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Progress of the European Year of Volunteering 2011: Achievements and Challenges

The European Year of Volunteering 2011 aimed to promote active citizenship and increase volunteering across Europe. With 94 million participating volunteers, the initiative faced challenges like data deficiency, lack of national strategies, and funding issues. Key objectives included creating an enabling environment, empowering organizations, recognizing contributions, and raising awareness. Numerous activities, including conferences and flagship projects, strengthened cooperation at EU level. The momentum established through this year continues to influence policies and foster a culture of volunteering in Europe.

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Progress of the European Year of Volunteering 2011: Achievements and Challenges

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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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