Why is it good to be a volunteer?

There are many ways to help others, and one of the most effective methods is through volunteering, which benefits not only the community involved but also the volunteer personally. Volunteering can reach broad social segments and people of any age; for students and young professionals, it offers valuable experience, and for the retired generation, it can help alleviate loneliness or inactivity.

In Romania, volunteering activities are regulated by Law No. 78/2014, which defines volunteering as an activity carried out by individuals, either individually or in groups, without financial compensation, for the benefit of others or society.

Volunteering can be undertaken in fields such as art, culture, sports, education, research, environmental protection, health, social services, religious work, humanitarian efforts, community development, human rights, and more.

Verified volunteer work within a specific field counts as professional experience.

Who can be a volunteer?

Anyone who, under labor laws, is capable of working—meaning they have reached the age of sixteen—can volunteer. Exceptionally, a young person who has turned fifteen can engage in volunteer work with parental or legal guardian consent, provided the activity suits their age, physical and mental development, capabilities, and does not endanger their health, growth, or schooling obligations.

The activity is conducted based on a volunteer agreement between the hosting organization and the volunteer. For the agreement to be valid, it must be in written form and must include: the parties’ information, a description of the volunteer activity of public interest, its duration, the rights and obligations of the parties, professional expectations, and the conditions for contract termination. The law prohibits institutions from replacing paid labor with volunteers to avoid evading employment contracts.

An official volunteer sheet, which details the activity, and a safety document, which includes instructions and guidelines for safety, must be attached to the contract in compliance with legal workplace safety regulations.

At the end of the period, upon the volunteer’s request, the hosting organization will issue a certificate of volunteering as well as an activity report, which details the services provided, responsibilities assumed, and skills acquired.

Either party can unilaterally terminate the contract with a 15-day notice period.

Volunteering does not yield direct financial gain, but it teaches independence, teamwork, attention to others, goal-setting, and achieving those goals. The volunteer becomes an integral part of the community and, in this way, gains inner enrichment, learning solidarity and tolerance.