Volunteering Connects People – Worldwide!

Volunteering Connects People – Worldwide! For 2026, we have planned something very special: we are very excited and proud to announce our international partnership initiative for International Volunteer Year 2026 (IVY)!

We are partnering with our German sister organisations ‘Wir tun 'was. RLP’ and ‘MEM, Mainzer Ehrenamtsbuero’! This partnership presents a fantastic opportunity to exchange knowledge, learn about each other’s cultures and forge cross-country friendships with some amazing German volunteers – broadening our perspective on volunteering around the world.

MEM (‘Mein Engagement in Mainz’ | My Involvement in Mainz) is the volunteer centre for Mainz, capital of the German state Rhineland-Palatinate in the middle of Germany. Like us, they connect and strengthen the community through volunteer engagement and professional development. They promote a ‘culture of participation’ by supporting volunteer organisations, as well as helping individuals to find the right volunteer role.

‘Wir tun 'was. RLP’ (roughly translated to ‘We Get Things Done in Rhineland-Palatinate’) focuses on strengthening and growing volunteer recognition and structural support on a regional and national level. They run campaigns like the RLP Volunteer Day and the Volunteer Card and advocate for volunteering on a wider political level to ‘strengthen a lively and active civic community’.

Over the course of this year, you will regularly see collaboration updates on our website and social media, and you will also have the opportunity to take part in a few online exchanges. To a year of fruitful and engaging conversations and events – stay tuned!

About International Volunteer Year 2026
The International Volunteer Year 2026 celebrates volunteers as vital parts of community and civic life – in emergency management, social services, environmental organisations, arts, and many more. Volunteers build stronger, more connected and more inclusive communities, and we want to celebrate and strengthen their work.
IVY 2026 offers a unique opportunity to celebrate, mobilise and elevate the contributions of volunteers who are driving positive changes in communities around the world. Volunteers are the heart of sustainable development – responding to the challenges our society face with local knowledge, innovation and solidarity.
Yet volunteers’ contributions are too often unrecognized, undervalued and underresourced. The need is clear and urgent: volunteering must be nurtured and supported to harness its full power to build more equitable, sustainable and inclusive societies.
From governments and civil society to donors, companies, and volunteers themselves – we all share a responsibility to create the conditions for volunteering to thrive.
More about the Call to Action for Volunteering!