志願服務的轉型：公民社會的觀點

Abstract

公民社會之理想為追求一個良善社會，且肯定每個人都有權利共同建構良善的社會。公民參與之意義，在於肯定個人的自由與平等，並相信人類之潛能可因此更加發揮，創造社會的繁榮興盛。當前臺灣的志願服務參與率和公民社會指標研究結果均顯示，志願服務參與率雖有提升，但公民參與之面貌卻很模糊。在聯合國所倡導的四種志願服務面向（自助互助、慈善服務、社會倡導和參與治理）下，社會倡導和參與治理是最能展現民主治理的公民社會典範。然而，當前臺灣的志願服務傾向於慈善型服務，明顯缺乏公民社會的典範思維。在經濟全球化的社會中，僅依靠慈善典範的志願服務並無法為弱勢族群解決結構性所產生的社會問題，還需仰賴以民主為本，運用集體力量的志願服務。期待未來臺灣的志願服務運用單位，不僅是一個服務提供場所，更是一所民主學校與一個公共領域，可在志工服務過程中培養民主素養，促成志願服務的民主治理之公共領域。而社區應是實踐公民社會的場域，政府政策與社區經營都不應將社區僅看成是公共服務供給的場域，更應視其為居民實踐民主自治的場所。在此新自由主義主導的時代裡，唯有透過工作者之專業自覺與專業認同強化，方能有助於志願服務實踐公民社會的精神。

Civil society provides a space between the state and the market. It is about promoting liberty and sustaining equality. The purpose of civil society is seeking a good society where all citizens are entitled their rights to participate in civic affairs. Recognition the importance of civic participation means to assure the rights of equality and freedom for every single citizen. It also believes that human being own their potentials to create flourishing. Volunteering to promote well-being and democracy through civic participation became one of the highest forms of praxis of civil society. United Nations proposes four basic types of voluntary activity, there are mutual aid, philanthropy, campaigning and advocacy, and participation and selfgovernance. Among them, advocacy and participation are volunteering that best fit the ideal of democratic governance for civil society. In this article, the author introduces the theory of democracy from Mary Parker Follett to inquire about the three elements of civil society. Follett’s core emphasis in true democracy is on civic participation, democratic governance and public sphere. Current volunteering in Taiwan is more philanthropy or service to others oriented. The paradigm of volunteering could shift towards civil society model in the future. Volunteer and community organizations, from the perspective of civil society, are not only spheres of service delivery but also schools of democracy and the spheres of democratic governance.