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1. Governance

2. Cross-sectoral cooperation

Governance

According to the Government Decree No. 182/2022. (V.24.) [182/2022. (V.24.) Korm. rendelet], governmental activities related to youth volunteering belongs to the Deputy State Secretariat for Young People under the Ministry of Culture and Innovation (Kulturális és Innovációs Minisztérium). (For more information, please see 1.4 Youth policy decision-making.)

Main actors

The governmental structure of volunteering is not explicitly geared towards youth volunteering. Still, an integrated approach is assumed as the prominent responsible persons are located in the same organisational unit as youth policy. The Deputy State Secretariat for Civil and Social Relationships within the Prime Minister's Office (Miniszterelnökség) has a Division for Civil and Social Consultation, which administers the sectoral policies of the civil sector and provides information for civil organisations through the Civil Information Portal (Civil Információs Portál).

In addition, the Department for Young People of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation (Kulturális és Innovációs Minisztérium Fiatalokért Felelős Főosztálya) maintains and manages the official register of host organisations for voluntary activities in the public interest, the 'Register of Voluntary Organisations in the Public Interest' (Közérdekű Önkéntes Szervezeti Regiszter), which provides host organisations with the opportunity to publish information about themselves, contact details and activities.

The National Volunteer Council

The National Volunteer Council (Nemzeti Önkéntes Tanács) was established by the Government Decree No. 1503/2016. (IX. 21.) [1503/2016. (IX. 21.) Korm. határozat] is a forum for volunteerism, which brings together the Ministry and the relevant civil and religious actors.

According to the regulation the organisation of the Council as follows:

'the president of the Council is the State Secretary for Higher Education, Vocational and Adult Education, and Youth Affairs and its vice-president is the Deputy State Secretariat for Young People.

Its members can be nominated, among others, by the National Disability Council, the Charity Council, the Council of Seniors, the National Council for Environment Protection, the Hungarian Catholic Church, the Hungarian Reformed Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary, the Association of the Hungarian Jewish Community and the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.'

The role of the Council is defined as follows:

'The Council gives an opinion on the concepts, strategies, proposals and reports on volunteering submitted to it. It proposes creating and amending legislation and regulatory instruments concerning volunteering and other government policies related to volunteering. It promotes cooperation between the governmental, church, non-profit and business sectors in volunteering. It contributes to coordinating of various voluntary programs and measures and monitors and supports the preparation, adoption and implementation of the current National Volunteer Strategy.'

According to the Ministry's information in 2025, the National Volunteer Council has ceased its activities since 2020 but will be reconvened in 2025, when the new National Volunteer Strategy will be adopted.

Civil Public Service Centres

Several non-governmental organisations rely on voluntary activities in general for their work. Only one network (network of organisations) is responsible for coordinating the information activities related to youth volunteering. The state-supported network of Civil Public Service Centres (Civil Közösségi Szolgáltató Központok, CKSZKs), which are operated and controlled by the Deputy State Secretariat for Civil and Social Relationships, under the Prime Minister's Office (Miniszterelnökség). The NGOs that run these centres have offices in each county and the capital. These centres support the professional work of the NGOs and monitor the use of the state funds.

'The tasks of CKSZKs, among others, include the following: professional support for NGOs regarding their operation strengthening their sustainability and ensuring that the use of the state budget support is in line with the regulations.' (Civil Közösségi Szolgáltató Központok)

The primary services provided by the CKSZKs are 

• to support civil organisations so that they comply with the administrative requirements,
• to inform these organisations about the available funds and applications,
• to provide practical help and individualised consultation for NGOs,
• to support and promote communication and cooperation within and with other sectors.

National Volunteer Centre Foundation and the Civil Unity Forum

Another important NGO is the National Volunteer Centre Foundation [Önkéntes Központ Alapítvány (referred hereinafter to as ÖKA)] which aims

'to promote positive social processes through the implementation of volunteer-based programs that contribute to strengthening a society based on responsibility and participation.'

General distribution of responsibilities

The Civil Solidarity Forum Movement (Civil Összefogás Fórummozgalom) and its partner, the Civil Union Public Benefit Foundation (Civil Összefogás Közhasznú Alapítvány) are also important NGO actors worth mentioning concerning to the Hungarian civil society. The head of the Civil Union Public Benefit Foundation, as the president of the National Cooperation Fund (Nemzeti Együttműködési Alap), is responsible for the distribution of state funds to NGOs.

The National Cooperation Fund (Nemzeti Együttműködési Alap, NEA) is a budgetary appropriation that reflects the partnership between civil organisations and the government. The NEA provides funding opportunities for civil organisations primarily through grant applications, aims at supporting the operation and development of the civil sector. The NEA is part of the central budget, with the Minister responsible for civil and social relations (Miniszterelnökség) exercising decision-making authority. The professional oversight of the fund is carried out under the direction of the minister by the Deputy State Secretary for Social and Civil Relations. The allocation of funds occurs within a system in which civil organisations participate in decision-making at multiple levels.

Different thematic colleges administer the allocation. Thematic colleges mean that organisations employing young volunteers or promoting youth volunteering can apply for grants from these colleges. In the youth sector, the following colleges are relevant:

College for Social Responsibility (Társadalmi Felelősségvállalás Kollégium) includes non-profit organisations, services for umbrella organisations, representation and advocacy, charity, social activities, family support, care for older people, rehabilitation activities, support for disadvantaged groups, other NGOs.

College for the Future of New Generation (Új nemzedék Jövőjéért Kollégium) supports NGOs dealing with education, skill development, advocacy for children and youth, health protection, disease prevention, healing, health rehabilitation activities, drug prevention, nature and environment protection.

Board of Social Environment (Közösségi környezet kollégium) supports civil society organisations that are active in the fields of cultural education, science and research, audio and telecommunications, information technology, electronic communications, vocational and adult education, information dissemination, consumer protection, urban and community development, cultural activities and civil society organisations.

College for Mobility and Adaptation (Mobilitás és alkalmazkodás kollégium) supports civil society organisations working in the fields of safety of life and property, public safety, voluntary fire-fighting, rescue and disaster relief, protection of public order and road safety, leisure, hobbies and sport, and security of equal opportunities for women and men.

College for National Inherence (Nemzeti összetartozás kollégium) aims to support cooperation, European integration and religious activity in the Carpathian Basin. It also supports the protection of the nationalities living in Hungary, human and civil rights, and other cultural activities (music, dance, folk music, folk dance), as well as traditionalism.

Cooperation with other countries

Currently, there is no active cooperation in the youth field and no exchange of information with volunteer systems in other countries. Nevertheless, the EU Youth Dialogue process, launched to implement the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027, provides an excellent opportunity for civil society, government and young stakeholders to directly exchange practices, experiences and information on volunteering directly.

Cross-sectoral cooperation

One of the horizontal objectives of the National Volunteer Strategy 2012-2020 (Nemzeti Önkéntes Stratégia 2012-2020) was to support cross-sectoral cooperation. The government intends to involve better NGOs, churches and the business sector in volunteering management to strengthen collaboration between the different branches of government, civil society and other sectors. In addition, the government is seeking agreements that will establish these long-term partnerships and help strengthen the value shares through the benefits of cooperation.

Voluntary activities at the policy level are the exclusive responsibility of the Deputy State Secretariat for Young People under the Ministry of Culture and Innovation (Kulturális és Innovációs Minisztérium).

National Volunteer Council

The National Volunteer Council (Nemzeti Önkéntes Tanács) is the institutional location of inter-sectoral cooperation in the field. It is a consultative body involving government representatives, NGOs, churches and for-profit companies. The Council also exercises an advisory role for the relevant ministerial body and promotes the popularity of active citizenship, volunteering, and social and community engagement. 

The Council is chaired by the State Secretary for Families and the Deputy State Secretariat for Young People as vice-chair. However, invited members with consultation rights represent many other policy areas.

From other relevant ministries, the State Secretaries responsible for

• healthcare,
• public education,
• culture,
• sport,
• social issues and inclusion,
• EU development policy appoints members and
• the Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister (Miniszterelnöki Kabinetiroda) appoints one member from the Cabinet.

Some ministers appoint further members:

• Minister heading the Prime Minister's Office (one member responsible for civil and social relations, one responsible for church),
• Minister of Agriculture,
• Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade,
• Minister for Public Finances.

In addition, the chairperson of the Council may invite other members with the right to be heard if requested by a member or deemed necessary by the agenda of the council.