Volunteering: a cross-cutting lever for achieving the SDGs

In its diversity, volunteering contributes to the construction of active citizenship and helps citizens to understand the issues and challenges of sustainable development, in line with the ECSI (Education à la citoyenneté et à la solidarité internationale/Education for Citizenship and International Solidarity) approach. 

Based on mutual enrichment and understanding, volunteers contribute to the healing of societies and the strengthening of social cohesion. In this way, they provide spaces for individual and collective fulfilment and contribute to the development of strong and dynamic societies. 

Volunteering has a multiplier effect and allows us to take action as close as possible to the communities, for local cooperation, with the rationale of ‘leaving no one behind’. 

Volunteers act as co-incubators and vectors of the local innovations they witness on an international scale. They often act as a bridge between communities and the public authorities. They form a talent pool and are important resources for cooperation projects. 

Health, education and training, income-generating activities, water and sanitation, waste management, social integration… on a daily basis, volunteers participate in the implementation of projects in a wide range of fields and on a variety of themes. 

Volunteers are at the heart of the inclusive approach of the 2030 Agenda.