Every year an estimated one billion people volunteer their time and skills in the service of their communities.

Since 1970, IAVE has nurtured and grown volunteer leaders across the world, promoting the ideas and values of volunteering as the foundation of civil society. Our diverse member network includes volunteers, government agencies, multi-national agencies and institutions, academics, NGOs, businesses, and volunteer leadership organizations in over 100 countries.

Our Mission

IAVE creates a more just and sustainable world by enabling the leaders, organizations, and environments that empower volunteers.

How We Get There

IAVE brings together global voices to promote and increase volunteering around the world.

As the largest global network of volunteer leaders, we create structures to enable members to learn from and support one another.

As a global authority and innovator on volunteering, IAVE advances learning and knowledge sharing on effective volunteer practices.

Our members are volunteer leaders across the world...

Get Involved

IAVE strives to build an inclusive network, open to individuals, organizations and corporate businesses of all capacities and resources. We offer numerous ways to get involved in the global volunteer movement.

Individuals

Individuals are invited to make the pledge and become a Global Friend of Volunteering. Or, for a low annual fee, get more engaged with IAVE and receive exclusive updates and benefits.

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Organizations

Leadership organizations from across the world are invited to help us build a global network on volunteering. IAVE’s national and regional structures work together to strategically move volunteering forward.

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Corporations

Corporate volunteer programs are invited to join our leadership network to increase the impact of their volunteer efforts. IAVE’s Global Corporate Volunteer Council (GCVC) is the leading leadership network for global companies that engage their employees as volunteers.

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Recent News

IAVE’s 27th World Volunteer Conference is right around the corner!

Together with hundreds of volunteer leaders from corporate, NGO, academic and government sectors around the...
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Global companies highlight corporate volunteering as key to sustainable development

Global companies committed to corporate volunteering will join leaders from nonprofit, government, and academic volunteer...
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Help find a host for the 2026 World Volunteer Conference

IAVE—the International Association for Volunteer Effort—is now accepting bids from interested organizations, communities and countries...
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