The New Volunteering Law introduces changes that will not count volunteering as internship but something that is done voluntarily and without any compensation. According to the new law working hours will not be 40 hours per week which means that they will work 25 hours per week. Volunteer cannot be person younger than 15 years – it’s announced at conference “ V for Activism – Volunteering is Civic Activism”. ADP – ZID Executive Direction, Sandra Rakocevic, said that volunteering in Montenegro has not seen as just volunteering. Volunteering as volunteering is a civic act of activism itself. Starting this year, volunteerism is being supported by the Ministry of Sport and Youth – she said. She also said that new law on volunteering is being introduced to abolish volunteering as internship but something that is done voluntarily and without any compensation. Under the new law volunteering will last only 25 hours per week instead of 40. Danijela Vujosevic, the representative of the Ministry of Sport and Youth, said that this ministry supports the values of affirmation of volunteerism. Ministry worked in corporation with volunteers through various projects and competitions. The representative of the Ministry of Public Administration, Branislav Todorovic, said that the conditions for regulating the domain of volunteerism were met and volunteering was mainly organized by NGOs. He also said that Red Cross is the largest volunteer organization in Montenegro. This law will allow the Ministry of Public Administration to provide financial support for active volunteerism. The Law on Volunteerism will bring new changes that will not count volunteer work as professional experience and thus be considered as work experience when hiring. This law applies to volunteering but not to volunteering at the Red Cross which is regulated by another law. The director of ADP – ZID, Igor Milosevic, said that volunteer activism does not cost but the organization of some volunteer actions have some costs so it is not free. There is a lot of goodwill in Montenegro for active volunteerism. Problem is there are only a few NGOs involved in volunteering. A volunteer cannot be persons under the age of 15 that’s why they start with referring to the volunteering is and how to get involved in 6th, 7th and 8th grades. The volunteering is not something that will take you to every action you’re invited to. Volunteering means getting more active and suggesting some action as well as following project from the beginning. With the help of partners from Denmark much has been done to accelerate the development of volunteerism. That’s something that you want to get done for the community on a voluntary basis. More and more organizations get involved in volunteering, also volunteering clubs in high schools.
