VOLUNTEERING INFRASTRUCTURE

4. Structure of the non-profit sectorinvolved in volunteeringIn Poland a number of organisational forms have been created to promote volunteering,facilitate cooperation and the exchange of information. Also, many local initiatives and NGOs,together with Caritas (Christian charity organisation) and the Polish Red Cross (PCK) play animportant role in supporting volunteering.There are over a dozen regional and local Volunteer Centres operating in the Volunteer CentresAssociation. The first Volunteer Centre was established in Warsaw to face the issue of fastgrowing NGOs sector, which needed volunteers assistance to develop their activity. The mainaim of the centre was to create a contact and matching point where volunteers and thoseinterested in their work could meet. Since then, several regional and local volunteer centreshave emerged in Poland and they are operating within the Volunteer Centres Network. Thereare new regional volunteer centres and their mission isThe portals www.wolontariat.org.pl &www.ngo.pl provide informations aboutvarious volunteering opportunities.to support all activities related to the development ofvolunteering in the country.Representatives of Volunteer Centres take part in regularmeetings to discuss matters concerning among others:cooperation with other organisations and institutions, points of law and the expansion of theVolunteer Centres activity within the non-governmental and public administrations sectors. Therepresentatives of specific centres help to create new local volunteer centres within their area ofjurisdiction. This provides a constant influx of new volunteers, not exclusively from large cities.Volunteer Centres Network help to organise new centres, giving advice and sharing ideas.However not all volunteer centres in Poland work fully in the network. They are individualorganisations and they run their own projects. The structure of the Volunteer Centres Networkin Poland is divided into Regional Volunteer centres (ordinary members of the association) andlocal volunteer centres (members supporting the association).Whilst the volunteer centres operate independently, the function of the volunteer centres withinthe network is based on the implementation of operational standards for regional volunteercentres and other volunteer centres. In line with their standards, centres should provide a rangeof services for people who would like to contribute on a voluntary basis, e.g. assist in finding aplace to develop volunteering activity.Each Regional Volunteer Centre is an NGO. Its status as an association registered is recognised inthe National Court Register. The main tasks of a centre include:• carrying out a Job Centre for volunteers,• promoting the idea of volunteering.• implement the Volunteering Programmes,• assist in creating Volunteer centres,• provide information and advice on volunteering.310 Volunteering infrastructure in Europe 22 Poland