What organizations or activities are eligible to recruit volunteers and work for them?

Strictly speaking, only non-profit organizations such as charitable organizations and charitable foundations have the right to recruit volunteers.

According to the Regulations on Voluntary Service (Order No.685 of the State Council of the People's Republic of China), voluntary service organizations refer to non-profit organizations established according to law for the purpose of voluntary service. Voluntary service organizations can take the form of social organizations, social service institutions, foundations and other organizations according to law.

Obviously, profitable business units are not within this scope.

However, due to the imperfect legal system in our country, many enterprises and institutions have been playing the sideline to recruit volunteers. For example, the youth brigade "working for accommodation" and the volunteers for cultural performances you mentioned are essentially defrauding young people of their time as free labor.

The attitude of many regulatory authorities is to turn a blind eye to this matter. As long as nothing serious happens and there is no scandal, they will not take the initiative to take care of it. Therefore, it has become a common phenomenon in society.