Transcript 3-4 November 2011

European
Commission
The European Year of
Volunteering 2011
—Update—
Directorate-General Communication
European
Commission
The full title of the Year is …
“The European Year of Voluntary
Activities Promoting Active
Citizenship (2011)”
Council Decision of 27 November 2009
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European
Commission
Why is volunteering important?
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Intercultural
Dialogue
Interreligious
Dialogue
Integration
of migrants
Active
citizenship
Solidarity
Active
ageing
Improves
employability
Learning
opportunities
Environmental
protection
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European
Commission
Builds up
European
identity
Social
inclusion
Promotes
human
rights
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European
Commission
Volunteering is important!
Imagine a world without
volunteers…
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How does the Commission
define ‘Volunteering’?
• Our 'definition' is purposefully broad-brushed
– Because of different traditions and cultural
attitudes to volunteering in the EU
• ‘Volunteering’ refers to all types of voluntary
activity, whether formal, non-formal or
informal, and which are undertaken of a
person’s own free will, choice and
motivation, without concern for financial gain
Directorate-General Communication
European
Commission
European
Commission
Key facts
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European Commission
94 million people
23% of EU citizens
> 15 years old
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What is the volunteering
landscape in Europe like today?
• 94 million people, or 23% of Europeans aged 15 and
older engage in some form of voluntary activity
• The typical volunteer is :
–
–
–
–
30 to 50 years old,
in employment, and
well-educated (higher education and beyond),
male (males outnumber female volunteers in 11 Member
States, and are roughly equal in number in a further 9
countries).
• Sport attracts the most volunteers, followed by
volunteering in the social sector, aid to the
disadvantaged, and the health sector.
Directorate-General Communication
European
Commission
Big differences between the
EU’s Member States
European
Commission
– culture, laws & measurement of volunteering
varies across countries
> 40%
< 10%
• UK
• BG
• SWE
• GR
• NL
• IT
• AUT
• LT
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The European Volunteer
Measurement Project
• Aim: Adoption by Member States of the
ILO’s
Manual on the Measurement of Volunteer
Work
• Target: Adoption by 10 – 15 EU Member
States by end 2011
• Participants in the project:
– SPES – Italian Volunteer Support Centre for the
Lazio Region
– Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies
– European Volunteering Centre (‘CEV’)
Directorate-General Communication
European
Commission
Reminder: What does the Year
hope to achieve?
The Year has four objectives:
1. To foster an enabling environment for
volunteering in the EU
2. To empower volunteer organisations and
improve the quality of volunteering
3. To reward and recognise volunteering
activities
4. To raise awareness of the value and
importance of volunteering
Directorate-General Communication
European
Commission
What is the budget for the Year?
• € 3 million
for Preparatory Actions in 2010
• € 8 million
for the Year itself
+ other sources (Commission
funding programmes, etc…)
Directorate-General Communication
European
Commission
The European Commission’s
strategic partners for EYV 2011
• ‘The EYV 2011 Alliance’ of 37 ving networks
— the voice of the ving sector in EU
– The European Commission supports the EYV
2011 Alliance financially (€400,000 action grant)
– Consults & collaborates closely with them
• The ‘National Coordination Bodies’ (NCBs)
– Responsible for preparing and implementing
activities for the Year in their country
– Addresses of the NCBs are here:
http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/annexescitizenship/doc1069_en.htm
Directorate-General Communication
European
Commission
Strategic partners..
• Inter-service Cooperation inside the
Commission (DG EAC, ECHO, Eurostat,
EMPL, ENTR, etc)
• Inter-institutional & International Cooperation
(European Parliament, European Economic
and Social Committee, Committee of the
Regions, United Nations, Council of Europe,
etc)
Directorate-General Communication
European
Commission
What are the main elements of the European
Commission’s communication campaign?
• Common slogan ("Volunteer! Make a Difference")
and logo
• Four EU-level thematic conferences
• Communication toolbox - free to use (videos,
leaflets, promotional items, posters)
• Official website: www.europa.eu/volunteering
• The EYV ‘Tour’ & journalists’ relay
Directorate-General Communication
European
Commission
Four EU-level thematic conferences
1. 8 January 2011: Official launch event for the Year, in
Budapest. ½ day conference on 'recognition of
volunteering' (= third objective of the year). 200
participants.
2. 23-24 May 2011: A celebration of the volunteer. 2 days.
350 invitees, in Brussels.
3. 3-4 November 2011: Topic: 'empowering volunteering
organisations'. 1½ days, 250 participants, in Athens.
4. Early December 2011: Closing conference of the Year,
in Warsaw. 1½ days, 250 participants. Largely a policyoriented conference. Date tbc
Directorate-General Communication
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Commission
The EYV 2011 Tour so far
1. Brussels: 3 – 12 December 2010
Successful launch event, involving all 3
language communities
Commission Rep involved
Location not particularly visible (near central
train station), but looked good ‘on paper’
Freezing weather did not help
Not many visitors – mainly commuters on their
way to catch a train
Directorate-General Communication
European
Commission
The EYV 2011 Tour so far
2. Budapest: 8 – 14 January 2011
President of Hungary involved
Huge media attention
Prominent indoor location
(Millenaris Theatre)
5,200 visitors, 71 organizations
Commission Rep involved
Directorate-General Communication
European
Commission
The EYV 2011 Tour so far
3. Vienna: 25 – 27 January
Presence of Minister of Social Affairs,
Mr. Rudolf Hundstorfer
Good media attention
Prominent location
(Vienna’s City Hall)
Commission Rep involved
Directorate-General Communication
European
Commission
The EYV 2011 Tour so far
4. Lisbon: 3 – 9 February
Presence of two Ministers and four First
Ladies!
ca. 3,000 visitors
Huge media attention
Prominent location (Fórum Picoas)
Commission Rep involved
Directorate-General Communication
European
Commission
More Information
European
Commission
• The ‘official’ website:
– www.europa.eu/volunteering
• EYV Task Force team members:
– [email protected]
– [email protected]
– [email protected]
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Volunteer! Make a difference