Europe for Citizens - Programme Guide - version valid as of March 2011 - Directorate-General for Communication, Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency, European Commission (EC) of the European Union.

"Volunteering" or "voluntary work" in the section on "Active European Citizenship: civic participation and democracy in Europe" p6-7, IV.1 Action 1 – Measure 1.1 Town Twinning Citizens‟ Meetings p33, V.5.3 Calculation of the grant p56

Volunteering: a tool for inclusion? Magazine of the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN). Special issue on the 2011 European Year of Volunteering, March 2011. NO. 134 | 2011/I

Contents:

* 2011 European Year on Volunteering – A space for anti-poverty organizations to engage

* Volunteering and the Fight against Poverty and Social Exclusion – towards an EAPN Position

* Portugal: Being a volunteer versus promoting volunteering

* The UK Government: Big Society and Volunteering

* Volunteering in Bulgaria – the Need for a Modern Vision

* Poland, willing to move on towards a strategic approach on volunteering

* The recognition of volunteering time as in-kind contribution in Structural Funds

* The 100 million Europeans volunteering deserve recognition

* Eurodiaconia: the multifaceted value of volunteering

UK University courses for volunteers / Voluntary Sector. AUTHOR: University of Liverpool, UK partner in VALUE project. December 2010

Case study (pdf) and spreadsheet (excel) providing detailed data on UK University courses for volunteers/Voluntary Sector - updated July 2010)

A Dutch Case Study on Trade Union Volunteers. AUTHOR - InHolland University of Applied Sciences, NL partner in VALUE project.  2010

Case Study: University Lifelong Learning (ULLL) and Volunteering in the Cultural Sector. AUTHOR: University of Liverpool, UK partner in VALUE project. August 2010

Regional and local authorities in action during the European Year of Volunteering 2011. Proceedings of the Forum held at the Committee of the Regions (CoR) on 26 January 2011 in Brussels. Edited by the Directorate for Communication, Press and Protocol of the Committee of the Regions, March 2011.

More information including speeches, presentations and a video can be found at www.cor.europa.eu/EYV2011

EYV 2011 Alliance Steering Group member Agnes Uhereczky (AVSO) recently presented the EYV 2011 Alliance work at the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions conference - "2011 European Year of Volunteering" Cities and Regions promoting sport and active citizenship for social cohesion in Europe held at the Royal Palace of Gödöllő in Hungary on Thursday 3 March 2011.

The Conference adopted a declaration which can be found here.

Supporters of Volunteers and Volunteering are asked to motivate and encourage the MEPs that they are on contact with to respond positively to the invitation to attend the next EP Interest Group on Volunteering meeting to be held on March30th 2011 in the European Parliament hosted by Marian Harkin MEP.  Interested MEPs are asked to contact Marian Harkin's office for more details.  Will your MEP be there to discuss their participation and that of the volunteers and volunteer organisations they work with (or would like to work with!) in the 2nd EU thematic conference on volunteering to be held in the EP on May 23rd and May 24th 2011 in the presence of European Parliament President Buzek, European Commission Vice-President Reding, and European Economic and Social Committee President Nilsson.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS - COMM/C2/1-2010 EYV This Call - based upon Council Decision of 27 November 2009 designating 2011 as the European year of voluntary activities promoting active citizenship - aimed to support flagship projects in Member States, which would receive a grant from the European Commission, in order to test and develop new and innovative schemes and approaches with a view to build long-term partnerships between civil society organisations operating in the area of volunteering.  The projects have now been chosen.  For more information click here.

The European Foundations' Initiative on Dementia (EFID) launches the European Awards: "Living well with Dementia in the Community".

A group of foundations, composed of The Atlantic Philanthropies, the Fondation Médéric Alzheimer, the King Baudouin Foundation and the Robert Bosch Stiftung, join forces to launch the 'Living well with Dementia in the Community - European Foundations' Initiative on Dementia-Awards' in order to improve perceptions of dementia and to stimulate solidarity at the local level. The overarching aim of the Initiative is to contribute to a better quality of life for people with dementia and their carers.

Up to 10 projects will be funded with up to € 10.000. The application is to be filled in English as the Awards are pan-European and partners are required to communicate and exchange their achievements at the European level and amongst their peers. To apply, send your application by 31st August. The full call for proposals and application form are available on the NEF website:

http://www.nef-europe.org/content/12/nef-glad-announce-launch-efid-awards