Management and development of the human resource of Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Greece: Utopia or reality?

Abstract

The presence of Civil Society in Greece is lean even though the cultivation of the values of social solidarity and volunteerism they are notably developed.  It is necessary to avoid jeopardizing the main traits of Civil Society, which are independence, diversity and their effectiveness.  According to professor D. Dimitrakos, the Civil Society is the intermediary space between the state and citizen, the retainer in the state and at the same time a space of free participation in a social and political entity.  The citizen relies on this in order to perform his rights and on the other hand the society of citizens assists the state, provided that this functions within a frame of consensus. The Civil Society is a result of Western political philosophy and assisted in the abolition of slavery, in the emergence of the role of women, in formation of syndicalism, in the protection of people with disabilities and others.  In the modern period, the term was first used by the philosophers Marx, Engels and Gramsci, in order to denote the private sphere of activity of individuals in the frame of society, contrary to the state’s sphere of activities.  Surveys demonstrate that 30% of Europeans declare that they are willing to undertake voluntary action.  Worldwide, there are around 19 millions workers in NGOs and countless volunteers. The human personnel comprise permanent personnel, circumstantial partners and volunteers. Citizens and especially those that have expertise in the areas they operate in, are eligible to become members of NGOs, in order to help promote their goals.  In the globalized reality, which leads to increased competitiveness, proper management of human resources is particularly important for all the executives of NGOs.  In this proposal we will try to show how NGOs can manage and develop their human potential.   Key words: Non-Governmental Organization, human resource management, civil society, volunteer, volunteering.