Although the participation of more and more young people in voluntary activities and the regulation of volunteering within youth work remain important issues, an overarching structural reform is not yet envisaged.

Forthcoming policy developments

According to the Ministry information, the future EU framework programmes include an operational programme on volunteering and the main objectives will be the following:

• further promotion the culture of volunteering,
• increasing the proportion of volunteers among the adult population and among young people,
• to increase the proportion of young people aged 18-29 who have been volunteering at some point in their lives,
• encouraging corporate volunteering and CSR activities,
• development of professional standards for volunteer training and for volunteer coordinators and mentors,
• organisational and methodological development and quality improvement,
• active involvement of Hungarian communities abroad into volunteering in Hungary,
• a stronger link between volunteering and sustainable development.

According to the Ministry, age-based segmentation is not planned for the time being, however, in the future, there could be programmes and projects related to volunteering which mainly aim the younger or older generations.

University Volunteer Points

According to the Ministry, there are plans to set up so-called University Volunteer Points in the future in cooperation with the National Youth Council (Nemzeti Ifjúsági Tanács). The aim is to offer volunteering opportunities in certain higher education courses, which will ultimately facilitate the integration of university students into the field. Voluntary activity not only has a positive impact on people's attitudes, but also on the national economy in the long term.

Main focus points in youth volunteering

According to Ministry information in 2023, one focus point is to develop and strengthen the motivation, appreciation and recognition of voluntary work, especially among young people. The government would like to raise the prestige of volunteering and increase the awareness in society that it is not 'free work', but a socially constructive phenomenon that strengthens cooperation between generations and different social groups, and contributes to the functioning of the economy.

The Ministry will endeavour to develop initiatives that can increase the motivation of individuals to participate in such activities of their own free will. In the case of young people, raising awareness of these elements is particularly important. The largest base for volunteering is the 40-49 year olds, who could also be their parents. At a young age, the role model is no longer parents but peers.

Another focus point is to investigate, how can the benefits of volunteering be utilised and thus involve individuals in more and more voluntary activities. It is also important for the Ministry to harness the community-building power of volunteering through initiatives that help make new friends, create a supportive atmosphere and instil shared values. This expands volunteers' social networks, broadens their world view, strengthens their empathy and improves their mental health.