Volunteering is the voluntary participation in providing services, knowledge and skills or activities in areas of public utility, on one’s own initiative, of the person named volunteer. Volunteering can be carried out under or outside the volunteering contract.

Volunteer can be any citizen of the Republic of Moldova, foreign citizen or stateless person, who, in support of civic solidarity, is involved in voluntary activities organized by legal entities of public or private law, non-profit.

Volunteering turns the United Nations Declaration into action, saying “we humans have the power to change the world.”

In the Republic of Moldova, the Volunteer Movement is supported by legislation-based infrastructure, civil society practice (non-governmental organizations and institutions involving volunteers, including branches of international organizations active in the field of volunteering) and international exchange programs (such as ADVIT). Volunteer activities are regulated in Moldova by a special law: the Law on Volunteering (Law no. 121 of 18.06.2010).

The rights of volunteers are stipulated in the Volunteering Charter on the Rights and Responsabilities of Volunteers, drawn up by the National Volunteer Center in Paris.

VOLUNTEER RIGHTS:

The right to be treated as a colleague with equal rights by both the organization’s management and employees;

The right to be respected as a person, regardless of race, ethnicity, sex or sexual orientation, political or religious beliefs, physical / mental ability, level of education, marital status, economic status or any other such criteria;

The right to have access to as much information as possible about the organization in which it is to operate;

The right to actively participate in the elaboration and development of the program in which they are to participate;

The right to receive a job description for the activity to be carried out;

The right to work in accordance with personal preferences, temperament, life experience, studies and professional experience;

The right to participate in training sessions in the field in which they perform the activity, both at the beginning of the activity and during, in order to benefit at all times from the latest information in the field;

The right to guidance from an experienced, well-informed, patient, attentive person who has the time to respond to his or her needs;

The right to a place to carry out their activity and access to the equipment and consumables necessary for carrying out the activity;

The right to ensure (by the organization / institution) the protection of labor (under legal conditions), depending on the nature and characteristics of the activity it carries out;

The right to be reimbursed on request for expenses incurred in carrying out the activity;

The right to be insured (by the organization / institution, under the conditions provided by law) against the risks of accident and illness arising from the nature of the activity it carries out; in the absence of insurance, the cost of medical benefits is fully borne by the organization / institution;

The right to a length of working time (established in accordance with the law) that does not affect his health and psycho-physical resources;

The right to be issued by the organization / institution a nominal certificate attesting the quality of volunteer;

The right to be promoted in accordance with the results obtained;

The right to benefit from honorary titles, decorations and awards.

Why volunteer?

To have fun.

To develop yourself.

To gain experience in order to get a better service.

To keep your knowledge or skills ‘in use’.

To make new friends.

To be with your friends who are already volunteers.

To learn new things and form useful skills.

To give back some of what you received from others.

To make useful contacts.

To feel useful.

To be part of a prestigious organization.

To make the transition to a new life.

To do your duty as a Christian.

To test a new career.

To help the less fortunate.

To accomplish something “with your own hands.”

To improve the community.

To work with a certain group of people (clients).

To take responsibility.

To be part of a team.

To meet important people in the community.

To spend time with your family doing something useful.

To understand the problems of the community in which you live.