Austria Celebrates the European Year of Volunteering EYV 2011

A delegation of 15 Scouts and Guides of Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen Österreichs (PPÖ, the National Scout Organisation in Austria) was present when more than 600 representatives of Austrian NGOs came together at Salzburg Palace. They gathered to celebrate the official start of the European Year of Volunteering and met with H.E. Heinz Fischer, Federal President of the Republic of Austria, and members of the federal and provincial governments.

In his address, the President emphasized the vital role of volunteer commitment for local communities and the Austrian society in general. More than 3 million Austrians (more than a third of the population) invested much of their spare time to the benefit of the country and its inhabitants.

Other speakers, including H.E. Gabi Burgstaller, Governor of the province of Salzburg, and Thomas Geierspichler, Paralympic Gold Medallist and EYV 2011 Ambassador, underlined the important contributions of volunteers in all areas of society and welcomed the opportunity of the EYV 2011 to showcase the different aspects of the valuable and 'timeless' work of volunteers to a wider audience, both in Austria and throughout Europe and the world.

Briefly commenting the event, Lisa Höllbacher, member of PPÖ's Youth Council, said that Guides and Scouts in Austria played their part in promoting the valuable volunteer work both within the organisation and outside. She hoped that the European Year of Volunteering 2011 and related activities would encourage even more citizens in Austria and other countries to engage as volunteers on local, national and international levels. She also recalled that social skill building and empowerment of children and young people were integral part of the educational programme of the Scout and Guide movements and contributed to the development of local society and the living environment.

Junction49.co.uk is an online platform that inspires and supports young people across the UK aged 13-25 to set up and deliver their own social action projects around the issues that matter to them.  Through our dedicated helpdesk, young people receive tailored support and advice around how to plan their project, help with finding and applying for funding as well as putting them in touch with other young people who may be able to help.

EC Call for proposals to support youth projects of regional or local authorities, NGOs and corporate social responsibility initiatives of private bodies. This call supports activities like youth exchanges, youth volunteering abroad and youth work cooperation. Deadline: 3 November 2011. Eligible projects must start between 1 March 2012 and 1 September 2012 and run for a maximum of 24 months. Read more.

Position paper on active ageing through older volunteering, AGE Platform Europe. September 2011.

Description: The objective of this paper is to encourage stakeholders to build on the momentum created by the European Year of Volunteering to foster active ageing in the community during 2012 and promote better recognition of the value that older volunteers bring for our societies.

Best practice sharing for volunteer managers in the UK: http://www.expertsinvolunteering.org.uk/web/resources

Resources page of Greater London Volunteering include resources about:

1. Equality and Diversity

2. Expenses

3. Induction(Volunteers are introduced to the work and ethos of the organisation)

4. Organisational Involvement

5. Personal Development

6. Recruitment Process

7. Resolving Difficulties

8. Reward and Recognition

9. Safe Volunteering Environment

General support for volunteer managers (UK)

10. Support

Engaging practice. Engaging young citizens from disadvantaged communities, a good practice guide. CSV, 2011

Summary:

nvolving young people in service design and provision has changed from being something that government organisations strived to do, in order to meet set targets, to now being the law. That's why it's more important now than ever before to make sure that young people are engaged with every aspect of their lives, in shaping their communities through joint decision making or volunteering; making a vital contribution to their neighbourhoods. Already, it's those aged between 16 and 24 who have the highest take up rate of volunteering opportunities (with 50% of 16-19 year olds reported to volunteer at least once a month).

That's something that doesn't often get the recognition it deserves among the rush to involve and engage young people; it's something we should celebrate and build on, but that can only be done if young people are engaged effectively. This is what Engaging Practice strives to facilitate.

The International Social Innovation Competition for Naples is open.

 

Working in partnership with local organisations and Unicredit Foundation we have identified 6 challenges in Naples such a villa confiscated to Camorra - the criminal group - to be turned into a profitable business for the community, and called social innovators to submit their solutions.

All innovators are eligible including public and private, profit and not for profit institutions, organisations and enterprises from across the world. This is an opportunity for everybody if interested in taking a challenge for the good of society testing his/her skills and creativity on a difficult ground as Naples.

An international jury will evaluate the applications and proclaim 6 winners at the international conference taking place in Naples on 21 - 23 September.

The winners will receive 10'000 € each one to transform the idea into a project working in partnership with local partners. The organisers will fundraise for the entire budget to implement every project they deem effective and sustainable.

To apply please here

Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for any enquiries.

Are you running a project in which people are helping others via the Internet? The 'Discover e-volunteering' Competition is just for you! Hurry up – there are 6 days left to join the Competition, win prizes and show Europeans how much good they can do in the Web!

 

E-volunteering is volunteering conducted via the Internet. Free Web counseling, forming assistance and self-help groups, promoting partnership, searching for information, or on-line language courses are among many examples of e-volunteering. Through this Competition we hope to show their diversity and to encourage all Europeans to undertake social activity in the Internet!

All organisations from the European Union cooperating with volunteers through the Internet may take part in the Competition. The application form is available on the website: http://www.e-volunteering.eu/competition/ . The deadline for submitting the applications is July 31, 2011.

The Competition will consist of the following stages:

• May, 25 – July, 31, 2011 - Call for appliactions
• August, 22 – September, 5, 2011 – The Competition Selection Committee selects 9-12 best projects
• September, 12 – October, 12, 2011 – On-line voting
• November 2011 – Final Gala in Warsaw

Attractive financial awards for the Competition winners are funded by the Polish Fundacja Orange (1st prize) , Fondation Orange from France (2nd Prize) and Intel Technology Poland Ltd (3rd prize). The total sum of prizes in the Competition is 6 000 euro.

'Discover e-volunteering' is the only competition, both in Poland and in Europe, which aims at honouring and promoting the most interesting projects concerning the co-operation of non-governmental organizations with the e-voluntaries seeking to help others via the Internet.
It has been also chosen by the European Commission as one of the flagship projects of the European Year of Volunteering 2011.

Detailed information on the Competition, the Regulations, and promotional materials are available on the website: http://www.e-volunteering.eu/competition/

For more information please contact:

Patrycja Rokicka

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Marzena Kacprowicz

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The European edition of 'Discover e-volunteering' is organized by the Good Network Foundation and Fundacja Orange, in cooperation with Competition Partners. The European edition of 'Discover e-volunteering' competition is pursued under the project 'Values ​​and activities of volunteering and e-volunteering' co-financed by the European Union. The European Union is not responsible for any content generated by the project.

Does your organization co-operate with volunteers seeking to help others via the Internet? Don't wait till the summertime and join 'Discover E-volunteering' Competition now! Attractive prizes are awaiting for the authors of the best e-volunteering projects.

All organisations from the European Union cooperating with volunteers through the Internet may take part in the Competition. The application form is available on the website: http://www.e-volunteering.eu/competition/ . The deadline for submitting the applications is July 31, 2011.

 

The Competition will consist of the following stages:

• May, 25 – July, 31,  2011 - Call for appliactions
• August, 22 – September, 5, 2011 – The Competition Selection Committee selects 9-12 best projects.
• September, 12 – October, 12, 2011 – On-line voting.
• November 2011 – Final Gala in Warsaw.

Detailed information on the Competition, the Regulations, and promotional materials are available on the website: http://www.e-volunteering.eu/competition/

For more information please contact:

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The European edition of 'Discover e-volunteering' is organized by the Good Network Foundation and Fundacja Orange, in cooperation with Competition Partners. The European edition of 'Discover e-volunteering' competition is pursued under the project 'Values and activities of volunteering and e-volunteering' co-financed by the European Union. The European Union is not responsible for any content generated by the project.

A Picture of Volunteering in Diaconia. A publication by Eurodiaconia, May 2011.

Description: This publication is one of Eurodiaconia's activities carried out on the occasion of the European Year of Volunteering 2011 as a means to celebrate volunteering in diaconia and to promote the sharing of best practice in volunteering among Eurodiaconia's members. This publication is aimed at volunteer managers in diaconal organisations and churches and volunteering policy makers in diaconia. It is also targeted at anyone who would like to learn more about diaconia and in particular what volunteers do in diaconal organisations. The publication is also available on Eurodiaconia's website: http://www.eurodiaconia.org/publications-and-resources