteers.

Our beliefs

Christian Aid believes that the active, voluntary involvement of large numbers of church goers in the movement for justice strengthens both the movement and the churches. Christian Aid's commitment that "all shall be included" means that volunteers should be encouraged to participate within Christian Aid on the basis of their ability and willingness to contribute. There should be no barriers to volunteering on grounds of sex, disability, marital status, age, sexual orientation, colour, or national or ethnic origin. Nor should volunteers be disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

Our aspirations

Based on our positive history as a volunteer movement for justice, Christian Aid intends to develop and then maintain:

• an environment throughout the organisation in which volunteering is inspired and led jointly by volunteers and paid staff at all levels;
• the removal of tangible and intangible barriers to volunteering, so that all types of volunteers are invited, welcomed and appropriately involved in all aspects of the work;
• clarity for all volunteers and paid staff about their respective roles, responsibilities, rights and entitlements with regard to each other and the movement as a whole;
• volunteering management that provides both staff and volunteers with high levels of satisfaction and achievement;
• dialogue between volunteers and paid staff throughout Christian Aid, ensuring that all perspectives are sought and considered when planning and undertaking work;
• proper resources for volunteering, in terms of budgets, time, skills and practical resources.