Volunteering is a freely chosen activity in favor of other performed without the benefit of the reward. The citizens of developed countries are involved in volunteering everyday and it has a long tradition. A volunteer (lat. voluntarius – willing, well-disposed; volunteer in Slovak – dobrovoľník) has many characteristics but we can say in general that he/she is someone who offers energy, knowledge, skills, and abilities to an organization on agreed terms and is not paid for these activities.

The UN General Assembly set in 1985 December 5 as the International Volunteer Day with the aim to highlight the role of volunteers and volunteer communities and organizations. This day is now recognized by more than half countries from around the world. The year 2001 was set as the International Year of volunteers by the UN General Assembly resolution from November 20 1997. This resolution was an encouragement for 123 countries from all around the world including Slovakia, as well. As a main coordinator for the activities under International Volunteer Day was determined The United Nations Volunteers organization (UNV). The Universal Declaration of Volunteering was adopted by International Association of Volunteer Effort (IAVE), at the 11th International Conference in Paris in 1990. IAVE is the only organization focusing exclusively on propagation, celebration and empowering of volunteering as such around the world. Moreover, it covers a network of organizations and individuals in more than 100 countries.

In accordance to the Universal Declaration of Volunteering volunteering is:

• based on personal motivation and individual decision
• a form of support of active civil participation and interest in development of a community
• has form of a group of activities carried out mostly within specific organizations
• improves human potential and quality of daily life, empowers human solidarity
• provides a response on important social challenges and contributes to creating a better and more peaceful world
• contributes to the viability of economic life and work and creation to new profession

To be a volunteer is possible almost anywhere, we can help to the people in our surrounding. For example, we buy for the ill neighbor, or to clean in the street or park. Every one of us has abilities and energy to do some voluntary activity. It depends on us, whether we want to do something. After 1989, it is more and more often offer the energy and abilities as a volunteer to NGOs, civil society associations, non-profit organizations, schools or church.

Therefore, we can divide volunteering into three categories:

• volunteer activities: various irregular activities for different organizations on the basis of the oral agreement
• voluntary service: formalized activity with clear time range, aim, content, tasks, structure and organizational framework, personal support, legislature and social protection based on oral or written agreement
• voluntary help: mutual help among neighbors, groups of children, youth and interest groups that is based on mutual agreement outside any organization

Young people are one of the most important and valuable resources. They have the drive and will to face new challenges, the enthusiasm to learn new skills and acquire new abilities, and the commitment to build new alliances and communities. They have a positive contribution on the lives of others, and the young volunteers themselves gain valuable experience and develop new skills in the course of the activities they carry out. In this survey the term “volunteering” is employed as a summary of various ways and approaches used by young people in their voluntary involvement in various communities at the local, national, and international level.

Voluntary organizations are kind of groups that are dealing with the organization of volunteer activities and can not imagine their action without volunteers. These organizations are engaged in various spheres of volunteering, in accordance to target groups it can be for example social, cultural, ecological sphere etc. According to the region we can find volunteer programs held on local, regional, national and international level. Focusing on the time period of volunteering activity we distinguish single, regular, longtime or random activities. On the basis of its target group and area of work then voluntary organizations create the conditions and rules for working with volunteers so volunteers are organized or managed.