VOLUNTEERING INFRASTRUCTURE

4. Structure of the non-profit sectorinvolved in volunteeringThe Law on associations of citizens and foundations defines the non-profit sector in Bosniaand Herzegovina. This Law regulates procedures for the registration of non-governmentalorganisations (NGOs) or civil society organisations (CSOs) and the general framework for theiroperation. Furthermore, in both entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina there is a Law on Youththat regulates the registration of and operational framework for youth organisations. BesidesCSOs the non-profit sector includes other types of legal entities such as sport clubs and publicinstitutions operating in different sectors, such as education, health, social care or culture.According to the Law on Volunteering in Republic Srpska, all legal entities mentionedabove are allowed to be volunteering organisers and to engage volunteers. As there is noLaw on volunteering in the other part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is unclear who can bea volunteering organiser there. This led to examples where entities from the profit sectorengaged volunteers, which is against the principles of volunteering, at least as defined by theLaw in Republic Srpska. This is yet another reason why adopting a Law on volunteering in theFederation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and/or at the national level is important.According to the UNDP “National Human Development Report - The Ties That Bind: SocialCapital in Bosnia and Herzegovina” there are 12,189 NGOs, local and international, registeredin Bosnia and Herzegovina. The figure dates back to 2004 and there is no reliable statistical datathat can confirm the exact number and how many of these organisations operate.The secondary school students’ councils and university students’ organisations form anotherpart of the non-profit sector, relevant to volunteering. These structures are usually based onvoluntary work, and the results they achieve through implementation of their programmeswould not be possible without volunteers.Regarding the structures focused on the promotion and development of volunteering, thereare local volunteer centres operating in the country, and they are united through the informalnetwork named “Volontiram!”. There is no other specialised structure, although many NGOs usevolunteers for the planning and the implementation of various programmes focused on localcommunity needs.Network of local volunteer centres in Bosnia and Herzegovina “Volontiram!” 5As a response to the growing need and requirements of the processes of promotion anddevelopment of volunteering in Bosnia and Herzegovina, OKC supported the developmentof volunteering infrastructure since 2005. This resulted in the development of local volunteercentres in different cities, which formed a network called “Volontiram!”. There are currently14 local volunteer centres in network, established across the country, in Banja Luka, Bihac,Bijeljina, Brcko, Bugojno, Derventa, Doboj, Mostar, Mrkonjic Grad, Sarajevo, Srebrenica,Trebinje, Tuzla and Zenica.A Local Volunteer Centre (LVC) represents a basic structure for the encouragement of thecitizens to volunteer (in accordance to the main principles of organised work with volunteers)5. www.volontiram.ba57 Volunteering infrastructure in Europe 4 Bosnia-Herzegovina