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1. Historical developments

Historical developments

Volunteering in Malta has a long-established tradition shaped by religious, educational, and civic influences that date back several centuries. Sociological studies identify the Roman Catholic Church as one of the most decisive influences on contemporary Maltese society, a factor that is strongly reflected in the historical development of volunteering (Sultana and Baldacchino, 1994). According to a national report produced as part of the Study of Volunteering in the European Union, voluntary activity in Malta has been particularly rooted in the work of Church organisations, especially through missionary and charitable initiatives.

Early Foundations

One of the earliest and most influential contributors to Malta’s volunteering tradition is the Order of St John (Order of Malta), whose mission of assisting the sick and the poor dates back to the medieval period. The Order’s long-standing presence in Malta laid the foundations for a culture of organised service, solidarity, and care for vulnerable groups, which continues to shape voluntary action in Malta today 

Role of the Church and the Education Sector

Historically, the Catholic Church in Malta and its affiliated organisations played a central role in the provision of voluntary and social welfare services. Alongside the Church, the education sector has been particularly influential in shaping the voluntary landscape. Since the establishment of teacher training in the 1940s, the teaching profession has maintained a strong tradition of involvement in voluntary activities. Over successive decades, teachers contributed to the development of civil society by establishing organisational structures and delivering voluntary services, reinforcing the link between education, social responsibility, and community engagement.

Youth Organisations and Participation Patterns

Traditional youth organisations in Malta reflected these broader social dynamics. Church-based and church-affiliated youth organisations were among the most active, alongside youth organisations linked to political parties. Over time, however, patterns of youth participation have evolved. While involvement in traditional voluntary organisations has declined, young people have increasingly engaged in other forms of organised activity, including trade unions, sports associations, health-related organisations, and third-country development groups, indicating a diversification of youth engagement (Council of Europe, 2005).

Transition Towards Organised and Professional Volunteering

From the late 20th century onwards, volunteering in Malta gradually evolved from a predominantly charitable model towards a more structured and professionalised “helping” model focused on empowerment, participation, and long-term social impact. A significant milestone in this transition was the establishment of the Malta Red Cross in 1991, which responded to humanitarian needs and refugee movements and marked a shift towards organised, needs-based voluntary services.

Institutionalisation and Legal Framework

A major turning point in the development of the voluntary sector was the enactment of the Voluntary Organisations Act (2007). This legislation introduced a comprehensive regulatory framework for voluntary organisations and established the Office of the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations, responsible for registration, regulation, and oversight, with the aim of ensuring transparency, accountability, and good governance.

The Act also established the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector (MCVS), which plays a central role in promoting volunteering, supporting voluntary organisations, and fostering partnerships between civil society and public authorities.

Emergence of Youth Volunteering in Policy

At youth policy level, volunteering was formally recognised for the first time in the first revision of the National Youth Policy in 1999, which encouraged young people to engage in voluntary activities and acknowledged their contribution to personal and social development. Subsequent revisions progressively strengthened this focus.

The second revision of the National Youth Policy in 2004 explicitly stated that the State should recognise, encourage, and support young people involved in voluntary work. The third revision introduced Community Cohesion and Volunteering as a thematic policy area, highlighting the contribution of young people’s creativity and innovation, while also emphasising volunteer safety, well-being, and recognition.

The fourth revision, published in 2015, adopted a cross-sectoral approach and identified youth volunteering as one of its main action plans, underlining a statutory commitment to encourage and facilitate young people’s engagement in volunteering at both national and European levels. The current National Youth Policy continues this approach, pledging to expand support for and cooperation with youth voluntary organisations. 

Current Trends in Youth Volunteering

Building on this historical and policy development, youth volunteering in Malta has become more structured, diverse, and accessible. Young people increasingly participate in social, environmental, cultural, health, and international development initiatives, often through project-based and skills-oriented forms of volunteering.

A key development in this regard is Voluntiera Malta, the national volunteering platform, which promotes youth participation and facilitates access to volunteering opportunities. Voluntiera Malta acts as a central hub connecting young volunteers with voluntary organisations and supports volunteering as a pathway to personal development, employability, and active citizenship. Since 2018, it has also expanded into cultural volunteering, offering young people opportunities in cultural heritage, arts, and community events.

In parallel, specialised non-governmental organisations such as SOS Malta provide structured opportunities for youth volunteering, both locally and in the field of international development cooperation.

These trends are supported by institutional initiatives such as the Youth Voluntary Work Scheme, implemented by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector. The scheme enables young people to engage in volunteering as part of formal and informal learning, supports skills development and employability, and assists voluntary organisations in attracting young volunteers and strengthening their capacity.

Current Situation

Today, volunteering represents a key component of Maltese civil society and youth participation. It is underpinned by a strong legal, policy, and institutional framework that reflects its historical development from faith-based charitable action to a modern, regulated, and youth-oriented sector focused on community empowerment and active citizenship.

Main concepts

Malta has no official definition of youth volunteering. However, the Voluntary Organisations Act defines a ‘volunteer’ as a person who provides unremunerated services through or for voluntary organisations. However, the act does not exclude the possibility that members of a voluntary organisation receive remuneration  from  the  organisation  when  they are engaged  or  are  an employee of the organisation under a written contract or when they are the providers of any goods or services to the organisation.

Voluntary organisations are then defined as foundations, trusts, associations of persons or temporary organisations which are independent and autonomous of the Government and such organisations shall have their status respected by the Government at all times.

In addition, the third revision of the National Youth Policy that had been published in 2010 stated that volunteering contributes to a cohesive society creating bonds of trust and solidarity as well as social capital and so youth volunteering not only contributes to personal development, but also to a cohesive society. Building on this the fourth revision of the National Youth Policy document ‘Towards 2020: A shared vision for the future of young people',  looks at youth volunteering as initiatives to enable young people to be active members of their local communities and take responsibility for the quality of community life and the local environment. This understanding revolves around the concept of empowerment. This same understanding and conceptualisation of youth volunteering is found in the lastest revision of the National Youth Policy, Towards 2030.