Volunteering & social economy: Building up Europe’s resilience

In 2026, the international community will mark International Volunteer Year (IVY2026), bringing global attention to the vital role volunteers play in strengthening societies. Around the world, hundreds of millions of people take part in voluntary action every month—through formal organisations, local associations, or informal community support. These contributions, often delivered through social economy organisations, sustain essential services, strengthen social cohesion, and help communities prepare for, withstand, and recover from crises. 

Volunteering, like the values and practices of the social economy, is rooted in solidarity, participation and collective responsibility. These principles are fundamental to democratic life. Volunteers and social economy organisations foster active citizenship, mobilise communities, and ensure that a wide range of voices are heard in shaping local and national priorities. Strengthening these ecosystems helps rebuild trust in institutions, promotes civic participation and enhances the democratic resilience of European societies.

Despite their importance to society, volunteering and the social economy ecosystem are often overlooked or insufficiently understood by policymakers. In many European countries, volunteers and social economy organisations and enterprises represent major economic actors. There are over 4 million social economy enterprises and organisations, providing 11 million jobs, generating close to one trillion euros in turnover (2021 figures) and mobilising more than 53 million volunteers (data available in only 15 Member States) and 135 million association memberships¹. Beyond these measurable figures, their intangible value is even greater. Their contribution to social and territorial cohesion through the green transition, quality jobs for all, inclusion, social protection, access to services, regional and rural development and social and technological innovation cannot easily be quantified. The social economy is active in all sectors, while volunteers play a particularly essential role in providing essential services, from healthcare and education to emergency support and inclusion programmes. Yet both ecosystems continue to struggle to secure adequate recognition, resources and long-term policy support. 

The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic exposed these gaps, while also demonstrating the irreplaceable role played by volunteers, cooperatives, mutuals and community-based social economy actors. Their rapid mobilisation, proximity to local communities and ability to operate through trust-based networks proved indispensable in responding to the crisis. These same attributes are essential for population preparedness, where risk awareness, local knowledge and community mobilisation determine how effectively societies can respond to emergencies.

For the EU, the challenges ahead—from the climate crisis and demographic change to misinformation, democratic backsliding and natural hazards—call for stronger and more coordinated efforts to build community resilience. Volunteers and the social economy will be key actors in these efforts. Local volunteer organisations are often the first point of contact during emergencies; they mobilise quickly, work through trusted networks and provide support that is culturally and socially attuned. Their proximity to communities makes them crucial in strengthening population preparedness, raising risk awareness and enhancing citizens’ ability to respond to crises in informed and collective ways. Recognising these strengths creates opportunities for deeper collaboration across public authorities, civil society and the private sector.

The proposed session will explore these issues by bringing together volunteer organisations, social economy representatives, civil society networks, EU institutions and experts in resilience and preparedness. Discussions will focus on why and how volunteering and the social economy are key actors in addressing the EU's major current challenges, including the defence of EU values as set out in Article 2 of the EU Treaty, as well as competitiveness, prosperity and resilience. In particular, it will demonstrate how IVY2026 can act as a catalyst for new partnerships, improve coordination and contribute to a more coherent European approach to volunteering—one that acknowledges its shared role in shaping resilient, inclusive and democratic societies.

By leveraging IVY2026, the EU can strengthen the interconnected ecosystems of volunteering and the social economy, ensuring they continue to drive solidarity, participation and community resilience across Europe. In doing so, it can highlight how we can reinforce Europe's uniquely vibrant democracy and the institutions that sustain it.