Digital Passport and Admission Benefits: Kazakhstan Wants to Change Volunteering

A digital volunteer passport may be introduced in Kazakhstan. Through it, the authorities plan to track participation in volunteer projects and systematize data on volunteers, Orda.kz reports.

This follows from Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumagarin’s response to a deputy’s request on support for the volunteer movement. The deputies had previously pointed out that volunteer experience is not counted toward length of service and does not provide insurance rights. Under the law, it is considered a form of social activity.

There are no provisions on compulsory insurance for volunteers in the current legislation. The possibility of insurance can exist only within the framework of a contract between the volunteer and the host organization, but this practice is usually voluntary and not always used. There are also no specific measures to take volunteering into account when calculating work experience or to provide volunteers with additional social guarantees. the deputies noted in the request. 

What Did the Government Answer

The government did not support the idea voiced by the deputies. The Deputy Prime Minister recalled that the same proposal had already been discussed in 2022, but the Ministry of Labor opposed it. He also referred to international practice: no country equates volunteering with work.

At the same time, the authorities said that volunteer experience can be taken into account when applying to universities and colleges, as well as when entering the civil service. Schools and universities also want to introduce separate courses and electives on volunteering. Insurance for those who take part in emergency response and the search for missing people is also being discussed separately.

But the most curious potential innovation is the volunteer’s digital passport:

The introduction of a digital volunteer passport plays an important role. This innovation will make it possible to verify volunteers and systematize their activities

The government believes that the new system will simplify record-keeping and increase interest. Similar solutions already work in other countries, from the Dobro.ru platform in Russia to the Volunteer Passport in the UK.

All these proposals, Serik Zhumagarin noted, will be included in the new concept for the development of volunteering through 2030. The authorities are now finalizing the draft based on the opinions of experts, volunteers, and sociological research data. After that, all approved approaches will be formally закреплены in laws and regulations.

Original author: Saule Abdykamit

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