The Muamalat Newsletter Vol.1 2023

FEM Newsletter | June 2023 36 “Those who believed, emigrates, and strived with their wealth and lives in the cause of Allah, as well as those who gave them shelter and help—they are truly guardians of one another...” This verse states that believers should give generously of their time and wealth to help those in need, and that this act of generosity is highly rewarded by Allah. Volunteer Functions Inventory The Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) is a tool used to assess the motivations and interests of individuals who volunteer. It was developed by Clary, Synder, and Ridge in 1992 and they published the psychometric data of inventory in 1998. The aim of authors (Clary et al., 1998) who developed or introduced VFI is as a way to understand why people volunteer and what types of activities they prefer. The VFI consists of 30 statements that describe different reasons why people might volunteer. The 30 statements are grouped into six categories, which are: 1. Values : Volunteering to express personal values or beliefs. 2. Understanding : Volunteering to learn more about a particular issue or problem. 3. Enhancement : Volunteering to enhance personal growth or self-esteem. 4. Social : Volunteering to build social connections and relationships. 5. Career : Volunteering to gain work- related skills or experiences. 6. Protective : Volunteering to protect oneself from negative experiences or emotions. The VFI is used by organizations and researchers to understand the motivations of volunteers and to design volunteer programs that are more appealing and engaging to potential volunteers. It can also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of volunteer programs and to track changes in v o l u n t e e r motivations over time. Based on the data released on the Team Stage’s website, there are over 1 billion volunteers worldwide, and volunteering has become more important after the pandemic. After the first year of COVID-19 pandemic, the World Giving Index (2021) published by the Charities Aid Foundation reported that Indonesia has the highest level of volunteering compared to other countries. Despite being categorized as a lower-middle- income country, it is not become an obstacle for the people in Indonesia to participate in volunteering activities. Volunteering in Malaysia In Malaysia, volunteerism and services of the community begin in the years between 1960s and the 1980s. It is a growing trend, with many individuals and organizations getting involved in various volunteer programs and initiatives. There are numerous volunteering opportunities available in Malaysia, ranging from community development and education to environmental conservation and disaster relief. Throughout history, volunteering has been one of the activities to give help to society without any financial return. The involvement of Malaysian youth in volunteer activities is because they are concerned and caring with a sense of responsibility to people in the community (Abdullah Sahimi et al., 2018). Hence, this scenario gives an example of the importance of being involved in volunteerism and Malaysian youth are the greatest potential target people for volunteering. During Covid-19 pandemic, 80,000 people has been involved as a member of Malaysia Vaccine Support Volunteers. With slogan or hashtag #kitajagakita, the spirit of volunteerism has increasedandmotivated themtogivesomething good for the nation. According to the report, Malaysia ranked 25th out of 114 countries in 2021, with 21% of Malaysians having volunteered their time in the past month. This is higher than the global average of 14%. While the p a n d em i c h a s