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1. Governance

2. Cross-sectoral cooperation

Governance

Main actors

The Ministry of Social Rights, Consumers and 2030 Agenda (Ministerio de Derechos Sociales, Consumo y Agenda 2030) is the main public authority responsible for the governance and promotion of volunteering at national level. Several platforms have been established to provide information and guidance for volunteering organisations and volunteers themselves.

General distribution of responsibilities

Within the Ministry, the body responsible for the “promotion of social services and support of the cooperation with the non-governmental organisations, support of social volunteering, in the scope of competences constitutionally assigned to the State” is the Secretary of State for Social Rights (Secretaría de Estado de Derechos Sociales). 

Under its structure, the Directorate-General of Familiar Diversity and Social Rights (within the Directorate-General of Adolescents and Childhood Rights is the administrative body in charge of directly managing these policies.

At the regional level, 8 of the 17 Autonomous Communities in Spain have developed their own official volunteering platforms, demonstrating Spain’s decentralised governance in this field.

Although various non-governmental actors with different aims and visions operate accross volunteering sector, coordination mechanisms such as observatories, platforms and networks play a key role. Notable organisations include:

• Spanish Volunteering Platform (Plataforma del Voluntariado de España)
• European Antipoverty Network (EAPN España)
• Third Sector Observatory (Observatorio del Tercer Sector)
• Make it Happen Foundation (Fundación HAZLOPOSIBLE)
• Platform of the NGO of Social Action (Plataforma de ONG de Acción Social)
• Institute for the Quality of the NGOs (Instituto para la Calidad de las ONG)

At the local level, innovative governance models are emerging. For instance:

1. In November 2024, the city of Huesca launched a Local Volunteering Regulation (Reglamento de Voluntariado del Ayuntamiento de Huesca, 8865/2024) in collaboration with the Plataforma del Voluntariado de Aragón to coordinate and promote volunteer activity, including among young people.
2. In April 2025, the municipalities of Bocairent and l'Alfàs del Pi signed a cooperation agreement to implement shared youth programmes in volunteering, participation, and inclusion.

Cooperation

While there is no single permanent body or programme dedicated to the systematic exchange of good practices at cross-border level, the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) offers a range of networking activities. These include national or transnational activities aimed at strengthening the capacities of the participating organisations and improving the quality of volunteering projects across Europe.

In addition to these events, INJUVE has also organised the International Volunteering Fair (Feria de Voluntariado Internacional), which promotes global volunteering opportunities for young people. The second edition of this fair was held in 2023 and brought together organisations and youth interested in international solidarity and volunteering experiences.

These networking activities help reinforce a sense of European identity and engagement facilitating the exchange of experiences between young participants and organisations and enhancing the overall impact of the ESC programme.

In Spain, the First National Fair of Good Practices and Project Tools of the European Solidarity Corps (Feria nacional buenas prácticas y herramientas de proyectos del Cuerpo Europeo de Solidaridad) was held from 14 to 17 June 2022. Its objective was to share experiences and tools related to volunteering projects, including:

• Volunteer selection
• Pre-departure preparation for volunteers
• Financial project management
• Learning processes and Youthpass guidance for volunteers
• Inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities
• Project visibility
• Conflict prevention and resolution
• Volunteer integration into local communities.

Following the success of the first edition, the second edition took place from 4 to 7 July 2023, building on the previous year’s discussions and expanding the scope to include more organisations and stakeholders.

The third edition was held from 9 to 12 May 2024 in Pamplona, Navarra. This edition continued to promote the sharing of best practices, tools, and knowledge related to the ESC and Erasmus+ programmes, with a particular focus on improving inclusion practices and fostering more equitable access to volunteering opportunities across Europe.

These annual events highlight Spain's commitment to enhancing the quality of youth volunteering through cross-border cooperation, providing a platform for sharing best practices, and ensuring that ESC projects continue to meet the evolving needs of young people and volunteering organisations.

Cross-sectoral cooperation

According State Law on Volunteering (Ley 45/2015 de Voluntariado), an Interministerial Commission of Volunteering is ensivaged to coordinate the work of ministries with competences related to volunteering.

Another relevant structure at national level is the State Council of Non-Governmental Organizations for Social Action (Consejo Estatal de Organizaciones no Gubernamentales de Acción Social), an advisory body attached to the central administration through the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumers and 2030 Agenda. Established by  Royal Decree 235/2005, thie Council serves as a platform for dialogue and participation for civil society in the development of social policies. It also fosters coordination with public bodies, the European Commission, and international counterparts.

In the field of youth volunteering specifically, the Youth Institute (Instituto de la Juventud, INJUVE) promotes youth participation through support for youth associations, thereby contributing to the development of youth volunteering. INJUVE also takes part in the Interministerial Commission for Youth (Comisión Interministerial para al Juventud), which enhances cross-sectoral coordination on youth policies.