Volunteering

Volunteering is a world-wide and popular way for people to engage in public life and transform, improve their and others' quality of life through working in the public, non-governmental and private organizations.

Youth volunteering:

• is geared to the public good and contributes to the development of the young people's knowledge, skills, competencies and attitudes, as well as to the effective use of their leisure time;
• is carried out free of charge, without entering into an employment relationship with the organizer of the voluntary work;
• can be implemented informally (e.g. when helping neighbours) or structured in non-profit organizations. Most often it is a part-time job and can take one day or several years, in different fields of work;
• can also be done in another country outside the usual environment, where there is a foreign culture and another language is spoken;
• although volunteering means non-profit work, all travel, accommodation, insurance and language course expenses are 100% covered. In addition, a volunteer receives a small pocket money, the amount of which depends on the country where the European volunteering takes place. The inclusion of young people with special needs or disabilities in the program is especially supported;
• cannot be used for profit-making purposes of the organizer of the voluntary work or third party. The voluntary work of young people shall be subject to the prohibitions and restrictions laid down in the legal acts regulating employment legal relationships (Article 9 of the Youth Law).

_{The information used in this section was taken from the following websites:}

_{www.brivpratigie.lv
jaunatne.gov.lv}

Links to portals in Latvia:

• About volunteering

Links to portals abroad:

• UN Volunteer Programme
• Volunteering abroad
• Volunteering in Europe
• Portal of the International Association for Volunteering Programs which provides information on volunteering organizations in Europe
• Information on volunteering organizations in Europe
• An organization representing national organizations that carry out international voluntary service projects
• Volunteering opportunities in different fields and countries around the world

Voluntary job offers:

• Volunteering at the World Wildlife Fund
• Volunteering at Crisis and Counseling Center "Skalbes"
• Volunteer consultant's work at the Children and Youth Trust Phone
• Volunteer assistant at the "Apeirons" Association of disabled people and their friends
• Volunteering at the Society for Transparency – Delna
• Work for assistants at the Positivus Music Festival (activities only during the festival)
• Non-profit organization, Youth Work and Culture Exchange Bureau "ACORN"
• Action Without Borders
• Oxfam International: a confederation of 13 like-minded organizations
• Youth Challenge International
• One World Center: US non-profit organization offering volunteering opportunities in Africa (after 6 months of training in the US)
• Volunteering Programmes, Education and Internship in Central America
• Volunteer world – worldwide volunteering opportunities

_{Some link doesn't work – has its address changed? Please write to us so that we can remedy the gap: karjera@lu.lv.}