The activities of civil society organisations in the European Year of Volunteering (EYV 2011) & the role of the EYV2011 Alliance

EYV 2011 Alliance Background International Volunteers’ Day 2007 European Policy Agenda for Volunteering Representing thousands of organisations and millions of volunteers. Calling for European Year of Volunteering EYV 2011 Alliance Secretariat.

EYV 2011 Alliance Alliance Steering Group Wider Alliance

EYV 2011 Alliance Objectives Co-ordinating Civil Society - Partnerships Developing a Policy Agenda for volunteering in Europe – Working Groups Mobilising and Capacity Building - Events Dissemination of information – EYV 2011 Communication campaign.

EYV 2011 Alliance WGs 6 workings groups 2 co-chairs per WG from Alliance SG Between 8 and 14 other places on each WG from Alliance SG and wider Alliance. Involving in total around 100 experts

WG 1 – Quality Volunteering Work towards a common understanding of “quality volunteering” Clarify the roles and responsibilities of the organizers of volunteering in ensuring quality volunteering experiences. Identify and disseminate good practice in the field of quality assurance and quality assessment tools used by volunteer organisations.

WG 1 – Quality Volunteering Recognise that quality volunteering is person centred (i.e. accepts and works with individuals in all their diversity rather than being simply a process driven approach to engaging people) and develop policies and programmes that support and encourage this. Apply policies and practices that ensure that volunteering remains a voluntary act as quality volunteering depends on the giving of time being a voluntary action. Provide a safe and supportive environment for volunteers to undertake their work both now and in the future.

WG 2 – Legal Framework Map research on the legal status of volunteers in Europe Collect concerns in terms of legal barriers and bottlenecks caused by legal provisions at any level that result in limiting volunteering in Europe. Advocate for recommendations for improvement of the legal status of volunteers and a clear legal status for volunteers everywhere in Europe

WG 2 – Legal Framework Freedom to Volunteer - No one should be forced to do voluntary work Equal treatment of all volunteers across EU - stronger role for the EU when it comes to determining the legal framework of volunteering Social protection of volunteers - Volunteering should never lead to the loss of social benefits such as unemployed benefits and social security benefits. Taxation - volunteer’s expenses, VAT, tax of donations, make private donations tax deductable Visa issues - developing a special visa category for volunteers Criminal record checks – Need, timing and cost Time off Emergency Situations - legal provisions to facilitate Public tender – recognize volunteers as an asset Monitoring the legal framework & Charter on Volunteer Rights.

WG 3 – Volunteering Infrastructure Extract good practice indicators of an enabling volunteering infrastructure at different levels feeding into a European framework recommendation allowing space for national diversity of volunteering to be respected. Identify key legal features for volunteer organisations to provide an enabling infrastructure.

WG 3 – Volunteering Infrastructure Volunteering as a cross cutting policy area Encouraging the member states to develop and implement national policies on volunteering Adopt the European statutes of associations, Simplify the financial and reporting procedures Create and invest in a “European Knowledge Institute on Volunteering Improve management of information on European programs, projects, and funding opportunities

WG 4 – Recognising Volunteering Map the existing tools for recognition of volunteers - extract good practice examples. Map tools of how to recognize the contribution of volunteer organisations Formulate recommendations for better recognition of volunteering in different areas and by different tools.

WG 4 – Recognising Volunteering Showcase the contribution and good practice that volunteering projects make to European programmes supported at European level National governments to raise awareness of volunteering in the education systems Uniform European Credit Transfer System for voluntary activities Recognizing the contribution of volunteering to individual self-development and active citizenship Recognition tools for LLL to incorporate possibility for reflection on learning gained through Volunteering experiences.

WG 5 – Value of Volunteering Identification of tools and ways to identify, measure and express the value of volunteering. Valuing the contribution of volunteering in positively shaping the European society and as an expression of solidarity.

WG 5 – Value of Volunteering Development of an EU Volunteering measurement initiative. Possibility to widely use Volunteer time as a contribution of co-funding to EU projects.

WG 6 – Employee Volunteering Increase understanding and recognition of the concept of Employee Volunteering as a key element of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Contribute to making Employee Volunteering accessible for all, in all sectors (private, public and non-profit).

WG 6 – Employee Volunteering Provide their employees time to volunteer during working hours Promote the importance of employee volunteering as an integral partof CSR. Support Trade Unions to join the dialogue Form Government-NGO-Private Sector tri partnerships Conduct and fund research on employee volunteering Have a national level catalogue Support and promote EV through an EU EV action day, the European Employee Volunteering Awards, qualification schemes, networks of brokers, conferences, workshops, seminars, toolkits etc

The process 7 th – 8 th January - Budapest March –Brussels May –Brussels 30 th September - 1 st October - Brussels December – Final Conference (Poland)

Getting Involved Volunteer commitments Marketplace Question of the Month Resources & Funding Yearbook & Press Kit Calendar & Extraordinary Stories EYV Flow EYV 2011 News Announcements City Focus Member Focus

Working with partners European Commission Task Force NCBs IYV + 10 Other stakeholders