The article shows the secondary analysis of all-Russian public opinion polls and scientific projects data as well as some results of author´s empirical researches. In the publication the main characteristics of volunteering concept according to Russian Federation citizens´ opinion are given, some difficulties in volunteering identification as a social phenomenon are described. The authors prove that there is no clear idea of volunteer community in mass consciousness of the Russian population, no idea of value, importance and consequences of their work, of the sphere of their activity along with problems in identification of volunteers themselves. The main reasons for the current situation are connected with the absence of historically developed social tradition, immaturity of volunteer activity social standards among Russians, and also with the lack of attention to volunteering problems in the Russian mass media.