Information About Volunteering

International Volunteer Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1985 as a way to recognize the contribution of people engaged in volunteer work to the well-being of society and to improving the lives of those in need around the world. It is observed on December 5.

Volunteering as a social movement dates back to ancient times, when people willingly helped one another without expecting financial reward. However, the modern concept of volunteering began to take shape in the 19th century.

Origin of the word: the word “volunteer” comes from the French word volontaire, meaning a person who acts willingly.

The volunteer movement has become widespread in Russia, with the number of participants and organizations continuing to grow.

Number of participants: more than 9 million people consider themselves part of the volunteer movement in Russia, while the number of projects exceeds 124,000.

Organizational structure: the country has 88 regional volunteer centers that coordinate volunteer activities. There are also 23,000 school volunteer groups and 664 volunteer activity centers operating at higher education institutions.