2.3 National strategy on youth volunteering
On this page
On this page
Existence of a National Strategy
There is neither a unified national strategy for youth volunteering and its development nor any national strategy for volunteering in general.
The issue of youth volunteering is handled by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS).
One of the key documents that has dealt, among other things, with the issue, was the Youth Strategy 2014-2020. Therein:
- Youth volunteering forms part of the horizontal priorities, namely in point 4 'Involving young people in the decision-making process and participation'.
- Support of youth volunteering is one of the priorities, being considered as a tool for stimulation of active and responsible citizenship and, also, as a contribution to societal coherence.
- Development of volunteering is formulated in strategic goal no. 9: 'To create favourable conditions for youth volunteering including the valuation and recognition of volunteering'.
National Concept (strategy) for volunteering development is being prepared by the Ministry of Interior within the EU funded project in the period 2016 - 2021. It should focus on fields and regional accessibility of volunteering in the form of voluntary centres.
Scope and contents and Responsible authority
The topic of youth volunteering is handled by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports with Strategic Goal (SG) No. 9 of the Youth Strategy and has three Operational Goals (OG) with various measures. Ministry of the Interior (MI) and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MLSA) share responsibility with MEYSas follows:
SG 9: To create favourable conditions for youth volunteering including the valuation and recognition of volunteer activities
|
SG 9: To create favourable conditions for youth volunteering including the valuation and recognition of volunteer activities |
|||
|
OG A: To promote volunteering |
Responsibility |
Co-responsibility |
|
|
Measure: |
1. To promote the legislative incorporation of volunteering in publicly beneficial legal entities and in the position of the beneficiary organisation, as well as in state-subsidised organisations and educational legal entities |
MI |
MEYS
|
|
2. To contribute to the legislative determination of conditions for volunteering by people in their employment, membership or other legal relations with their organisation |
MI |
|
|
|
3. To develop tools for the recognition of competencies obtained through volunteering and to encourage their use |
MEYS |
MI MLSA |
|
|
4. To support the development of methods to evaluate volunteer work for all areas of volunteer activities |
MEYS |
|
|
SG 9: To create favourable conditions for youth volunteering including the valuation and recognition of volunteer activities |
|||
|
OG B: To improve youth awareness of the opportunities for volunteer activities and their benefits |
Responsibility |
Co-responsibility |
|
|
Measure: |
1. To reinforce the role of youth information centres and Eurodesk in the provision of information on volunteer activities and their benefits |
MEYS |
|
|
2. To reinforce youth awareness of volunteering options through schools, educational facilities and NGOs |
MEYS |
|
|
|
3. To promote the dissemination of good practices |
MEYS |
|
|
SG 9: To create favourable conditions for youth volunteering including the valuation and recognition of volunteer activities |
|||
|
OG C: To promote the improvement of the quality of work with volunteers |
Responsibility |
Co-responsibility |
|
|
Measure: |
1. To support the system of awarding accreditations to organisations working with volunteers |
MI |
|
|
2. To promote the certification of work provided by volunteers and its recognition |
MI |
MEYS
|
|
|
3. To support the announcement of grant programmes contributing to the quality of work with volunteers |
MI MEYS |
|
|
|
4. To provide methodological support to organisations and institutions working with volunteers |
MI MEYS |
|
MEYS – Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
MLSA – Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
MI – Ministry of the Interior
OG – Objective goal
SG – Strategic goal
Project Concept of volunteering development in the Czech Republic with emphasis on ensuring regional and professional accessibility of volunteering in the form of volunteer centres of the Ministry of Interior.
Period: 2016 – 2022
The project aims to create a more accessible and higher quality of services in the field of social inclusion through volunteering. Further setting up a favourable environment for the performance and development of volunteer activities, for the broadest possible involvement of Volunteers and voluntary organisations, promoting the importance of all volunteer activities and strengthening the recognition of volunteers and volunteerism in society in General.
One of the objectives is to draft "concept of the development of volunteering in the Czech Republic". The emphasis is on the provision of regional and professional accessibility of volunteering by the form of volunteer centres. The focus is on system support and development of volunteer activities, increased availability, and the professionalisation of the voluntary service centres and their clients.
The outcomes of the project are awaiting approval of the Ministry. Only then (probably in 2023) the real strategy (which is suggested in a draft) would be finalized.
Revisions/ Updates
The Youth Strategy was valid in the period 2014-2020. On 3rd of May 2017 the mid-term evaluation of the implementation of the Strategy was approved by the Government. No changes were expected. Final internal evaluation of the strategy took place in 2021 and since that, there is no new Strategy after 2020. However, in 2021 - 2022 the Ministry is preparing an internal Action Plan for the field of Youth for the period 2022 - 2023, considering especially the voluntary youth work activities and their further development and support. According to the internal plans of the Ministry, and after a lot of external pressure, the new Youth Strategy should be developed in 2023. And youth volunteering would be its integral part.