Platforma dobrovolnickych centier a organizacii

Platform of Volunteer Centers and Organizations was established in August 2011 as the result of activities carried out within the European Year of Volunteering 2011 and informal networking activities of volunteer centers which started in Slovakia already in 2009. The main goal of the Platform is to support the creation of environment favorable for the development of volunteering. The Platform unites volunteer centers and organizations working with volunteers in Slovakia (currently has 17 members). Platform is also the member of the Government Council for NGOs and CEV member. Main activities: • Building the infrastructure of volunteering in Slovakia – through establishment of new volunteer centers and increasing the quality of already existing volunteer centers in the cooperation with NGOs, state administration, municipalities, private sector and media, • Advocating for legal and economic support of volunteer centers and volunteer involving organizations, • Enforcing financial support for volunteering, creation of grant programs and other tools for the support of volunteering and volunteer centers by the state, municipalities, NGOs, private sector and individuals, • Incorporating volunteering into legal framework leading towards its support, • Supporting the capacity development and professionalization of those who work with volunteers within NGOs, public institutions, municipalities, church, etc. • Supporting the establishment and the development of a working position of volunteer coordinators within NGOs and public institutions, • Promoting volunteering as a tool for informal education and the support for the introduction of volunteering and community service into formal education, • Enforcing volunteering as a preparation tool for the labor market.