Civil society organizations play an essential role in the development of volunteer work in Latvia 

On June 2, the Cabinet of Ministers took note of the informational report prepared by the Ministry of Welfare in cooperation with the Volunteer Work Advisory Council on the current situation in the field of volunteer work in Latvia and its development prospects in the coming years. This is the first comprehensive report of its kind, analyzing the volunteer work ecosystem in Latvia, identifying key challenges, and setting future development directions for strengthening a sustainable and coordinated volunteer work policy. 

The report particularly highlights the important role of civil society organizations in ensuring and developing volunteer work. Civil society organizations are the main organizers, coordinators, and supporters of volunteer work, creating daily opportunities for residents to engage in socially meaningful activities. These organizations provide an environment in which people can participate, develop skills, build mutual trust, and strengthen their sense of belonging to their community. 

Volunteer work is an essential tool for strengthening social cohesion, civic participation, and community resilience. Especially in crisis situations, in social support provision, youth work, health promotion, and environmental protection, civil society organizations are often those that can rapidly mobilize volunteers and reach people who need support the most. 

Eurobarometer data show that in Latvia in 2022, a relatively small share of the population - 6.2% - participated in volunteer work, compared to the EU average of 12.3%. Although data from different studies vary, the overall trend indicates a decline in civic engagement in recent years, highlighting the need to strengthen support for civil society organizations and their capacity to attract and coordinate volunteers. 

Agnija Jansone, Head of the Civic Alliance – Latvia Volunteer Work Working Group, emphasizes: “People primarily engage in volunteer work out of goodwill; as a result, they find like-minded people, cooperate, increase trust in their community, and develop new skills that enhance productivity in the labor market. Volunteer work is an essential resource for strengthening social cohesion, civic participation, and community resilience. The informational report is a good summary of the current situation in the field and outlines clear directions for development.” 

In 2024, according to data from the State Revenue Service, 3,133 organizations organized volunteer work, involving a total of 251,434 volunteers. Compared to 2023, both the number of organizations organizing volunteer work and the number of volunteers has increased, demonstrating the growing importance of civil society organizations and their ability to engage society. 

The report also shows that the economic contribution of volunteer work is significant. In Latvia in 2023, the value of volunteer work was 9.8 million euros based on the minimum wage calculation and 26.5 million euros based on the average wage calculation, while in 2024 it reached 11.0 and 28.7 million euros respectively. 

The report notes that at the national level there is still a lack of a unified and systematic data collection system on the number of volunteers, hours worked, and economic contribution, which limits the ability to fully assess the impact of this sector on the economy and societal development. 

As previously mentioned, the United Nations has declared 2026 the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development, and Latvia has joined this initiative. 

The report is available here. 

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