Raising awareness about youth volunteering opportunities is a crucial component of building a culture of civic participation, empathy, and solidarity among young people in Montenegro. Despite the relatively low percentage of youth actively engaged in volunteering (only 3.9%), there is growing recognition of the importance of promoting volunteering as a structured and accessible pathway for youth development, especially through educational institutions and local community efforts.

The Youth Strategy 2023–2027 emphasizes the need to improve access to information about volunteering, especially by integrating it into formal education, media campaigns, and digital platforms. As volunteering remains largely sporadic and poorly institutionalised, it is essential to support systematic outreach efforts and communication channels that bring volunteering closer to youth across different regions and backgrounds.

Information providers

Several schools and faculties have established volunteer clubs, which serve not only as platforms for engagement but also as channels for disseminating information on volunteering opportunities. These clubs are often supported by motivated teachers and youth workers and provide students with structured extracurricular experiences that foster community involvement. Notable examples include:

1. Srednja stručna škola Pljevlja
2. Gimnazija ''Tanasije Pejatović'' Pljevlja
3. Srednja stručna škola Berane
4. SMŠ ''17. Septembar'' Žabljak
5. Gimnazija ''Miloje Dobrašinović'' Bijelo Polje
6. SMŠ ''Vuksan Đukić'' Mojkovac
7. Gimnazija '’30. Septembar'' Rožaje
8. SMŠ ''Mladost'' Tivat
9. Gimnazija ''Petar I Petrović Njegoš'' Danilovgrad
10. Gimnazija ''Stojan Cerović'' Nikšić
11. JU Gimnazija Kotor
12. SMŠ ''Braća Selić'' Kolašin
13. Srednja ekonomska škola Bar
14. Srednja stručna škola Cetinje
15. JU Gimnazija Cetinje
16. OŠ ''Njegoš'' Cetinje
17. SSŠ ''Ivan Uskoković'' Podgorica
18. Građevinska škola Podgorica
19. Ekonomska škola Podgorica
20. Gimnazija ''Slobodan Škerović'' Podgorica
21. Gimnazija ''25. maj'' Tuzi

Teachers are promoting volunteering through extracurricular activities within schools, but also in connection with the wider local community and media—both traditional (printed press and television) and digital (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram). A good example is the Volunteer Club of Gymnasium “Slobodan Škerović” in Podgorica.

In parallel, numerous civil society organisations—especially those operating at the local level—regularly organise campaigns to attract young volunteers, often within environmental projects or programmes targeting support to vulnerable groups. These efforts are typically aligned with the annual celebration of International Volunteer Day (5 December), helping to raise the visibility of volunteering across the country.

Information on volunteering opportunities is also disseminated via several dedicated online portals supported through national youth project funding mechanisms:

• www.volontiraj.me – a national volunteering platform launched by the NGO ADP-Zid
• www.mladiinfo.me – Volunteering Section – run by Mladiinfo Montenegro

Additional information on European Union volunteering programmes is made available through the EU Info Centre – www.euic.me.

Young people themselves also contribute to awareness-raising by sharing testimonials and video messages—for instance, YouTube statements by members of the volunteer clubs from Gymnasium “Slobodan Škerović” and Gymnasium Cetinje.

Key initiatives

Awareness-raising activities related to youth volunteering in Montenegro are implemented by various civil society organisations at both local and national levels. One of the most visible events is the celebration of International Volunteer Day (5 December), which has been marked in Montenegro for more than 15 years. This initiative is organised and financially supported by NGO ADP-Zid, with regular participation from government representatives, including the Parliament of Montenegro. The celebration has been consistently included in the action plans of the previous National Youth Strategy 2017–2021, and continues to be recognised as a key platform in the current Youth Strategy 2023–2027, which aims to improve support mechanisms for youth volunteering.

Each year on International Volunteer Day, the Annual Volunteer Award is presented to individuals, civil society organisations, institutions, companies, or media who have made a significant contribution to the development of volunteering in Montenegro. This award has been presented since 2006 and is coordinated by ADP-Zid.

In addition to commemorative events, Montenegro has participated in a number of national and international volunteering campaigns. For instance, the country was actively involved in the global “Let’s Do It!” environmental campaign, focused on the clean-up of illegal waste. In 2016 alone, over 12,000 people in Montenegro participated in activities across the country.

More recently, Montenegro has embraced the global “Good Deeds Day” initiative. Since 2021, this day has been marked with significant youth involvement. In April 2023, more than 1,030 participants implemented over 50 community-based volunteer activities across the country.

A leading role in volunteer promotion and development is played by ADP-Zid, which serves as the national voluntary service and is a member of both the Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organisations and Service Civil International (SCI). These affiliations enable ADP-Zid to offer Montenegrin youth access to cross-border volunteering opportunities such as international work camps. ADP-Zid also leads the Living Lab community accelerator initiative, which empowers young people to drive social innovation through local volunteering projects.

The Red Cross of Montenegro is another key actor in the national volunteering ecosystem. It implements youth-focused volunteer programmes related to humanitarian assistance, disaster preparedness, social inclusion, and health promotion. The Red Cross is often involved in both national and EU-level volunteering schemes and collaborates with schools and municipalities to engage youth in community-based efforts.

UNICEF Montenegro plays a strategic role in promoting youth engagement and volunteering through various programmes:

• The “Young Reporters” initiative engages youth volunteers in media literacy, content creation, and advocacy. These volunteers raise awareness on key social issues and actively participate in public dialogue.
• Through the #Prilike programme, implemented in partnership with ADP-Zid and the Centre for Youth Education, high school students are supported in building life skills, career readiness, and civic participation.
• UNICEF also supports inclusive community volunteering. For example, in Pljevlja, over 120 young volunteers facilitated inclusive activities in day-care centres for children with disabilities. 

As outlined in the Youth Strategy 2023–2027, Montenegro continues to expand its participation in European volunteering initiatives. As a partner country of the European Solidarity Corps (ESC), Montenegrin organisations are eligible to apply for a Quality Label, a prerequisite for participating in ESC projects. Organisations with a Quality Label or a valid Erasmus+ EVS accreditation can act as sending or hosting organisations, enabling Montenegrin youth to engage in both short-term and long-term volunteering abroad, and to host volunteers from other countries. A list of accredited Montenegrin organisations can be found on the European Youth Portal.

While structured national reporting on youth participation in EU volunteer programmes is not yet established, progress is visible. For example, according to the European Commission Progress Report for Montenegro (2020), six young people from Montenegro participated in ESC projects for the first time during that year.

In conclusion, Montenegro’s volunteering landscape is supported by a network of civil society actors, international partners, and public institutions, in line with national strategic priorities. The continued development of volunteer programmes, combined with increasing youth participation and international cooperation, represents a strong foundation for building civic engagement and solidarity in Montenegrin society.