Governments can help to support the leadership, effective management, training, evaluation and continuous improvement of volunteer services. This infrastructure should support community-based voluntary action, as well as national and international volunteerism. As online volunteerism grows in importance, they can help to create the electronic infrastructure that makes this possible. Governments can help to document and measure the impact of volunteerism. UNV now has a toolkit that can help gauge the extent and impact of volunteerism in communities.
Governments can provide incentives for volunteerism, including tax incentives.
Working with the private sector, the media, and education, they can promote the recognition of volunteers, help to dispel misconceptions about volunteerism, and encourage civil servants to take part in volunteer efforts. They can provide an enabling environment. In many cases, the most important thing governments can do is to get out of the way, that is, to eliminate legislative, policy, and organizational barriers so that more people can come forward and actively participate in their communities. UNV is the volunteer arm of the UN system. It extends hands-on assistance for peace and development in nearly 150 countries.