Learning to work in certain ways: bureaucratic literacies and community-based volunteering in the Philippines

Abstract Concerns have emerged of how the professionalization agenda in development sector may water down ‘spirit volunteerism’ that thrives on community initiative, informality, and flexibility. This paper explores role literacy learning practices bureaucratization drawing from an ethnography local volunteering Philippines. Through such as preparing health classes, making budget plans, writing to government institutions, volunteers were inducted into ‘bureaucratic’ ways working that, at times, clashed with their expectations founded building, solidarity, agency. While could be seen a means for participation development, findings this signal formalization grassroots volunteer groups shift intended dynamics volunteers’ expectations, practices, identities.