Warsaw’s “Ochotnicy warszawscy” project brings together the city’s efforts to develop and promote volunteering. It has operated since 2016, with coordination led by the Voluntary Service Development Team in the City of Warsaw’s Centre for Public Communication. Public institutions and non-governmental organisations work with the city on specific activities; partners for key parts of the project are selected through open competitions for NGOs.4
The project aims to make volunteering easier to organise and take part in: it seeks to create conditions for volunteering across Warsaw, support volunteers and organisers, and strengthen organisers’ skills and capacity.1 Its main public-facing tool is the Municipal Volunteer Portal, ochotnicy.waw.pl, where organisations can publish opportunities and residents can browse by district or subject. Organisers can also use the portal to manage volunteer teams and related documentation.1
Support extends beyond matching people with opportunities. Volunteers and organisers can access free training, workshops, supervision and debates; volunteer training covers social and communication skills as well as working in groups.1 The city’s information page says anyone can volunteer regardless of age, experience or available time, and points residents to the portal to find opportunities across Warsaw.1
The portal’s 2024 figures indicate the project’s reach: it recorded 144,463 users and hosted 399 volunteer offers during the year. The city’s report describes it as a tool used since 2016 to recruit volunteers for both short-term activities and longer-running work with organisations.10 A continuation plan for 2026–2030 has been prepared, with the portal remaining a central part of the project.5