Foundations and voluntary associations have a long tradition in Hungary. Secular hospitals and alms-houses financed by private donations and run by volunteers were operated in the country from
the 14th century. The everyday definitions of the Hungarian non-profit sector are influenced by pre-war traditions, the State socialist experience, and the American and Western European models, producing a mix of terminologies. Expressions such as ‘NGOs’, ‘CSOs’, ‘foundations’, or simply ‘associations’ and ‘non-profit sector’ are commonly used to refer to the voluntary sector. Volunteering is intertwined with what is called the “civil sector” and is rarely dealt with on its own.

Although volunteering is considered part of the civil sector, the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice has the overall legal responsibility. The Ministry maintains direct contact with civil society organisations and coordinates the Government’s programmes; it provides nformation on legal and financial issues, tenders, as well as maintains a document database and the registry of the public benefit organisations hosting volunteers. Furthermore, the Ministry supervises the departmental “Civil Service Centres” that support voluntary organisations.

Volunteering is beginning to appear on the political agenda and is increasingly included in strategy documents and programmes in various policy areas such as employment and the care of elderly people. During Hungary’s Presidency of the EU (first half of 2011), many conferences and activities will be organised to encourage Member States, CSOs and other players to share their practices/experience in this field, and their laws, legal framework, funding mechanisms.

Working to the EU guidelines, Hungary has set up the National Coordinating Body responsible for implementing the European Year of Volunteering 2011 which aims to motivate people to volunteer; raise awareness, develop skills and integrate people into the labour market by volunteering (especially young school leavers, unemployed people aged over 50). Civil society organisations and government representatives developed the National Program that is intended to draw the attention to the importance of volunteering. It is scheduled that by the end of 2011 a Volunteer Strategy will be adopted.

The official opening ceremony of the European Year will be held in Hungary on 8 January and a European Tour (8-16 January) will also start in Budapest, Hungary − emphasizing the role and the participation of the NGO sector in strengthening social cohesion. With the foundation of the “Volunteering Prize” the Government wishes to draw attention to the work of individuals and organisations that contribute to the community objectives and set an example for others as well. Further information on the Hungarian programmes of the European Year of Volunteering can be found on the following web site:

www.onkentesseg2011.hu

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