Information providers

In Slovakia, several organizations and platforms play key roles in disseminating information about youth volunteering opportunities:

• National Institute of Education and Youth (NIVAM): NIVAM is a significant information provider. NIVAM focuses on promoting volunteering, particularly among vulnerable groups such as Roma youth, and supports organizations in developing competencies for working with young volunteers.
• Regional Volunteer Centres: These centers serve as specific contact points for young people to access information about volunteering. They promote volunteering, provide training, consultation, and volunteer management services, and connect volunteers with organizations. These centers also foster cross-sectoral partnerships and monitor trends in volunteering. The Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic (MINEDU) provides financial support to these centers through the Volunteer opportunities for youth programme.
• Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisations (PDCO): This platform manages campaigns, offers networking opportunities for volunteering organizations, and is financially supported by government resources. Their members are also volunteer centres. 
• Slovak Youth Council (RmS): This body engages in advocacy and development activities to enhance the youth sector, including volunteering. It facilitates youth involvement in policy-making and program development.
• Online Platforms: Numerous websites provide information about volunteering opportunities across Slovakia, including:
  • www.dobrovolnictvo.sk
  • www.centrumdobrovolnictva.sk (Banská Bystrica region)
  • www.dobrovolnictvoba.sk (Bratislava region)
  • www.dckk.sk (Košice region)
  • www.ncdnitra.sk (Nitra region)
  • www.dobrovolnictvpo.sk (Prešov region)
  • www.dctn.sk (Trenčin region)
  • www.dobrovolnictvott.sk (Trnava region)
  • www.dobrovolnictvoza.sk (Žilina region)
  • https://growni.sk/dobrovolnictvo (national level)
• National Volunteering Database was created with the ambition to streamline and simplify access to volunteering throughout Slovakia. It brings together all volunteer opportunities in one place and connects organizations and people willing to help. 

Key Initiatives

Several initiatives aim to promote volunteering among youth in Slovakia:

• Volunteer Week: Organised annually by the Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisations along with selected regional centres. In 2025, a total of 5,140 volunteers took part in the campaign, contributing more than 18,000 volunteer hours.
• Our City Campaign: Run by the Pontis Foundation, focusing on corporate volunteering but also involving young people. The largest corporate volunteering event brought support to communities twice in 2025  – in June and again in September. During the summer edition, more than 7,700 volunteers took part in the activities, and nearly 2,000 additional participants joined this nationwide initiative in September

Activities for Recognition and Appreciation of Volunteering

• 'Heart on Palm' (Srdce na dlani): is an award recognising outstanding volunteers — both individuals and groups — for their voluntary activities carried out for the benefit of others across various areas of social life, community development, environmental protection, health, culture, art, upbringing, education, and more, performed without entitlement to financial reward or any remuneration. It also recognises exceptional projects whose mission contributes to positive change. The national-level award ceremony is organised by the Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisations and builds on regional awards presented by regional volunteer centres. Each year, it also honours Young Volunteers under 30. 
• Engaged School Award: Introduced in 2020, this initiative rewards primary and secondary schools involving students in volunteering through service-learning strategies. It is a joint initiative by the Platform of Volunteer Centres, organisations and MINEDU.