Watch the video of the CEV News November 2017 highlights here.
CEV Activities:
The CEV Capacity Building Conference: Volunteering in Culture will take place on the 19-20 April in Rijeka Croatia. The main objective of this conference is to identify what are the specificities of volunteering in culture where the beneficiaries of the activities are not as visible as in other kinds of volunteering eg in social service provision or youth work. It will also consider how these cultural projects promote intercultural dialogue, human rights and social values. Participants will learn how the well-being of volunteers in culture can be protected and how the question of their skills development can be best approached. You can now register here.
The 2nd Portuguese Volunteering Congress organised by CEV Member CPV took place on the 21 October in Lisbon. CEV Director Gabriella Civico spoke at the conference, engaging 100 participants, on the topic of Voluntourism, highlighting the CEV Policy on this topic and the specific dangers and concerns about volontourism in orphanages. Participants from diverse perspectives and backgrounds debated subjects such as the challenges of volunteering legislation, volunteering and youth, academic research, motivation for volunteering and Validation of formal and non-formal learning acquired through volunteering. In this context the EU funded project, Lever UP which CEV is a partner, together with several CEV member organisations was introduced.
On the 29 and 30 October CEV Director Gabriella Civico spoke at the Volonteurope’s 26th Annual Conference: ‘Pathways to rights: empowering young Europeans’. She talked about the challenges and benefits of volunteering in view of the new Volonteurope report which explores the current state of youth rights in Europe and how this can be improved with the help of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). She highlighted that EU policies should focus more on capacity building and attempt to build a continuous process of multipliers on the ground. Furthermore, it was stated that “Volunteering is an important form of non-formal learning. It is an expression of active citizenship that helps the participant develop skills and competencies for personal, social and civic development through means that are not provided by formal education institutions.” This is an aspect that is actively explored in the new Erasmus + Project Lever Up. To know more click here.
CEV is involved in a new Erasmus + Project “Lever Up (Valuing informal learning and transversal competences experienced in the voluntary service to increase employability, social responsibility and mobility)” which develops the legacy from the previous project ‘LEVER’ (2014-2016). LEVER UP pursues two main objectives: enhancing the mutual trust area between VET, Volunteering and labor market and implementing a dedicated service, able to foster the whole system at international and national level and to run at full speed. The project involves five European countries and nine partners and it will be developed from September 2017 until the end of November 2019. To know more click here.
The Italian online journal "Ue' - La voce dell'Europa" has published an article written by Federico d'Alesio explaining the European Solidarity Corps through the daily life of our Project and Policy officer ESC Trainee Giulia Bordin, followed by a short comment on the ESC proposal by the MEP Brando Benifei.
To read the full article click here.
CEV European Solidarity Corps Member Helena Gandra spoke at the conference: “Quality Traineeships in the EU – Youth Guarantee, European Solidarity corps and beyond” organised by the European Commission in collaboration with the European Youth Forum on the 10 November. Helena Gandra highlighted the need to develop an European identity through solidarity, being this the added value of the programme. She stated: "Young people are already motivated to change the world, they just need quality programmes that enabled them to do so." To know more click here.
CEV was in Tallinn on the 5 November for the SCULT Estonia festival within the Erasmus+ InSCULT project framework for a day about sports and volunteering and to celebrate the SCULT awards where the best sport volunteers are recognised for their efforts. To view the photos of the SCULT Fest 2017 click here , the video here and to check the Award Gala Gallery click here.
As part of the CEV EVEN network, in 2017 CEV planned, organised and delivered 180 volunteering experiences that offered Moody's staff a memorable "3-4 hours away" from their desk thanks to the TeamUp and Extrameasure actions with an undoubted sense of achievement and satisfaction with the impact made. CEV collaborated with 8 Moody's offices across Europe, Paris and Saint Cloud, Milan, Frankfurt, Grenoble, Limassol, Madrid and Moscow, planning and implementing 16 volunteering actions. All the relevant stakeholders were deeply involved and the volunteer actions were beneficial for CSOs, beneficiaries and Moody’s volunteers. The CEV EVEN network contributed in improving Moody's ability to develop and extend its employee-volunteering program. Moody’s provided an invaluable contribution in supporting CEV in the implementation of the programme and in ensuring the success of company’ volunteering strategy.
The second Civil Society Europe Communication Officers Meeting took place on the 25 October in the CSE premises. It was highlighted the necessity to build up a common and harmonised communication system on common topics of civil society organisation in order to achieve greater coordination and favourable outcomes. The next monthly meeting will take place in December.
EV Capital News
EV Capital 2017 Sligo will have its closing e event on the 1 December 2017, after a great year of celebrating volunteering achievements. It will be then for EV Capital 2018 Aarhus to accept the hand over of the title. On the same day, the VI National volunteer awards and the announcement of the EV Capital 2019 winner will also take place. We all look forward to know who will win: Augsburg (Germany), Cascais (Portugal) or Kosice (Slovakia). Good luck!
EV Capital 2018 Aarhus has two new volunteers, placed through the EVS project which has started in September and will finish in June 2018. Francesca Pisano, the 27- year-old Italian volunteer explained that the reason for her to volunteer in the EV Capital 2018 Aarhus Secretariat was “to have the chance to get in touch with the most vulnerable parts of the population, often involved in volunteering activities as well as beneficiaries of the volunteering projects in Denmark.” She also added that for her to be a volunteer “is a 360 degrees experience which generates benefits on both sides. While volunteering you give something to the others, either with small or big gestures. And this is very important for me: no matter if you spend many hours a week or just few, if your commitment is huge or small, there is no “right way” to volunteer. Every small drop makes an ocean.” Uliana Bashniak, the 28 year-old volunteer from Ukraine. Uliana explained that in her case she has always “wanted to be involved in something good, big and meaningful and dreamt of traveling around Scandinavia” and that for her “volunteering builds character.” She also mentioned that to be a volunteer “you get a unique chance to meet a lot of people from different backgrounds, learn more about the world, make a difference and get a new perspective about yourself.”
EU News
The opinion paper of the European Economic and Social Committee on the "Impact of the social dimension and the European Pillar of Social Rights on the Future of the European Union" is now available. The report mentions the increasing challenges in terms of the future of work and how can this impact volunteering, rises in inequalities and poverty, globalisation and migration and the social and economic progress are some of the subjects of debate on the social dimension of Europe and the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR). To read the full report click here.
In the meeting on the 9 November the European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee discussed the draft report from CULT committee about the European Solidarity Corps and their own draft opinion. The agenda can be found here.
The Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies from the EP has published a research project for the CULT Committee on the topic of the “European Solidarity Corps and Volunteering” highlighting the added value of the European Solidarity Corps, the challenges in linking programmes and the complementarity of the programme to paid employment. To read the report click here.
The European Economic and Social Committee is of the opinion that cooperation and links between formal, non-formal and informal learning and the validation of their outcomes must also be addressed. To read the full opinion paper click here.
“The European Solidarity Corps should focus on volunteering alone” that is the advice given by the European Economic and Social Committee. The Commission’s new programme on youth volunteering could foster European solidarity, but needs fresh funds, says the EESC. To read the full news click here. The EESC has also launched an opinion paper on the European Solidarity Corps. To read it click here.
The European Commission and the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) organised an "Info Day" in Brussels on the 10 November, at the EACEA, to inform potential applicants in education and training about the call for proposals "Civil Society Cooperation". To know more click here.
The EESC has published a new opinion paper on the “New EU education strategy.” The EESC believes that education policies should refer to the value of cultural diversity and tolerance, and that the responsibility of all parties in educating people should be stressed. It is also of the opinion that cooperation and links between formal, non-formal and informal learning and the validation of their outcomes must also be addressed. To read it click here.
The “Evidence for Society: Transforming The Future Of European People Through Research” funded through the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and demonstration took place on the 8 November at the European Parliament. The conference explored the role of research and academia in the social sphere. To view the recorded conference click here.
The World Forum for Democracy took place on the 8, 9 and 10 of November in the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. The objective of the World Forum for Democracy 2017 was to review initiatives and approaches which enhance democratic practices and help political parties and media, but also other actors, to reconnect to citizens, make informed choices and function optimally in 21st century democracy. To read more about it click here.
Following the State of Union 2017 speech on the Future of Europe, the EESC has been engaging in the current debates that are contributing in shaping the future of the EU. After a request of the European Commission (EC), the EESC participated in this debate, basing its contribution on a number of consultations on the national level. In this respect, the EESC held in May and June 2017, national debates in 27 Member States with the aim to hear the views of the civil society organisations on the five scenarios proposed in the White Paper of the EC on the Future of Europe. The compilation of the national reports was officially handed over by the President of the EESC, Mr Georges Dassis, to the President of the EC, Mr Jean-Claude Juncker, on 21 September 2017 during the EESC Plenary session. The compilation of the national reports is now available here.
There has been a strong focus in recent years on the promotion of citizenship education, as a result of the increasing threats to fundamental values such as peace, equality and human rights Europe is faced with, and several countries are making changes to their policies in this area. But what is citizenship education? How is it taught? How are students evaluated? Can citizenship skills be developed outside the classroom? What training and support do teachers receive? To learn more about this topic and the answer to this questions, we invite you to read the Eurydice's new Citizenship Education at School in Europe – 2017 report here.
Other News
“There is still an ambiguity in the sector between professional or volunteering activity.” wrote David Lopez, President of the LLLP, in his article about “Voluntary Services in France, Challenges and Tendencies” published by CEV Member BBE. To read the full article click here.
The SDG Watch Europe, of which the CEV is a member, has published its first newsletter. The SDG Watch Europe is a new, EU-level, cross-sectoral CSO alliance of NGOs from development, environment, social, human rights and other sectors. Its goal is to hold governments to account for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs). To read the newsletter click here.
Business2Community has published an article about “One of the Top Reasons Your Employees Aren’t Volunteering Will Surprise You”. This article is based on a report by America’s Charities, where 1,586 diverse employees were surveyed. They have found that the main five reasons for detraction from volunteer experience were pressure from employer or colleagues, no availability to volunteer during work hours, project isn’t clearly defined, limited information about the nonprofit and no technology platform available for registering, participate and track volunteer hours. To read the article click here. You can now also download the CEV EVEN Workbooks to help you organise employee volunteering activities: Private volunteering initiatives, Volunteering Activities during Working Time and Volunteering Team Building Events. To read and download them click here.
On the occasion of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty the UN Volunteers has published an article on the 17 October about “Volunteer solutions for poverty reduction and economic empowerment of women and youth”. The article states that “Volunteers are well-placed to support poverty reduction strategies and create pathways to economic empowerment of women and youth.” To read the article click here.
On the 22 November the Innovative Tools for Recognition of Competences Acquired in Non-Formal Education Spaces event will take place at the European Parliament as part of the LifeLong Learning Week 2017 (20-24 November), a week of events organised by the LLLPlatform in partnership with the European Youth Forum. To register for this and other events click here.
Representatives of pro bono intermediaries and corporations met from 23 countries on 18-20 October for the second European Pro Bono Summit. The event was organized by Volunteering Hungary (ÖKA) in partnership with Global Pro Bono Network, GE, KPMG and with the support of several local companies and international organizations. The event featured as keynote speaker Tibor Navracsics, EU Commissioner and Joel Bashevkin Director at Tides Foundation. The 140 participants could listen to panel on the Future of Pro Bono and participate in ten different workshops. In the frame of the EPBS the first Pro Bono FuckUpNight was organized to present stories about failures. To read more about it click here.
On the 12-14 December, the Global Conference on Volunteering in Conflicts and Emergencies (ViCE), organised by the by Swedish Red Cross in partnership with Northumbria University will take place in Sweden. Volunteers play critical roles in conflicts and emergencies, and yet we know very little about their experiences and needs, the challenges they face, and what can be done to support them. This conference starts a new global conversation on volunteers in conflicts and emergencies, and invites academics, practitioners, researchers, policy makers and volunteers to be part of it. Taking place over 3 days, the conference will provide opportunities to explore new data on volunteers in conflicts and emergencies, to identify key issues for future research and to identify opportunities to collaborate and work together to improve understanding and practice. To register click here.
