Agency for Volunteer Service

AVS is dedicated to playing a proactive and pivotal role in the promotion and development of sustainable volunteerism for the building of a civil society and caring community.

Agency for Volunteer Service (AVS) founded in 1970, is a non profit organization mainly financed by funds from the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, The Community Chest of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and public and private donations. With the vision to build a civil society and caring community, AVS is dedicated to playing a proactive and pivotal role in the promotion and development of sustainable volunteerism, and to develop partnership with all sectors of the community to provide value added and quality volunteer service.

AVS motivates, mobilizes and facilitates individuals, groups and organizations to provide value added and quality volunteer service through partnership with all sectors of the community and other effective means with 5 major core services.

Mobilizing Volunteer Effort for Service:

• Volunteer Database and Networking: Volunteers wishing to offer service can join AVS as individual or corporate members of the Hong Kong Community Volunteers. Non-profit organizations requiring volunteer service can register for the Volunteer Referral Service. Volunteers are placed for assignments according to their talents, experience and service preference.
• Expanding Volunteer Opportunities: In partnership with different organizations, AVS organizes effective and innovative volunteer services to address community needs. Notable cases included the Rebuild Sichuan Volunteer Programme, mega events like WTO Hong Kong Ministerial Conference, ITU Telecom World and Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games Volunteer Programme, “We Share To Care” Volunteer Campaign, Carol Singing Festival to show concern to the disadvantaged and Hong Kong Pals Programme to promote tourism.
• The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Project Grant – Volunteer Talent Bank: To better ultilise the talent and skills of volunteers to assist the disadvantaged, The volunteer teams provide diversified professional volunteer services, including photography, home safety, health care, hair-cutting, community tour guide, student service support, information technology and music performance to the non-profit organizations and the needy groups.
• Elderly Service Base for Volunteers: As a base to promote volunteering among the seniors and retirees, the Western Garden Centre for the Elderly actively engages volunteers to deliver health, cultural and recreational programmes to the elderly, particularly those living alone in the Central and Western district, to meet their needs.

Training for Quality Volunteer Service:

• Volunteer Training and Development Centre: AVS established the first Volunteer Training and Development Centre in Hong Kong to provide various training programmes and consultation service to support volunteers and volunteer-involving organizations.
• Professional Development of Volunteer Service: Different types of training are provided to strengthen volunteers’ knowledge, skills and leadership, and to promote effective volunteer engagement. In line with the implementation of the New Senior Secondary Curriculum, AVS has launched the 4C Youth Project since 2009 to develop secondary school students’ personal qualities, to foster a healthy personality and civic awareness through volunteer training and service.
• “Volunteer Link”: Established in 2007, the online interactive information and resource platform provides volunteer policies and service guidelines, inspiring practices, self-learning corner, volunteer stories and photo gallery.

Promotion and Volunteer Recognition:

• International Volunteer Day (IVD) celebrations: The United Nations proclaimed 5th of December each year the International Volunteer Day. To recognize the contribution of volunteers and promote volunteering spirit, AVS organizes volunteer campaign and recognition ceremony to celebrate the Day.
• 9. Professional Volunteer Service Accreditation (PVSA) and Leadership Bauhinia Volunteer Award (LBVA): In conjunction with the Hong Kong Council of Volunteering and its member organizations, the PVSA is organized to encourage and recognize professionals’ participation in volunteering. Professionals and senior executives who have rendered distinguished volunteer service will be considered for LBVA.
• Hong Kong Volunteer Award: The biennial community-wide award first organized in 2005, endeavours to recognize outstanding volunteers, groups and business corporations for their contributions and achievements, to showcase volunteering models and to raise public awareness of volunteerism.
• The 10th Anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers: The United Nations designated 2011 the 10th Anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV+10) to promote greater global recognition of the contribution of volunteerism to society and to achieve peace and development. Initiated by AVS, a Steering Committee on IYV+10 composing of 21 organizations was formed in October 2010 to celebrate the global event with the slogan "Inspiring the Volunteer in You" and “行義我生活” in Hong Kong.

International Networking:

• United Nations Volunteers (UNV): AVS acts as the focal point of UNV in Hong Kong to promote the UNV programme.
• 13. International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE): AVS being a national representative, sends representatives to its international and regional conferences for an extended exposure, exchange and networking with volunteer leaders worldwide; AVS hosted the 10th IAVE Asia-Pacific Regional Conference in Hong Kong in 2005 on the theme “Volunteerism – A Driving Force for Community Building”.

Research Study on Volunteering:

• Hong Kong Volunteer Charter: To mark the IYV +10, AVS drew up the Hong Kong Volunteer Charter to set benchmark for good practice.
• 15. Research Studies: To study and capture the trend and community needs of volunteering, research studies are conducted as a foundation for strategic planning and policy development.