The legislative environment is becoming increasingly supportive of volunteering and the contribution that volunteering makes to individuals and societies is increasingly recognized.

Governments, the media and the private sector are increasingly vocal in their support for volunteering.

Last year, European Commission Vice President Viviane Reding issued a call to voluntary action.

In Benin, a law on decentralization encourages the promotion of volunteerism and community initiatives.

There have been important advances in recognition of the economic dimension of voluntary action and this has, potentially, significant implications for the way that volunteerism is perceived and the extent to which it is incorporated into the mainstream of development planning.

Print and broadcast media coverage of voluntary action has grown steadily in a number of countries since 2001.

Research is important in order to establish culturally sensitive definitions of volunteerism, to determine its scale and characteristics and to assist in the development of policies that recognize and support voluntary action.

This is what I will briefly discuss in this post.

Indeed, there is a need for changes in some existing legislation that has a negative impact on volunteering, including barriers to international volunteering schemes.

From a national perspective, promoting volunteering among youth is a means of creating a sustainable volunteer culture and combating negative images of young people.

Investment in physical infrastructure is one very concrete expression of official support for volunteering.

The resolution recognizes that volunteerism builds strong cohesive communities, encourages participation in the democratic process and reduces social tensions by forging a common view, and it encourages further support.

There seems to be a fundamental difference between our concept of volunteering work for no return but the love of God, and the Western concept of working on volunteer projects serving causes people believe in.

More efforts are needed to disseminate information about the rich diversity of voluntary action, stressing the value of all forms of voluntary participation, including mutual aid and campaigning alongside service oriented volunteer work.

In many instances, the introduction of supportive legislative and fiscal frameworks may play a critical role, either through the creation of specific volunteering legislation or through ensuring that other legislation and public policy is supportive of volunteering.

4. Calls upon Governments and the United Nations system to implement further the recommendations contained in the annex to its resolution 56 38, bearing in mind the economic significance of volunteering

The International Year of Volunteers national committee of Togo has established a memorial to volunteerism and a street in Maputo was named Rua dos Voluntarios.

An important feature of the International Year of Volunteers was the effort made to promote volunteerism among the broadest possible cross section of societies.

(a) Increasing public awareness of the vital contribution of volunteerism to the social and economic functioning of their communities through, inter alia, public information activities and public events

The Syrian Arab Republic held its first symposium on promoting volunteerism among school students with support from Junior Chamber International in 2005.

13. Recognizes the increasing attention being given to the economic dimension of volunteerism, and encourages Governments, with the support of civil society, to build up a knowledge base on the subject, to disseminate data and to expand research on other volunteer related issues, including in developing countries

The significant advance in the quality of basic information on volunteerism around the world that should result from this exercise is expected to help considerably to increase awareness of the economic contribution of volunteerism and to facilitate the formulation of appropriate and supportive policy frameworks.

A European Roadmap to 2010 for volunteerism was agreed at the Conference, targeted at the European Union and its member States, as well as at the corporate sector and non governmental organizations.

It can also continue to build up the capacity of its World Volunteer Web with a view to using it as a tool to strengthen capacities at the country level.

He noted increased momentum in those directions, and important steps had been taken to have the economic contribution of volunteerism better understood and brought to the attention of policymakers.

Stereotyping of volunteering, however, is still a feature of the media in many countries with some confusion with regard to definitions and motivations.

CECOEDECON has no specific relations with international organizations, but it works actively with the Voluntary Action Network India (VANI), which has ECOSOC special consultative status.

As a result, the specific features of voluntary action in many parts of the world and issues specific to concerned countries, continue to be poorly reflected.

Immigrants formed the first volunteer fire fighting units (still a volunteer activity in Chile).

What drew my attention too is that some non profit organisations in Western countries require those applying to volunteer their efforts to pay a certain amount of money in return for their work in that organisation!

By the end of 2001, measures had been taken or were under consideration in every part of the world to enhance the environment for voluntary action.

In its resolution 52 17 of 20 November 1997, the General Assembly proclaimed 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers in recognition of the valuable contribution of voluntary action in addressing global issues.

E. Bringing volunteerism into the mainstream

The US did, however, have the highest ranking for helping a stranger. That, together with a high ranking for volunteering time, led it to tie with Myanmar as the most generous nation in the world.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has developed an internal volunteering policy and established a volunteering focal point within its headquarters.

1. Welcomes the activities undertaken by States, intergovernmental organizations, non governmental organizations, community based organizations and the United Nations system for the promotion of volunteerism and, specifically, in preparation for the observance of the International Year of Volunteers, and encourages them to continue their efforts

National legislation on volunteering was identified during the International Year of Volunteers as an important determinant of a flourishing volunteer movement.

56 38. Recommendations on support for volunteering

Recalling further and reaffirming its resolution 56 38 of 5 December 2001, which lays down recommendations for ways in which Governments and the United Nations system could support volunteering,

On the other hand, there are also signs that in some countries the lack of promotion of volunteerism by the Government and disinterest on the part of the media and other potential stakeholders, have conspired to limit the expansion of the volunteer base.

References in national Human Development Reports to volunteerism are an indicator of the extent to which volunteerism is entering the mainstream of development thinking.

Women's Union of Russia (1999 2002)

According to this view, there are no economic advantages of such a policy, because the total amount of labor in the economy is fixed.

Involvement ranges from employer supported volunteer schemes and funding for volunteer projects, to building partnerships around volunteer focused government and civil society initiatives.

Other examples abound of providing recognition.