An enabling volunteering infrastructure in Europe: Situation Trends Outlook

Transcription

1 General Assembly Conference: An enabling volunteering infrastructure in Europe: Situation Trends Outlook October 2009 Malmö, Sweden What do we mean when talking about an enabling volunteering infrastructure in Europe? What are its elements and roles? And how do we want it to look- like? The volunteering infrastructure is not an end in itself but it is there to serve a purpose: To create an enabling political, social and economic environment in Europe for the full potential of volunteering to be realized. The volunteering infrastructure is, thus, a building block in a democratic society, through which everybody can actively contribute to the development of communities and have an equal access to voluntary activities. Research and the work of CEV members all over Europe suggest that raising public awareness about volunteering; developing volunteering opportunities and brokering between (potential) volunteers and placements; developing good practice; working on policy response and the strategic development of volunteering in our societies are key roles to be fulfilled by the volunteering structure. Some elements seem to be crucial in this respect: - organisations and networks at local, regional and national level; - governmental policies; - cross-sectoral cooperation between stakeholders including in particular businesses; - funding; - laws and a regulatory framework as well as - research. But is this an exhaustive list? Do we miss out on other elements and roles? Can we reach a common understanding and develop an agenda towards an enabling volunteering infrastructure all over Europe? During this conference we will show a panorama of the volunteering infrastructure in different countries in Europe; exchange good practices on how to develop an effective volunteering infrastructure; and work towards a common understanding of what a volunteering infrastructure is and what its different elements are. The conference discussions will be followed-up by a printed publication on enabling volunteering infrastructure in Europe and the Malmö Agenda towards the European Year of Volunteering 2011 and beyond. 1

2 The main questions to be discussed during the conference concern the situation: - What do we mean by volunteering infrastructure? What is our understanding in different countries and can we observe common features? - What are the main elements of a volunteering infrastructure? - What is the role of a volunteering infrastructure? - What is the current state of play of the volunteering infrastructure in different countries? What would you call good practice in your country? And what is missing? the trends: - What are the trends of its development in different countries? - How we can meet change and challenges in volunteering? the outlook: - How should an enabling volunteering infrastructure in Europe look like? - What can be done before and during the European Year of Volunteering 2011 to make in better and more enabling? - What should be the legacy of the European Year 2011 in terms of volunteer infrastructures in different countries and in Europe? - Can we agree on common indicators for a successful volunteering infrastructure? Draft programme CEV internal meetings Wednesday, 14 October Board of Directors meeting General Assembly Statutory business including a teambuilding activity Common dinner The aim of this session is to: - Create a sense of a common identity as members of CEV and develop a story line of how to communicate CEV and your membership with CEV in a coherent manner, especially in view of the European Year of Volunteering Identify different areas of work of the present members and foster further collaboration after the conference 2

3 Registration International conference Thursday 15 October 2009 Day Opening of the conference Göran Petterson, Secretary General, Forum för frivilligt socialt arbete NN, CEV President Major of Malmö (tbc) Opening panel An enabling volunteering infrastructure in Europe Situation, Trends, Outlook Keynote speeches: Johan von Essen (tbc) University of Stockholm: The Volunteering Infrastructure in Sweden Cees van den Bos (tbc)erasmus University Rotterdam and Volunteer Centre Arnhem: A panorama of Volunteering Infrastructure in 8 countries (tbc) Nyamko Sabuni, Ministry for Integration and Gender Equality, Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU (tbc) Jan Figel, European Commissioner for Education and Culture (tbc) Cristina Rigman, Pro Vobis National Volunteer Centre, Romania Ksenija Fonovic, SPES Italy NN, Business sector NN Coffee Break Official inauguration of the country corners: The elements of a volunteering infrastructure in 28 countries presented by participants focusing on Organisations and networks at local, regional and national level Companies Governmental policies Cross-sectoral cooperation between stakeholders Funding of the volunteering infrastructure Laws and regulatory framework Available data and research Lunch A spotlight on good practice part 1: 4 parallel workshops focusing on roles performed by the volunteering infrastructure Marketing and public awareness Developing volunteering opportunities Brokerage Good practice development Policy response and campaigning Strategic development 3

4 And of different elements of the VI: Successful national policy agendas and legal frameworks Successful development of volunteering infrastructure organisations / networks Coffee Break Parallel debates: Closing plenary Do we need laws on volunteering? Should the volunteering infrastructure be funded through public money? Should we have common standards of volunteering infrastructure in Europe? Reception and dinner International conference 16 th October 2009 Day A spotlight on good practice part 2: 4 parallel workshops focusing on roles performed by the volunteering infrastructure Marketing and public awareness Developing volunteering opportunities Brokerage Good practice development Policy response and campaigning Strategic development And of different elements of the VI: Successful national policy agendas and legal frameworks Successful development of volunteering infrastructure organisations / networks Coffee Break Common trends and common ground? Towards a CEV Malmö Agenda for an Enabling Volunteering Infrastructure in Europe 4

5 In 4 parallel sessions country representatives discuss commonalities, differences and common standards for a VI in Europe (please note that the names of countries may still vary depending on the registered participants) : Group 1: Sweden, Romania, Netherlands, Croatia, Poland, Slovakia, Greece, o Chair: Eva Hambach, Vlaams Steunpunt Vrijwilligerswerk, Belgium Group 2: Germany, Spain, Cyprus, Italy, Bulgaria, Latvia, Ireland, o Chair: Elaine Bradley, Volunteering Ireland Group 3: France, Portugal, Hungary, Denmark, Malta, Estonia, Luxembourg, o Chair: Karl Monsen-Elvik, Volunteer Development Scotland Group 4: UK, Finland, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Lithuania, Austria, o Chair: Dr. Marijke Steenbergen; MOVISIE 13: Closing plenary Lunch Visits to local projects 16 th October 2009 Day 2 as of 15:00 : Visits to the Forum för Frivilligt Socialt Arbete and /or local projects 5