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1. Governance

2. Cross-sectorial cooperation

Governance

Public actors are responsible for the sector regulation, as well as for the assessment of its compliance. In Portugal, the competencies for the prosecution of policies in the area of volunteering are assigned to CASES - Cooperativa António Sérgio para a Economia Social, CIPRL, under the tutelage of the Ministry of Employmet, Solidarity and Social Security.  The Ministry of Education and the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports, which is responsible for the Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth (IPDJ), are the public actors responsible for youth volunteering.

Non-public actors:

• National Federation of Youth Associations (representing associations at a national level) and its members;
• National Youth Council (national platform of youth organisations) and its members;
• Portuguese Confederation of Volunteering and its members (29 volunteering organisations and promoters with various fields of activity). Its purpose is to represent the Portuguese volunteers and their respective organisations, regardless of their sectors of activity, as well as contribute to the defence of their respective rights and interests.

  Cross-sectorial cooperation

In April 2017, the composition and functioning of the advisory body for issues regarding volunteering, solidarity, family, rehabilitation and social security was promulgated – Decree-Law no. 48/2017. The National Council for Solidarity and Social Security Policies (CNPSSS) is under the tutelage of the Ministry of Employment, Solidarity and Social Security, in coordination with the Deputy Minister regarding citizenship and equality. It is an advisory body that aims to ensure the participation of social partners, of the associative movement and other civil society entities, in coordination with public bodies legally responsible for the definition and monitoring of the implementation of social security policies, social and family policies, as well as the inclusion of people with disabilities and volunteering. Naturally, this council has in its composition stakeholders in the area of volunteering and youth volunteering.