Background and Evidence
IAVE believes volunteering connects people across differences and drives collective action for a more just and sustainable world.
14,000+
Voices captured
164
Countries represented
2026
International Year of Volunteers
The Universal Declaration on Volunteering in 2001 described volunteers as fundamental building blocks of community and civic life. They are the first responders during disasters, the hands behind food banks, the voices leading campaigns, and the neighbors lending a hand when it’s needed the most. They help build stronger, more connected, and more inclusive communities.
VOW Center, China
In December 2023, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (IVY2026), urging all stakeholders to work together to promote the vital role that volunteers play in ensuring just and sustainable societies. In response to this call, IAVE and a range of global partners, Global Volunteering Forum (Forum), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), UNICEF Generation Unlimited and Volunteer Groups Alliance sought to focus attention on the power and potential of volunteering, to deliver greater investment in volunteering, to secure commitments from governments and others on how they will support volunteering and the enabling environment in which volunteering will flourish.
UN General Assembly declares 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development.
IAVE and global partners commission a Challenge Paper to examine barriers and opportunities for volunteering worldwide.
A global survey and series of dialogues capture nearly 14,000 voices from 164 countries. An Insights Paper is published, informing the Call to Action launched 5 December 2025.
Volunteers have enormous potential to contribute to sustainable development, but this potential will only be realized if they are supported by an enabling environment that sets them up for success. The Call to Action requires shared commitment from governments, civil society, the private sector, and volunteers themselves.
Volunteer Involving Organizations (VIO) Society, Kenya
Centre for Volunteerism and Social Transformation (CENVAST), Ghana
IAVE — the International Association for Volunteer Effort — has been building volunteer leadership to change the world since 1970. With members in over 100 countries, we are the largest global network of volunteer leaders, connecting individuals, organizations, governments, and businesses united by a belief in the power of volunteering.
We create a more just and sustainable world by enabling the leaders, organizations, and environments that empower volunteers everywhere.