Green volunteering

There is no official strategy or agency that covers green volunteering specifically targeted at young people. The current Strategy of the Slovak Republic for Youth 2014 – 2020 did not include the topics of green volunteering, green production and related subjects in its priorities. Financial support from the state budget through the Environmental Fund (Act on the Environmental Fund) is limited and, usually, not directly open to youth organizations or young people themselves.

As we live in a globalized world, too complex to give all people opportunities to be active members of global movements, many young people as well as adults are actively engaging in their communities - either place or interest-based. Many of these communities give opportunities to their members to be proactive in green volunteering. Globally, such activities are found under Transition Network (https://transitionnetwork.org/).

Locally, in Slovakia, they can be found almost everywhere - from local community gardens, to revitalised public spaces in cities. Usually, large movement or organization is behind such movements.

As for more formal and centralized organizations relevant in the field of green activism and volunteering, the most active in Slovakia are the following:

CEEV Živica is an organization based in Zaježová and Bratislava that hosts a number of programmes for active young people who are interested in green volunteering. Sokratov inštitút is one such programme, where a cohort of 20 young people from 18 - 32 years of age take on year-long studies of global education related topics and issues, while also starting-up their own socially impactful or green project. Živica also has a prominent green programme Zelená škola, which targets young people through schools.

Friends of the Earth Europe in Slovakia does mostly policy-related work, but provides resources for young people to be active in green policy-making, as well as giving young people broader public opportunities to be active in different petitions.

Greenpeace Slovakia is one of very few organizations in the country which systematically works with green campaigns, and with green volunteering and activism, providing training and workshops for their volunteers, giving them space to engage in different direct actions.

Green production and consumption

The transition to circular economy is defined as one of the strategic priorities of the Strategy of the Environmental Policy up to 2030. In the area of ​​legislation, the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic is currently setting-up important aspects of the functioning of waste management. It is also striving to change consumption and production patterns using economic instruments, including strengthening green public procurement.

The Slovak Environment Agency (Slovenská agentúra životného prostredia) was entrusted with the operation of the Enviroportal by the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic.

Circular Slovakia is platform in which the public, private and third sector work together to exchange knowledge and stimulate entrepreneurship in the circular economy. In December 2019, the seven founding partners signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in support of the establishment of the Circular Slovakia platform at the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic. By June 2020, another 20 members from the private and non-governmental sectors and the science community had signed-up to the platform.

Youth for Climate initiative (mladi_za_klimu) is an Instagram account managed by young activists. It currently has 25 000 followers. In addition to the facts on about climate, the Instagram account provides inspiration and tips about what young people can do to help the climate. 

The Tree of life NGO is an environmental, non-governmental, voluntary and non-profit organization working with children and youth for the protection and enhancement of life on Earth. Its aim is also to develop children’s emotional intelligence, influence their value system and strengthen their personal responsibility to themselves, others and the world.

Green Foundation is a Slovak programme-based foundation in Central Europe that primarily focuses on developing social innovation, adapting society to major challenges such as climate change, new technologies, and supporting young people’s civic engagement. Green Foundation is currently concentrating its attention on the programme Roots & Shoots by Jane Goodall and the development of coworking and the community centre of great ideas – Búdka 22.

Skutočne zdravá škola (The truly healthy school) is a programme aimed at helping school children to develop the skills and habits needed for a successful and healthy lifestyle. The Really Healthy School programme builds on the experience of the same programme in the Czech Republic (and a similar programme in the UK - Food For Life Partnership - FFLP), in which more than 70 schools have participated since 2014, offering 3 000 lunches per day under FFLP rules. The programme helps to create a culture of healthy eating in schools. It helps school canteens to offer healthy and tasty meals, prepared with fresh and seasonal products purchased from local farmers or grocers.