On this page

1. National Programme for Youth Volunteering

2. Funding

3. Characteristics of youth volunteering

4. Support to young volunteers

5. Target groups

National Programme for Youth Volunteering

The National Youth Volunteering Programme, as a comprehensive programme meant specifically for youth population and volunteering, does not exist.

However, since 2009 the relevant Ministry has been supporting a number of regional and local volunteer centres across the country which represent core infrastructure for the development of (youth) volunteering in Croatia.

Funding

The relevant Ministry has been supporting the work of regional and local volunteer centres via one- or three-year grants since 2009. The awarded grants are aimed at building the capacities of civil society organizations (volunteer centres) for the development of quality and sustainable volunteering programs and increasing public awareness on the importance of volunteering for social and economic development in Croatia. Most of the volunteering programmes have young people as one of the main target groups. Many projects also focus of the development of volunteering in primary and secondary schools.

This is an overview of the state financial support awarded to regional and local volunteer centres for the period from 2009 to 2021:

Source: Ministry of Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy

The data indicate a small but steady increase in the number of supported volunteer centres, as well as the allocated funds, except in 2018 and 2019, when the state support declined.

Apart from state funding, EU support is also available for volunteering centres and volunteering projects. For example, in 2013, the National Foundation for Civil Society Development announced a tender in the area of volunteering for the European Union funds for the first time. Under the IPA Component IV "Human Resources Development", is the Priority Axis 5: Strengthening the role of civil society for better governance, and measure 5.2 Strengthening the Role of Civil Society Organizations for Socio-Economic Growth and Democracy Development, was published a call for proposals for grant scheme called "Supporting Contribution of CSOs Active in the Field of Volunteering to Strengthening of Economic and Social Cohesion", aimed at promoting and empowering inclusive volunteering in civil society. The competition was defined by the Government of the Republic of Croatia Office for Cooperation with NGOs in cooperation with the Ministry.  A total of HRK 6.5 million was allocated to nine projects of civil society organizations. In 2017, the Government of the Republic of Croatia Office for Cooperation with NGOs awarded HRK 35 million in grants under the call "Support to the volunteering organizers for the improvement of volunteer management and the implementation of volunteering programs". This Call is implemented within the European Social Fund, i.e. the Operational Programme Efficient Human Resources 2014-2020, Priority Axis 4, Specific Goal 11.ii.1. “Developing capacities of civil society organisations, especially NGOs and social partners, and enhancing civil and social dialogue for better governance”.

Characteristics of young volunteers

There are no statistics related only to the characteristics of young volunteers. However, in 2018, according to the Comparative Statistics on Volunteering for 2017 and 2018, a total of 62,699 persons volunteered, which is 32% more than in 2017. Volunteer distribution in terms of age on the part of the younger population - volunteers aged between 15 and 30 make up 50.62% of the total number of volunteers which is 1.68 % more than in 2017.

According to the Comparative Statistics on Volunteering for 2019 and 2020, a total of 112,666 persons volunteered. In 2019, 3 % more persons volunteered more than in 2018, and 25 % less persons volunteered than in 2020, due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Furthermore, according to the Comparative Statistics on Volunteering for 2020 and 2021, a total of 107,547 persons volunteered. In 2021, there was a 13% increase in the number of volunteers compared to the year before. Age distribution of volunteers remains similar to those of years before – those aged between 18 and 30 are the most numerous age group (38%).

Table: Number of volunteers, volunteering hours and volunteer organizers in the period 2012 – 2020

Source: Ministry of Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy

The table shows that the total number of volunteers from 2012 to 2015 almost tripled, until 2016, when it comes down slightly for two years in a raw. But in 2018 there was a big jump in numbers that shows almost 25% more volunteers and 20% more volunteer hours, if compared with the year before. The number of volunteers continued to grow in 2019 with the exception of 2020 and the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2021, the number of volunteers increased again – compared to the 2020, there was an 22% increase in their numbers.

The total number of volunteering hours was growing almost continuously until 2017, when it drops for 22%. Then, in 2018 the number raises again but it does not reach the total number of volunteer hours form 2016. After 2018, the number of volunteer hours is falling. Year 2020 is an exception due to COVID-19. Number of volunteer hours increased by 13% in 2021, compared to the year before.

Positive trends also include the total number of volunteer organizers, which was on a steady rise and tripled from 2012 to 2021. That means that there is growing number of volunteer organisers which included more volunteers who volunteered a little bit less volunteer hours in last two years.

Volunteers are mostly Croatian citizens, while the share of foreigners in the total number of volunteers between 2017 and 2021 is around 2,0 - 2,5%.  In 2021, women are more likely to be volunteers (60%), while men participate on average with 40%. According to the same data, the largest share of volunteering is carried out in associations (88%), then in institutions (7%), and other non-profit subjects (3%). The fewest volunteers are present in units of local and regional self-government, religious communities, foundations and tourist communities (none of them exceeds 1%).

Support to young volunteers

According to the Act on Volunteering, the volunteer has the right to reimbursement of the expenses incurred for carrying out volunteer work (e.g. purchase of special clothing or equipment for volunteering, travel costs, accommodation, meals, etc.) and such fees are not considered as a cash award or property gain. The Comparative Statistics on Volunteering includes data on the total cost of volunteering which refers to the reimbursement for travel, accommodation, meals, education and other volunteers’ expenses. The Comparative Statistics for 2020 and 2021 states that in 2020 the total cost of was 503,896.78 EUR,while the total cost of volunteering in 2021 was  2,161,863.26 EUR (44% more than the year before). Also, a volunteer has the right to receive benefits under the EU program and international programs related to the funding of volunteering programs.

Besides the reimbursement of expenses, the volunteer has the right to appropriate training, support and supervision.

Target groups

Act on Volunteering stipulates that particular attention is to be paid to volunteers coming from groups at risk of social exclusion and that is contained under the article 14. (OG 22/13) “Principle of inclusive volunteering”. In that article, ‘socially excluded youth’ as a group is not explicitly stated, therefore we can conclude that this principle of inclusive volunteering is applied to youth as well as all other age cohorts in society. The article contains the phrase “socially excluded groups of population” and nothing more specific than that.