Volunteer Activities in Continuing Education Facilities – Significance, Challenges and Organizational Consequences

Abstract

The subject of volunteering is significant for continuing education in a dual way. First of all, publicly supported continuing education facilities are expected to provide education and qualifications demanded by the target group of volunteer workers. Secondly, the significance is also especially reflected in the contribution of volunteers’ work to the performance of many of these very same continuing education facilities. Among other duties, volunteers teach classes, take on moderating functions or play active board roles in these facilities, which frequently operate as associations. Participation of volunteers and their integration in continuing education facilities was not only a meaningful aspect for a long time, but also taken for granted. In the perspective of the facilities there were enough appropriately qualified candidates for staffing volunteer areas of activity. However, due to societal transformation and modernization processes, volunteering for some time has been undergoing perceptible structural and functional changes.