In super-catholic Poland, citizens are not only poorly but also badly informed about voluntary work. In fact, almost 80% of the population is sure that they are doing standard charity work by simply donating a coin to a homeless person or by sending an SMS for charity purposes. It goes without mention that only 1 out of every 5 Polish is aware that 2011 is the European Year of Volunteers. Most surprisingly, differing from the rest of the Old Continent, it is the young population that is particularly incompetent in this regard. As a matter of fact, 60% of the population under 30 are apparently absolutely unconcerned with the exploration of this non-profit area. However, while the data is striking, it is not completely baffling if you closely consider the history of this country. According to the survey conducted by the Centre for Public Opinion in Warsaw, this social malformation is indeed, at least for some part, due to the encounter-collision relationship between this nation’s two souls: Catholicism and Communism; for the former, voluntary work was considered as a form of charity, while for the latter, it was a state obligation.
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