ENGSO Adopts a Position Paper on Volunteering

On 9 July, the Executive Committee of ENGSO adopted a position paper on volunteering. In the statement, ENGSO underlines that the European Union should develop European cooperation to promote volunteering through recommendations, relevant EU programmes and enabling visa practices. ENGSO also supports the development and recognition of the skills and competences of volunteers. According to ENGSO, the EU should also aim at decreasing administrative burdens of volunteers and voluntary sports organisations, minimising the unintended harmful consequences that European legislation can have on volunteering, and ensuring the sustainable financing of non-profit voluntary sports organisations.

More information and the position paper available on ENGSO Website.

European Year of Volunteering 2011 Tour Book

Summary: The book containing highlights, stories and photos of the EYV2011 tour has been published! Read all about the events, activities, volunteers, organizations, celebrities and high-profile visitors that attended the Tour stops in all 27 EU Member states.

http://europa.eu/volunteering/en/content/eyv2011-tour-book-out

The virtual European Knowledge Center for Youth Policy (EKCYP), Youth Policy topics "Voluntary activities": Policy framework and related documents (seminars, research), Parnership between the Council of Europe and the European Commission in the field of Youth. Read more.

Description: The EKCYP is an on-line database intented to provide the youth sector with a single access point to reliable knowledge and information about young people's situation across Europe.

Sport and Citizenship's 2011 Special Edition in partnership with ISCA "Volunteering in Sport: trends, opportunities and challenges", October 2011. Read here.

Council conclusions on the role of voluntary activities in sport in promoting active citizenship, 3128th EDUCATION, YOUTH, CULTURE and SPORT Council meeting, Brussels, 28 and 29 November 2011.

Description:

The council conclusions on 'the role of voluntary activities in sport in promoting active citizenship' adopted on 29 November 2011 underlines the fact that voluntary activities in sport are among the most attractive forms of engagement in Europe and belongs to the social heritage of sport. Voluntary activities in sport contribute to active citizenship, to the growth and strengthening of social capital, to the mobility of citizens through building competences as well as developing the European identity and promoting EU values. The conclusions also stress that voluntary activities need to be clearly distinguished from paid employment and cannot replace the overall responsibility of the state. The council of the European Union encourages EU Member states, the European Commission and sport stakeholders to create favourable conditions and ensure the development of voluntary activities in sport

Resolution on Voluntary Work, European Parliament, 16 December 1983

Better Return on Investment. Make it better for civil society, better for Europe. Published by the EC Structured Dialogue Group, September 2010

The role of voluntary activities in social policy - Council Conclusions - 3114th Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg, 3 October 2011.

Communication on EU Policies and Volunteering: Recognising and promoting Crossborder Voluntary Activities in the EU, Brussels, 20.9.2011, COM(2011) 568 final.

For other languages, click here.

European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps Stakeholder Conference Report "The European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps - state of play and next steps", 17th June 2011, Budapest, Hungary. EUROPEAN COMMISSION Directorate - General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection – DG ECHO.