About AVS

img

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.

img

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.

img

  • Human Dignity
  • Care and Share
  • Innovativeness
  • Community Oriented
  • Cost-effectiveness
  • Quality
  • Partnership
  • Professionalism
  • Sense of Fulfillment

Established in 1970, the Agency for Volunteer Service (AVS) is a non-profit organisation with charity status, 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, the public and private donations. AVS is dedicated to playing a proactive and pivotal role in developing partnerships with all sectors of the community to provide value-added and quality volunteer service for building a caring community.

 

AVS offers referral service for those who wish to volunteer and supports organisations requiring the service of volunteers. To facilitate the public to engage in volunteering, AVS has launched the "Volunteering Hong Kong (V-HK)" website, which serves as a one-stop volunteer service platform for the service matching.

 

To expand volunteer service opportunities, AVS partners with organisations from different sectors to launch impactful volunteering programmes to support international and mega events, notable examples are “Hong Kong Volunteer Programme of the 15th National Games”, “Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon Volunteer Service”, “Hong Kong - Zhuhai – Macao Bridge (HK Section) Half Marathon”, “Hong Kong Transplant and Dialysis Games”, “Hong Kong Cyclothon”, “Fire Dragon Dance in Tai Hang”, “Community Chest Charity Show”, “BOOKS FOR LOVE @ $10”, etc.

 

To capitalise on volunteer resources to build a special talent force to serve the community, “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Project Grant: Volunteer Talent Bank” provides tailor-made services to NGOs to address their needs, including Befriending and Mentorship Service, Community and Cultural Service, Health and Personal Care Service and Professional Service.

To foster volunteerism and enhance the quality and effectiveness of volunteer service, AVS established the Hong Kong Institute of Volunteers (HKIoV) to deliver diversified training and professional consultancy for volunteers, volunteer leaders and administrators. Training programmes and professional consultations are tailored according to the individual needs of different organisations. By establishing the “Volunteer Link” and “HKIoV YouTube Channel”, AVS provides a wealth of volunteer resources to promote the professional development of volunteering. They include educational videos, VR games, articles, guidelines, journals, reference materials, etc. Also, AVS launched the 4C Youth Volunteer Leadership Projectwith a view to fostering a healthy personality and civic awareness among secondary school students through volunteer training and service experience.AVS drew up the Hong Kong Volunteer Charter and the Practice Reference Guide for volunteers, volunteer leaders and volunteer-involving organisations to benchmark volunteer practices to promote quality volunteer services.

 

AVS fosters volunteerism through promotion and volunteer recognition to raise public awareness of the value and contributions of volunteering. Since 2022, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and AVS co-organised the “Hong Kong Volunteer Award” (HKV-Award) with outstanding series and volunteer hours series, to recognise the contributions and achievements of outstanding volunteers, young people and groups, corporations, organisations, estates and schools and to motivate more people to volunteer, unite the power of the community to build a caring and inclusive society. To celebrate the “International Volunteer Day” on 5th December, AVS organises volunteer recognition activities and public education to promote volunteerism.

In conjunction with representative organisations from different sectors, the Hong Kong Council of Volunteering was set up in 2004 as a cross-sectoral platform for exchange and collaboration to cultivate broader participation in volunteering and allow member organisations to work together to advance the development of volunteering.

 

AVS is a Vice-Chairman Unit of the “Guangdong - Hong Kong - Macao Greater Bay Area Volunteer Service Alliance” and a member of the International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE) and the Global Network of Volunteering Leadership (GNVL). AVS organises delegations to participate in overseas volunteer conferences every year, facilitates exchange and networking opportunities with volunteer leaders and organisations worldwide. AVS is also a cooperating organisation of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV), organising the “UNV - Hong Kong Universities Volunteer Internship Programme”, which allows undergraduates to serve in UN agencies or field units overseas for global peace and development.For more information, please visit AVS website: www.avs.org.hk .