2025 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"

Braga Voluntária is an initiative of the city of Braga that aims to promote and develop local volunteering, as a response to the challenges of the community(ies) and thus build more democratic and peaceful communities, with the premise that volunteering is a powerful tool for social transformation.

Launched in May 2022, Braga Voluntária manages to create a network of collaborative action between local entities and volunteers, involving them in decision-making processes that make it possible to carry out joint projects and share resources for collective well-being.

It encourages the inclusion of different social groups, such as young people, the elderly, immigrants, pensioners and the unemployed, ensuring representativeness and allowing them to share time and skills with the community, creating a space where everyone feels valued and able to contribute.

With 65 partner organizations and more than 500 volunteers involved, Braga Voluntária stands out for its innovation and the positive impact it generates.

Its innovation consists of co-creating sustainable volunteering projects, also of an innovative nature, with its partners, in various areas such as health, education, culture, social action, the environment and animal welfare.

One example is a corporate volunteering project run by a pharmacy, which was recognized in 2024 with an award for its Social Responsibility and Sustainability practices. As part of skills-based volunteering, it provides primary health care to vulnerable populations, while at the same time reducing social isolation.

The Voluntaria-te program, implemented to encourage volunteering among young people aged 15 to 30, in conjunction with a library, creates the Summer Library project, providing a space in the swimming pools for young volunteers to sell books and newspapers. In conjunction with the Municipal Veterinary Medical Service, the Animal-Friendly School project is created, in which young volunteers raise awareness among children about abandonment and adoption. For 2025, there is a new volunteer program for the Portuguese Capital of Culture in Braga and the implementation of the (first) Municipal Volunteer Day.

These projects play an important role in educating and raising awareness in society about various issues, promoting changes in behavior and the development of new skills in volunteers, who, with a greater sense of belonging, become more aware and active in civic life.

• https://www.cm-braga.pt/pt/0101/participar/voluntariado/braga-voluntaria (External link)
• More information (External link)