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The European Year of Volunteering 2011 – progress so far

The European Year of Volunteering 2011 – progress so far. John Macdonald Head of EYV 2011 Task Force European Commission DG COMM – C.2. “The European Year of Voluntary Activities Promoting Active Citizenship (2011)”. Council Decision of 27 November 2009. 2. Key facts. 3.

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The European Year of Volunteering 2011 – progress so far

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  1. The European Year of Volunteering 2011 – progress so far John Macdonald Head of EYV 2011 Task Force European Commission DG COMM – C.2

  2. “The European Year of Voluntary Activities Promoting Active Citizenship (2011)” Council Decision of 27 November 2009 2

  3. Key facts 3

  4. 94 million people 23% of Europeans > 15 years old 4

  5. Key challenges in the EU • Lack of data on volunteering • Lack of national volunteering strategies • Lack of a clear legal framework • Increasing professionalisation & skills mismatch • Lack of recognition of skills and competences • Problem with finding sustainable funding

  6. What did we set out to do?

  7. Before After Objective 1: Create an enabling environment for volunteering Lower obstacles to volunteering

  8. Objective 2: Empower volunteer organisations

  9. Objective 3: Recognise volunteering activities

  10. Objective 4: Raise awareness about value & importance of volunteering

  11. Commission’s Budget for the Year • € 3 millionfor Preparatory Actions in 2010 • € 8 millionfor the Year itself • + other sources…

  12. So, the stage was set!

  13. We needed to build up momentum for change… …but how?

  14. Our advantage: there are many, many interested parties! 14

  15. The Commission EYV 2011 The “EYV 2011Alliance” The National Coordination Bodies

  16. The National Coordination Bodies • The ‘voice’ of the Member State authorities • Were asked to develop a national action plan • Useful focus on volunteering • Responsible for EYV activities at national level • Led to lots of conferences and events across EU

  17. The EYV2011 Alliance • 39 EU-wide volunteering networks such as the European Red Cross, Caritas, European Youth Forum, etc. • The ‘voice’ of volunteering • Set up six working groups: they report on their work in December

  18. The Commission Committee of the Regions European Parliament EYV 2011 European Economic & Social Committee Council of Europe United Nations Non-EU Countries The “EYV 2011Alliance” The National Coordination Bodies Non-Alliance volunteering organizations etc…

  19. The importance of ‘Subsidiarity’ The decision-making power in most policies that affect volunteering lies with the relevant Member State authorities

  20. How do we keep the momentum going?

  21. EU-level thematic conferences • Four conferences • Bring together government, business and civil society • Aim: stimulate policy-making legacy for the European Year

  22. Multilingual website • www.europa.eu/volunteering • Includes non-EU activities • Human interest stories, official documents, news, downloadable resources • Lively: 6 new items per day • One-stop-shop for EYV agenda • Complements the EYV2011 Alliance’s website (www.eyv2011.eu)

  23. EYV ‘Tour’ and Relay • Showcase for volunteering in each country • Comes to the capital cities • Stays for about a week • Provides media moments • Volunteer ‘Relay Reporters’ cover the Tour • A/V and written reports uploaded to our website • ‘Best of’ compilation to be made into a TV documentary about the Year

  24. Flagship projects • EUR 2 million available • For innovative projects that bring together minimum of 4 partners from volunteering organisations and public sector • 35 projects chosen • Results will be known in 2012

  25. Major political milestones at the EU level • Commission Communication on EU Policies and Volunteering(20 September 2011) • Council Conclusionson ‘the role of voluntary activities in social policy’ (3 October 2011)

  26. International milestones • United Nations Volunteersacclamation of ‘Declaration on Volunteering for a sustainable future’(17 September 2011) • Council of EuropeCommittee of Ministers adopted their reply to the Recommendation of CoE Parliamentary Assembly on volunteering(15 September 2011)

  27. International milestones (cont’d) • ILO publishes the ‘Manual on the Measurement of Volunteering’ • Developed by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Civil Society Studies • Supported by UNV

  28. Thematically-linked European Years help keep the ball rolling! 2010: EY against Poverty and Social Exclusion 2011: EY of Volunteering 2012: EY of Active Ageing & Inter-generational solidarity 2013: EY of the Citizen (to be confirmed) Volunteers are important in all these areas!

  29. More information • Your country’s National Coordination Body • Our official website at www.europa.eu/volunteering • The EYV 2011 Alliance website atwww.eyv2011.eu

  30. Volunteer! Make a difference

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