Čo je to ocenenie Srdce na dlani

Srdce na dlani je ocenenie venované výnimočným ľuďom - dobrovoľníkom a dobrovoľníčkam, ako aj výnimočným dobrovoľníckym projektom. Je to ocenenie s dnes už dvadsaťročnou tradíciou, ktoré sa uskutočňuje pri príležitosti Medzinárodného dňa dobrovoľníkov a dobrovoľníčok (5. decembra), ako aj pri príležitosti Medzinárodného dňa koordinátorov a koordinátoriek dobrovoľníkov a dobrovoľníčok (5. novembra).

Ocenenie je určené tým, ktorí dobrovoľne, bez nároku na finančnú odmenu, venujú svoj čas a energiu ľuďom, ktorí to potrebujú, ako aj skvelým myšlienkam a výnimočným projektom, ktoré robia náš svet krajším a solidárnejším.

Kto udeľuje ocenenie

Ocenenie sa udeľuje na úrovni krajov aj na celoslovenskej úrovni.

Krajské oceňovanie

Organizátormi oceňovaní v krajoch sú spravidla krajské dobrovoľnícke centrá, ktoré už tradične každým rokom na jeseň otvárajú svoje krajské kampane a vyzývajú organizácie, jednotlivcov a kolektívy, aby nominovali na ocenenie Srdce na dlani.

Vyvrcholením krajských kampaní dobrovoľníckych centier je séria podujatí Srdce na dlani, na ktorých sa zvyčajne na sklonku roka v slávnostnej atmosfére v krajských mestách na Slovensku odovzdávajú ocenenia tým najvýnimočnejším.

Záštitu nad týmito podujatiami už od roku 2018 preberá splnomocnenec Úradu vlády SR pre rozvoj občianskej spoločnosti.

Národné oceňovanie

Organizátorom oceňovania na národnej úrovni bolo od roku 2008 do roku 2021 CARDO – Národné dobrovoľnícke centrum. Od roku 2022 preberá Národné oceňovanie Platforma dobrovoľníckych centier a organizácií.

Od roku 2020 došlo k významnej zmene v procese prijímania nominácií na národné oceňovanie. Oprávnenými subjektami na podávanie nominácií sú krajské dobrovoľnícke centrá, pričom vychádzajú z príbehov, ktoré boli nominované na krajských úrovniach. Tento systém má podporiť kvalitu v procese hodnotenia a uľahčiť získavanie relevantných informácií pre rozhodovanie hodnotiacej komisie. Vzniknutá spolupráca medzi CARDO – Národným dobrovoľníckym centrum, Platformou dobrovoľníckych centier a organizácií a krajskými dobrovoľníckymi centrami smeruje k posilňovaniu statusu dobrovoľníctva a zlepšeniu propagácie dobrovoľníckej činnosti.

Národné oceňovanie sa koná pod záštitou Ministra zahraničných vecí a európskych záležitostí SR.

Ako nominovať na ocenenie Srdce na dlani

Krajské dobrovoľnícke centrá spúšťajú prijímanie nominácií spravidla najneskôr 1. októbra daného roka. Na ich webových stránkach alebo na spoločnej webke www.srdcenadlani.sk nájdete všetky informácie o podmienkach nominovania v jednotlivých krajoch, zoznam kategórií aj presné termíny. Touto cestou sa dostanete aj k štatútu krajského oceňovania a nominačnému hárku, v ktorom zašlete všetky relevantné informácie pre hodnotiacu komisiu. V prípade otázok je pre každý kraj k dispozícii kontaktná osoba – koordinátorka oceňovania, ktorá Vám pomôže s procesom nominovania.

Hodnotiaca komisia krajských oceňovaní následne rozhodne o postúpení niektorých nominácií na národnú úroveň. Tam sa stretnú tie najsilnejšie príbehy zo Slovenska.

www.srdcenadlani.sk

Miesto Platformy pri oceňovaní

Platforma dobrovoľníckych centier a organizácií od roku 2018 podporuje dobrovoľnícke centrá a ich krajské kampane oceňovania Srdce na dlani spoluprácou na propagácii. Pre tento účel sme vytvorili stránku www.srdcenadlani.sk, ktorá poskytuje ucelené informácie o oceňovaní, histórii, ako aj samotných ocenených v krajoch aktívnych v oceňovaní. Jej cieľom je poskytnúť všetky dôležité a priebežne aktualizované informácie na jednom mieste.

Od roku 2020 vystupuje Platforma ako sprostredkovateľ medzi krajskými centrami a CARDO – Národným dobrovoľníckym centom pri komunikácii o zjednocovaní vybraných prvkov oceňovania na Slovensku a vytvorení systému transferu nominácií z krajských úrovní na celonárodnú. Od roku 2022 preberá Národné oceňovanie Platforma dobrovoľníckych centier a organizácií.

If you want to become our member and create favorable conditions for the development of volunteering in Slovakia and Europe together with us, you can find the information about the membership in the Platform here.

Contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at +421 945 445 995.

If you would like to cooperate with us or to support our projects, ideas, and goals financially, through in-kind donations or otherwise, please contact Ida Adolfova: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will be happy to discuss further details with you.

We are currently offering the position for one European Solidarity Corps volunteer for 12 months, in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: November 30th, 2019

Who are we looking for?

The call is opened for one young person aged between 18 to 30 years. We are planning to host her/him for 12 months in Banska Bystrica City (Central Slovakia).

We are looking for a creative young person who is interested in the topic of volunteering, wants to learn more about it, support, spread, and promote its idea. Someone who has a good idea, and enjoys working with the camera, PC, but also the social networks. Through the processing of creative contents (pictures, photos, videos, posters, invitations, etc.) and social networks, she/he will be willing to spread the idea of solidarity to our society.

We are looking for an active person who has the desire to learn, to work on, and to develop her/himself.  A communicative person can approach others. We are searching for flexible, idependent person with a responsible approach to the tasks combined with the teamwork, or under supervision.

The project is primarily aimed on volunteers with fewer opportunities from Spain, but we are opened to communicate with motivated and interested candidates from all EU member countries.

 What will the volunteer do?

 All the project activities are focused on promoting, support, and dissemination of the idea of volunteering. The activities are by the mission and objectives of the Platform of Volunteer Centers and Organisation.

The essence of the work is collecting material (photos, videos, interviews) outside of the office (in the community - between volunteers, organizations, during campaigns, workshops, training, conferences and other events, including ESC activities). The acquired material should be archived and also processed by graphics software. The final product should be attractive and interesting media file capable by the volunteer to spread the idea of volunteering. These activities include active work with social networks, mainly FB, Instagram (or similar). Also creating, managing, and feeding account of our institution on Instagram. The volunteer will have the opportunity to design and develop his project, which promotes volunteering.

What do we offer?

• Space for personal and professional development,
• Professional background, team support and guidance (coordinator, mentor, supervisor, staff and language support) in an experiential learning process based on „Service Learning“ methodology,
• An individual and human approach based on individual learning needs and aspirations,
• Knowledge, skills, and competencies for future employment, studies, and everyday life,
• Validation of acquired knowledges, skills and competences through EU and national validation tools: Youthpass and D-Skills (certified),
• Conditions for self-fulfillment, creativity, ideas and own project,
• Interesting and stimulate working-, local- and social environment (Banská Bystrica - university town, office in the University of Matej Bel, NGOs,) where the volunteer can meet young and nice people, volunteers, people from the NGOs sector.

Conditions and Funding

Duration of the service: 12 months in Banska Bystrica City,

Travel: Covered travel to and from the service, the maximum amount depends on the distance to Banska Bystrica from departure place.

Accommodation: Private/shared room in a rented apartment near the city center, shared and equipped kitchen, bathroom.

Meal and personal allowance: Weekly / Monthly meal and personal allowance including during the holiday period.

Working hours and Holidays: Monday-Friday, 30-35 hours/week, two days of holiday per month to be taken at any time upon prior agreement with the project coordinator. Extra holiday available for family or personal reasons.

Health Insurance: International ESC insurance plan arranged.

Call for volunteers to download

How to Apply?

1. Please fill in the application form available here
2. Send your CV to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. latest on 30/11/2019.
3. Selected applicants will be invited for an online Skype interview
4. For more information contact ESC coordinator: Maria Joklová, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

More information:

About Slovakia: http://slovakia.travel/

About Banska Bystrica City: http://eng.banskabystrica.sk/

The Platform of Volunteer Centers and Organizations: http://www.dobrovolnickecentra.sk/en/

About European Solidarity Corps: https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity_en

Volunteering Week is a nationwide campaign to promote volunteering and the work of voluntary organisations. It brings diverse volunteering activities to the attention of the general public all over Slovakia, in which anyone can participate, regardless of previous experience with volunteering.

In recent years, Volunteering Week has always been held from 16 to 22 September. The idea of the Week is a continuation of the Day of Volunteering, which was first organised in 2009 by C.A.R.D.O. - National Volunteer Centre. The campaign is held in cooperation with the regional volunteer centres, which organise activities in each region.

During the Week of Volunteering, organisations create various volunteering activities in which anyone (friends, companies, schools) can participate and selflessly help organisations in the different regions of Slovakia. It can be an open day, a volunteering activity or various workshops on volunteering. Most of the time it is a simple activity such as clearing up the environment, facilities - either exterior or interior, painting, mowing or raking grass. Often it is also about working with the clients of the organisations - various workshops, activities, walks and meetings with the clients. 

The whole campaign - organisations signing up, posting volunteering opportunities as well as signing up volunteers - is done through www.tyzdendobrovolnictva.sk. 

Volunteering Week is organised across Slovakia by individual regional volunteer centres: Bratislava Volunteer Centre, Banská Bystrica Volunteer Centre, Nitra Volunteer Centre, Prešov Volunteer Centre, Trenčín Volunteer Centre and Žilina Volunteer Centre. 

In 2021, 2,280 volunteers were involved in the campaign across Slovakia, working 6,555 volunteer hours.

BROZMANOVÁ-GREGOROVÁ, Alžbeta et al. Manual for vocational education and training of volunteer coordinators in development projects. Key action 2. Strategic partnerships for vocational education and training. Rec. Sonja Fernandes, Sonia Pereyra. 1. vyd. Logroño : Congcar, 2017. 244 s.

ADOLFOVÁ, Ida et al. The EVSification Manual : volunteer management in EVS projects. 1. vyd. Cluj-Napoca : Centrul de Voluntariat Cluj-Napoca, 2016. 132 s. ISBN 978-973-0-21594-6.

MRAČKOVÁ, Alžbeta - BROZMANOVÁ-GREGOROVÁ, Alžbeta. Volunteering Infrastructure in Europe : Slovakia. In Volunteering Infrastructure in Europe. - Brussel : CEV - European Volunteer Centre, 2012, s. 354-366.

BROZMANOVÁ GREGOROVÁ, A., MATULAYOVÁ, T., MRAČKOVÁ, A., VAVRINČÍKOVÁ, L., VLAŠIČOVÁ, J.:Volunteering When Help Is Fun and Fun Helps. Bratislava: Iuventa, 2011. ISBN 978-80-8072-118-3

The Platform has also been active for a long time in the field of education and the development of key skills in the field of volunteering. It offers a number of training programmes aimed at improving the quality of volunteer management, bringing together experts and professionals who have been involved in the practice, theory and legislation of volunteering for many years. 

The Platform has recently expanded its offer to include online courses, making them even more accessible to anyone in Slovakia. The content corresponds to the scope of classical face-to-face trainings, while also including personal consultations.

Individual courses are opened by the Platform to the general public, while private courses are also available for schools, organisations or institutions.

The trainings are supported by a grant from the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, administered by IUVENTA - Slovak Youth Institute.

Current trainings on offer:

Management of volunteers

32-hour accredited training, divided into 4 days.  Successful graduates of the course receive a certificate of completion of training accredited by the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic.

The training is intended for workers and volunteers in non-governmental and public organisations (civic associations, non-profit organisations, social welfare institutions, schools, foundations, etc.) who already work with volunteers or plan to include them in their activities. It is designed for people who want to learn and share with others how to find, select, train, motivate and retain volunteers. The training provides relevant theoretical and practical knowledge, skills and concrete methods that will be applicable when working with volunteers. It creates opportunities for role-plays, experiential techniques and their reflection for working with volunteers, interactive group work and exchange of experiences during discussions. The final exam includes the submission of a written elaboration of the volunteer programme manual/guidelines.

Service-learning in the education and training of children and young people for volunteering

The aim of the 24-hour accredited training programme divided into 3 days is to develop and expand the knowledge and skills of youth workers and pedagogical and professional staff of schools and educational institutions in the implementation of education and training of children and young people for volunteering through the strategy of service-learning in accordance with the Concept of Education and Training of Children and Youth for Volunteering (2018). 

Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that combines meaningful volunteer service in the community with education and reflection. It is a way of learning in which theoretical training is linked to practical experience. The added value of service-learning is that it allows one to help others in their natural environment in addition to your own development. 

The target group is people working with children and young people in formal and non-formal education - youth workers (both voluntary and paid), pedagogical and professional staff and employees: teachers of whatsoever subject in kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, craftsmen and women teaching vocational training, educators and tutors. Participants are expected to have an interest in and a positive attitude towards the topic of volunteering. 

Successful graduates of the training receive a certificate of completion accredited by the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic. The training also includes a final exam consisting of a presentation of a plan for the implementation of education and training for volunteering through the service-learning method in a particular school or organisation.

Measuring and communicating the impact of volunteering

The aim of this 16-hour training is to develop participants' knowledge and skills in measuring and communicating the impact of volunteering. The training is aimed at volunteer coordinators and youth workers working on the topic of the impact of volunteering, people working in NGOs, as well as in local and national government who want to: 

• demonstrate the benefits of their volunteering programme for different target groups,
• be able to collect relevant quantitative data and interpret qualitative evaluations in relation to the results of the volunteering programme, 
• improve their volunteering programmes based on a qualitative evaluation of their current performance,
• communicate the impact of the volunteering programme convincingly to the public, partners or donors.

Managing young and disadvantaged volunteers

Training of 15 hours, divided into several blocks. Participants will gain skills in communication with young people with disabilities, learn about the specifics of the appropriate work environment and appropriate working relationships when working with young people with disabilities, be able to set and identify an appropriate strategy for working with this target group, appropriate volunteer positions and benefits of volunteering, and be proficient in the elements of management of working with volunteers with disabilities. 

The training is intended for persons working or interested in working with young volunteers with disabilities in public administration, in NGOs, in religious organisations in various fields - social, environmental, cultural, children and youth work, education, human rights, etc.

The Heart in the Palm of Your Hand - Volunteer Award is an award dedicated to exceptional people - volunteers, as well as to exceptional volunteer projects. It is an award with a tradition of more than twenty years, which takes place on the occasion of the International Day of Volunteers (5 December) as well as the International Day of Coordinators of Volunteers (5 November).

The award is for those who volunteer their time and energy, without financial reward, to people in need, as well as to great ideas and exceptional projects that make our world a more beautiful and more compassionate place.

The award is given at the regional level as well as at the national level, where it is presented at the Volunteer of the Year event.

The regional awards are usually organised by the regional volunteer centres, which usually present the awards to the most outstanding volunteers at the end of the year in a festive atmosphere in the regional towns across Slovakia.

Since 2018, Martin Giertl, Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Government Office for the Development of Civil Society, has taken over the patronage of these events in the regions.

National awards

Since 2008, the Volunteer of the Year Award has been organised by the National Volunteer Association. The awards are organised at the national level by CARDO - National Volunteer Centre and from 2020 also in cooperation with the Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisations and regional volunteer centres.

The Volunteer of the Year event is held under the auspices of the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic.

The Platform's place in the awards

Since 2018, the Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisations has been supporting the Volunteer Centres and their regional Heart in the Palm of Your Hand award campaigns by collaborating on promotion. For this purpose, we have created the website www.srdcenadlani.sk, which provides comprehensive information about the award, its history, as well as the award winners themselves in the regions active in the award. It aims to provide all relevant and continuously updated information in one place.

This project was supported by the grant of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport "Programmes for Youth 2014 - 2020", administered by IUVENTA - Slovak Youth Institute.

The Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisations runs a national award called Engaged Schools for schools implementing service-learning activities.

The award is aimed at highlighting and rewarding the work of kindergartens, primary and secondary schools that implement volunteer projects aimed at serving the community in conjunction with educational objectives and promoting active citizenship of youth through the service-learning method.

Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that combines meaningful volunteer service in the community with education and reflection. Theoretical training in schools is linked to the acquisition of practical experience. The added value of service-learning is that it allows one to help others in their natural environment in addition to your own development.

This is the first award of its kind to raise the profile and highlight the importance of the work of educational institutions using the service-learning method to promote the involvement of pupils in civil society activities. 

The award is intended to highlight the role of the school as an institution that not only imparts academic content, but prepares young people to participate in the democratic life of society by encouraging participation in improving the quality of life of the community and society.

The winners of the national rounds are nominated for awards at the level of Central and Eastern Europe for the so-called Regional Award for Successful Service-Learning Practice in Central and Eastern Europe. 

The purpose of the award is:

• to collect examples of good practice in the application of service-learning in education enabling young people to expand their knowledge horizons and actively participate in the transformation of their communities;
• to highlight the contribution of schools that link educational content with finding and implementing solutions to community needs;
• to raise the profile of educators who enhance the quality of education of their pupils towards social transformation of the community; and to raise the profile of pupils who are active citizens;
• to promote a culture of active citizenship and solidarity. 

We know that quality education is not only about the transmission of academic content, but also requires that pupils are better educated: democratically and with a focus on the quality of life in the community.

The National Awards are organised by the Platform of Voluntary Centres and Organisations under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport.

The international award is also co-organised by the international organisation Interactive Open Schools (hereafter MIOS) and the partners of the Service-Learning Network for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE SL Network) with the support of the Latin American Service-Learning Centre (CLAYSS).

The winners of the international award will also receive a cash prize to be used for another service-learning project in their community. The 1st place award is $1,000, 2nd place is $ 750, and 3rd place is $ 500.

Advocacy is carried out through representation in the Government Council for Non-Governmental Non-Profit Organisations, through membership and active participation in the activities of the European Volunteer Centre, but also through specific activities; in recent years in particular:

• Coordination and cooperation with 20 organisations in the preparation of the Concept of Education and Training of Children and Youth for Volunteering (adopted in April 2018).
• Collaboration with more than 10 organisations in the development of the Youth Report on Volunteering (2018).
• Cooperation in the preparation of a proposal for cooperation between labour, social affairs and family offices and volunteer centres in the field of volunteering for the unemployed.
• Working meetings with representatives of the Office of the Government Plenipotentiary for the Development of Civil Society on the topic of volunteering legislation.
• Working meetings with MPs of the National Council of the Slovak Republic on legislative support for volunteering.
• Cooperation on the preparation of the proposal and implementation of research on the non-profit sector and civil society, which includes the topic of research on volunteering.
• Cooperation on the preparation of the Youth Strategy 2021-2028.
• Coordinating the development of quality standards for youth work.
• We participated in the working meetings of the steering group at Iuventa and the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport where we commented on the content of the new legislation for the support of youth work.
• The Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisations coordinated the preparation of the current Youth Strategy for Youth Volunteering and the preparation of the Programme for the Development of Volunteering and Volunteer Centres in Slovakia.  Currently, we are again members of the working group preparing the new Youth Strategy for 2021-2028.
• Thanks to the Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisations, the position of volunteer coordinator is part of the national occupational framework.
• We co-organised the Orbis Civitates conference (October 2019), which is dedicated to current issues in the non-profit sector, with special attention to the topic of volunteering and philanthropy, which we professionally guaranteed.
• Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisations members were behind the drafting of the Law on Volunteering and have since been actively involved in the development of legislation in the field of volunteering. In December 2016, we prepared the document "Development of volunteering in Slovakia: interests and needs of voluntary organisations and centres. Document for the Government and Parliament of the Slovak Republic."  The document defines the priority topics for which the Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisations is actively seeking support from MPs and the public administration. 1) Introduction of an internationally valid method of measuring volunteering and the economic value of volunteering, 2) Legislative regulation of volunteering in Slovakia, and 3) Education and training for volunteering in kindergartens, primary, secondary and higher education.
• Thanks to Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisation's close cooperation with the Office of the Government Plenipotentiary for the Development of Civil Society, two tasks related to the promotion of financial support and favourable legislation in the field of volunteering were included in the Action Plan of the Concept for the Development of Civil Society for 2019 and 2020: task B.9. - to prepare a proposal for a mechanism of direct state support for volunteer programmes in order to promote volunteering in different areas, and task B.10. - to analyse the need for legislative amendments to Act No. 406/2011 Coll. on Volunteering and on Amendments and Additions to Certain Acts, as well as to identify the need for amendments to other legislation. On the basis of the analysis, prepare a proposal for legislative amendments to Act No 406/2011 Coll. on Volunteering and on Amendments and Additions to Certain Acts, as well as proposals for amendments to related legislation and submit them to the Government of the Slovak Republic for discussion. For these tasks, a working group is currently being established, which will be coordinated by the Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisations in cooperation with the Office of the Government Plenipotentiary for the Development of Civil Society.