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When Civic Systems Rely on Free Labour
“Should your community’s success depend on unpaid work?”
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SUMMARY - When Civic Systems Rely on Free Labour

When Civic Systems Rely on Free Labour: The Hidden Costs of Volunteerism

Democratic participation, community services, and civic institutions depend heavily on unpaid labour. Volunteers staff elections, serve on boards, coach youth sports, and provide countless services. This volunteerism is celebrated as civic virtue—and it often is. But reliance on free labour also raises troubling questions about who can afford to participate, whether essential functions should depend on charity, and when civic systems exploit goodwill rather than value it.

Alberta
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Thu, 19 Feb 2026 - 06:32
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Alberta
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pondadmin
Thu, 19 Feb 2026 - 06:32
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