Country map
Poland
Human Development Index Ranking (UNDP, 2022)
36
Population (UNFPA, 2024)
40.2 milion
Total number of volunteers (ILO, 2022)
8,457,000
Direct volunteering (ILO, 2022)
7,877,000
Organization-based (ILO, 2022)
1,490,000

Volunteer statistics (ILO)*

Source: ILOSTATS. The data is collected by ILO from national statistical offices. As national statistics on volunteer work are produced using a variety of approaches and tools, direct and cross-country comparisons are not recommended. For more information, visit https://ilostat.ilo.org/topics/volunteer-work/

Total volunteering by type

Total volunteering by age group

Total volunteering by gender

Direct volunteering by gender

Organization-based volunteering by gender

Measurement work

Data source

  • 2007
  • 2008
  • 2009
  • 2010
    • Labour Force Survey
  • 2011
  • 2012
  • 2013
    • Other
  • 2014
    • Other
  • 2015
    • Social Survey
  • 2016
    • Labour Force Survey
  • 2017
  • 2018
  • 2019
  • 2020
  • 2021
  • 2022
    • Labour Force Survey
  • 2023
  • 2024

Laws, Policies, Schemes on Volunteering

Does the country have a piece of legislation on volunteering?

Yes

Law on Public Benefit Activity and Volunteerism

Year 2003
View source

Does the country have a national policy, scheme, plan or strategy specific to volunteering?

Yes

Name of specific policy, strategy or plan on volunteering at the national level. Year created Source link What are the relevant SDG areas/crosscutting themes of the policy, plan scheme or strategy?

Act of law of April 24th 2003 on Public Benefit and Volunteer Work - Consolidated text, last amended on 22 January 2010

2010 View source

Does the country have a sectoral and cross-sectoral policy, scheme, plan or strategy that mentions volunteering?

No

VNR Reporting

Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in Poland

View source
SDG symbol SDG symbol

Reporting positive contribution of volunteering to the SDGs

Paragraph 1, page 40

Under the Strategy, a number of directions of activities to be implemented by 2030 have been planned, which will include in particular shaping pro-social attitudes, including by creating conditions for volunteers, associations and other organisations to operate at school.

Paragraph 2, page 79

Committee for Public Benefit - has become a government administration body competent in matters of public benefit and volunteerism, including programming, coordinating and organising cooperation between public administration bodies and entities operating in the sphere of public benefit.

Paragraph 3, page 82

In addition to multilateral development assistance, Poland also participates in bilateral cooperation. These are projects implemented by government administration bodies and their subordinates, through non-governmental organisations, local government units, public universities, research institutes, the Polish Academy of Sciences and its organisational units under the open tendering procedure Polish Development Assistance, Humanitarian Aid in the Middle East and Ukraine, Global Education, Polish Aid Volunteering 2018,

No mention

Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in Poland - The 2023 National Report

View source
SDG symbol SDG symbol SDG symbol SDG symbol

Reporting positive contribution of volunteering to the SDGs

Paragraph 1, page 43

Mazowieckie Voivodeship with non-governmental organisations and other institutions, for the implementation of public tasks in the field of shaping the civic society in the region by creating favourable conditions for the emergence of local initiatives, supporting civic activity of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship inhabitants, promotion of civic and pro-social attitudes, promotion of volunteerism, implementation of programmes serving the development of the voivodeship and improvement of the quality of life of its inhabitants by fuller satisfaction of social needs; the self-government of the Podkarpackie voivodeship cooperates, among others, with the local government of the Podkarpackie voivodeship cooperates, among others, with clusters/associations of entrepreneurs. 
 

Paragraph 2, page 52

Polish Red Cross members and volunteers are involved in the system. As part of the system, they cooperate with institutions and public authorities such as: State and Voluntary Fire Brigades, State Medical Rescue Service, National Civil Defence. Polish Red Cross rescuers are prepared to carry out activities in the country and abroad, cooperating in this area with public authorities as well as within the framework of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. This translates directly into strengthening the capacity of all countries in the field of early warning, threat re-education and national and global health risk management. 
 

Paragraph 3, page 53

As part of learning the Polish language, courses in grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary are held in the libraries, run by librarians with a degree in Polish studies and pedagogical qualifications and Ukrainian volunteers who know Polish.
 

Paragraph 4, page 137

“Polish Development Assistance”, “Humanitarian Aid”, “Polish Aid Volunteering” and “Global Education” as well as calls for proposals for the public administration. In 2022, the competition in the area of humanitarian aid concerned the financing of actions aimed at support to the Ukrainian civilians suffering from the warfare, including the refugees, who found their shelter in Poland, in particular children, women and persons with disabilities.

No mention
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