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1. Governance

2. Cross-sectorial cooperation

Governance

Public actors regulate the sector and assess its compliance. In Portugal, CASES - Cooperativa António Sérgio para a Economia Social, CIPRL, under the Ministry of Employment, Solidarity, and Social Security, is responsible for volunteering-related policies. The Minister of Youth and Modernisation oversees the Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth (IPDJ), responsible for youth volunteering.

Non-public actors:

• National Federation of Youth Associations (representing associations at a national level) and its members;
• National Youth Council (national youth organisations platform) and its members;
• Portuguese Confederation of Volunteering and its members (29 volunteering organisations and promoters with various fields of activity). Its purpose is to represent the Portuguese volunteers and their respective organisations, regardless of their activity sectors, as well as contribute to defending their respective rights and interests.

Cross-sectoral cooperation

In April 2017, the composition and functioning of the advisory body for issues regarding volunteering, solidarity, family, rehabilitation, and social security was enacted – Decree-Law no. 48/2017. The Conselho Nacional de Políticas de Solidariedade e Segurança Social (CNPSSS - National Council for Solidarity and Social Security Policies) is under the Ministry of Employment, Solidarity and Social Security, in coordination with the Deputy Minister regarding citizenship and equality. It is an advisory body that aims to ensure the participation of social partners, of the associative movement and other civil society entities, in coordination with public bodies legally responsible for defining and monitoring the implementation of social security, social and family policies, as well as the inclusion of people with disabilities and volunteering. Naturally, this council includes volunteering and youth volunteering stakeholders.