Volunteering In Eastern European Countries

Around 100 million people residing in EU countries, so about 24 percent of the EU participate in volunteer activities. About 20 million volunteers live in countries from Eastern Europe, so they represent about 20 percent of the volunteers from EU countries. It is widely recognized the social and cultural dimension of volunteering, reflected in employment and social inclusion, education and training, active citizenship and mass sport. But the economic dimension of volunteerism, especially during an economic, social and values crisis, a multiple crisis therefore, is the least considered. Financial resources are a major challenge for most organizations and volunteer agencies across the EU. Public funds are the main source of funding for volunteering sector in Europe. In Western European countries, this trend tends to reverse in favor of private funds. Furthermore, the ability of European states, now also marked by government deficits crisis, to finance social sector is influenced by the activity of NGOs, organizations that deal progressively with more and more social services. In reality we talk about a growing public awareness, about actions taken to help others and at the expense of the individual, unilateral, gregarious one.