Lithuania has taken an important step towards improving the quality of volunteering. The National Volunteering Standard was officially approved this summer, and its implementation in organisations is beginning this autumn. The Standard will serve as a common framework for organisations seeking to ensure high-quality volunteer recruitment, preparation, support and evaluation of volunteers’ experiences.
The National Volunteering Standard was developed over the course of a year by 16 non-governmental organisations with experience in working with volunteers. In March this year, the Standard was presented as a tool under development at the international conference “Quality Volunteering: A Luxury or a Necessity?” held in Vilnius. It was officially approved by the Ministry of Social Security and Labour in June. This marks a new phase – moving from the development of common principles for quality volunteering to their practical application in organisations.
Until now, Lithuania has not had a unified standard for high-quality volunteer coordination, meaning that each organisation has managed its volunteers based on its own experience and available resources. The new Standard covers the entire volunteering process – from an organisation’s readiness to welcome volunteers, their recruitment and preparation, to ongoing support, ensuring a safe environment and evaluating results.
Assessment and self-assessment tools for organisations have also been developed. The self-assessment tool will help organisations identify strengths and areas for improvement in their work with volunteers. This autumn, all organisations working with volunteers are invited to participate in the implementation of the Standard. Registration for the implementation process is already open, as is registration for training aimed at strengthening organisations’ skills in working with volunteers.
Justė Šilkaitė, a representative of the project promoter, the Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis Social Centre, emphasises that the implementation phase will provide an opportunity to assess how the Standard works in practice.
“The approval of the Standard is not the end of the process – what matters most now is ensuring that the principles developed become part of organisations’ everyday activities. Currently, 16 organisations are implementing the Standard. From the beginning of 2027, implementation will begin in a further 34 organisations that are currently on the waiting list. Our aim is for the Standard to help organisations coordinate volunteers more consistently, respond better to their needs and ensure a higher-quality volunteering experience,” says Šilkaitė.
Improving the quality of volunteer coordination is important not only for organisations themselves. Clearly defined volunteer responsibilities, appropriate preparation, ongoing support and opportunities to reflect on their experiences help make volunteering more meaningful and encourage people to become more actively involved in community activities and remain engaged for longer. Volunteering, in turn, strengthens communities, interpersonal relationships and civic engagement.
“Volunteering begins with a person’s willingness to help, but its success also depends on organisations’ ability to turn that willingness into meaningful action. The National Volunteering Standard is an excellent example of how much can be achieved by bringing together experience, knowledge and efforts towards a common goal,” says Brigita Nikonovičė, Senior Project Manager at the Central Project Management Agency (CPVA).
The National Volunteering Standard was developed and is being implemented as part of the project “Quality improvement for volunteer coordination” (under the “Civic Engagement” Programme), funded by the Swiss Confederation and the state budget of the Republic of Lithuania. Such investments contribute to long-term improvements in volunteering in Lithuania, strengthen organisations’ capacities and help foster a more sustainable culture of volunteering across the country. The project is administered by the Central Project Management Agency (CPVA).
