CEV ACTIVITIES:
CEV is pleased to announce that our work and activities will be co-financed by a Europe For Citizens operating grant for a further 3 years until 2020 and the end of the current EU Multiannual Financial Framework. CEV is grateful for this opportunity to continue to bring the European dimension to the members’ activities and to be able to advocate with policymakers for a more enabling environment for volunteering in the EU that facilitates and enables all citizens to freely express solidarity and put EU values into action. Find out more about opportunities available to support volunteering in Europe through the Europe for Citizens programme here.
The CEV Capacity Building Conference: Volunteering in Culture will take place on the 19-20 April 2018 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, solidarity 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 and validation of competencies gained can be best approached. Accommodation, travel suggestions and to register here.
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: EUROPEAN VOLUNTEERING CAPITAL 2020: CEV launches the seventh edition of the European Volunteer Capital competition #EVCapital2020. The award is chosen from the applicant municipalities by an international jury of experts who assess the extent to which the recommendations as listed in PAVE and the “5R” policy priorities as identified in the PAVE 5 year review “Helping Hands”, are shown to be implemented. How the European Solidarity Corps will be supported and promoted is also part of the criteria. The European Volunteering Capital Competition aims to promote volunteering at the local level by giving recognition to municipalities that support and strengthen partnerships with volunteer centres and volunteer-involving organisations and celebrate and promote volunteering and the impact made by volunteers. Deadline: 29 June 2018. Find the ONLINE application form and more information here.
CEV Annual Report 2017 is now published and available here. This issue is an anniversary edition following CEV’s celebration of 25 years of supporting volunteering in Europe. The report comprises information about CEV’s structure as a network, our initiatives, projects we are working on, and financial details. It also includes a timeline marking important developments in Europe and milestones in CEV’s development since it was established on 6 August 1992. CEV’s activities are implemented with financial support from Europe for Citizens Programme.
The first meeting of the newly elected CEV Board took place on 1-2 March in Brussels. CEV Board members are responsible for the good governance, strategic development and promotion of CEV, in accordance with the Statutes, ensuring that the mission and aims of CEV are adhered to. During the meeting, that focussed on reviewing the 2017 reports and forward looking planning for 2018 and beyond, Joao Teixeira was re-elected as Vice President and Liliane Krokaert as Treasurer. Read more...
On 1 March CEV Director Gabriella Civico participated in the FEAD Network Meeting (#FEADNetwork) “Role of Volunteers in FEAD Delivery” and spoke about the value of volunteers in the implementation of projects and initiatives funded by the FEAD programme. The meeting was held in Brussels and gathered members of the FEAD network and representatives from Case Study projects from across Europe in order to focus on the varied and diverse ways that volunteers contribute to the impact of the FEAD funding.
On 21-24 February CEV hosted a study visit group of 25 volunteers and representatives from 23 civil society organisations in Sardinia, organised in partnership with CEV member The Volunteer Support Centre Sardegna Solidale. The participants learnt more about volunteering in Europe, CEV activities, our partnerships with European Institutions and other European networks based in Brussels. They also found out more about European Solidarity Corps and the latest policy impacting on volunteering. If you are interested to develop a study visit in partnership with CEV please read more here and contact us at communication@cev.be.
On 24 February CEV hosted a study visit group of 16 young people (16-35 years old) from the Italian association TGS (Turismo Giovanile Salesiano) based in Treviso, that promotes social inclusion and youth education, where volunteering is a core activity. The Association, within the wider movement called Salesian Youth Movement, is supported by the Salesians of Don Bosco. The visit to CEV was part of a 6 days study trip to Brussels, under the Project 18+ TGS, which included meetings with EU officials and with representatives from civil society.
On 20 February CEV participated in SDG Watch Europe General Assembly taking place in Brussels promoting and giving visibility to the role of volunteers in achieving the SDGs. SDG Watch Europe is a 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). Read more...
CEV Projects and Events Officer Sara Fasoli represented CEV in the event "How big is your Active citizen footprint? Active Citizens: from the local to global level" jointly organised by Volonteurope and the European Civic Forum on 19 February in Brussels. The report Active Citizens for the Common Good: The Active Citizenship Footprint was presented. Examples of active citizenship in Europe and at global level were also presented and discussed. Volunteering, voluntary and social action are the main example of active citizenship and they contribute to the realisation of the common good.
On 15 February CEV was represented in the event “Lessons from NGO's: integration of refugees in Brussels” that took place in the European Parliament. Inputs from SB OverseasTandem, Refugees Got Talent, and Singa were shared. CEV has been supporting Tandem since its launch and we had several Tandem volunteers joining our team in the last two years. The discussions stressed the value of volunteers as a "vital component in refugee integration".
On 15 February CEV took part in the launch of the publication on "The future evolution of civil society in the European Union by 2030" at the GroupIIIEESC event "Civil Society in the EU: future scenarios for 2020". This publication, that CEV has contributed to the development of, provides an analysis of the main challenges faced by civil society organisations (CSOs), of the trends and drivers of change, role of volunteers, and of the future prospects for relations between policy-makers at the national and European level and CSOs. Read more...
CEV Director participated in the round table event "Education and Youth Radicalization" on 31 January in Brussels. She drew attention to the conclusions of the PIPE policy conference highlighting the role of volunteers in promoting inclusion and preventing radicalisation. The debate brought together 20 experts from organizations including the European Commission, the UN Peacebuilding Liaison Office, the European Parliament Research Service, the Radicalization Awareness Network (RAN) and a variety of civil society organizations, to constructively discuss the evolution of radicalization and debate best practices. Read more...
CEV MEMBERS: WOSM: the European Scout Region and the Belgian Scouts "Les Scouts" organised a reception celebrating "Scouting Day" on 22 February in the Parliamentarium in Brussels. CEV was represented in the event.
Vlaams Steunpunt Vrijwilligerswerk celebrated the 750,000 citizens in Flanders that offer their time without seeking pay and out of free will, volunteering in their community. The 2018 Volunteer Week in Flanders took place from 3 to 11 March. Read more...
Volunteer Scotland organised a training course on “Measuring the Impact of Volunteering” on 7 March in Stirling, answering the three crucial questions: why should I measure the impact of volunteering, how exactly do I do it and what should I do with the information once I am finished? Read more…
NCVO opened up resources on their Knowhow website to help organisations safeguard vulnerable groups they work with both as volunteers and as beneficiaries of their efforts. Read more...
In BBE’s February edition of Europa News CEV Director Gabriella Civico contributed an article about Volunteering and Solidarity in the context of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018. She stressed the links with the EYV2011, the European Year of Citizens 2013 and highlighted the potential unifying function of the new European Solidarity Corps. Read the article here…
The Pancyprian Volunteerism Coordinative Council (PVCC) has published the “Code of Good Management, Conduct and Ethics for NGOs”. The Code urges NGOs in Cyprus to comply with good practices on transparency, impartiality, integrity, credibility, accountability, equal treatment, respect for human rights, dignity and objectivity. Every volunteer, either a member of the Board or the organisation, and each member of the staff should apply these basic principles which also serve to guide and inspire them.
Tous Bénévoles has a brand new website for young people (15-25) wanting to volunteer JEUNEBENEVOLE.ORG While more than a third of young people aged between 15 and 25 are already volunteering in France, it can be difficult for them to know how and where to find the necessary information. The Jeune & Bénévole website was created in order to help them. The search engine enables young people to have a quicker access to volunteer opportunities corresponding to their criteria: their age, their city/region, the cause that the would like to support or a keyword. The site also gives them access to files, accounts, organisations, standard projects and advice.
EU NEWS:
The European Parliamentary Research Service has conducted a Study on the EU Youth Strategy, available here. The study states that the engagement of young people (aged 15-30) in organised voluntary activities has increased by 6% since 2014 in local communities. “It is important to note that the value of volunteering was indicated as an important form of non-formal learning, which links it to education and training.”(p.63).
On 6 February the European Commission adopted the strategy for 'A credible enlargement perspective for and enhanced EU engagement with the Western Balkans'. One of the six flagship initiatives aiming to support the transformation of the Western Balkans focuses on socio-economic development with increased financial assistance to support the social sector. In this context, funding under Erasmus+ will be doubled. Read more...
Informal Leaders Meeting (EU Council) agreed on spending more on Erasmus+. CEV is part of the Erasmus + Coalition advocating with decision-makers for a robust increase of the Erasmus+ budget (#Erasmusx10) Read more...
2018 Civil Society Days (24-25 May) will take place following the plenary session celebrating the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) 60th anniversary. Entitled Citizenship, Democracy & Culture in digitalised Europe, the event will focus on contributing to the current debate about the future of Europe, and on highlighting the important role of civil society organisations across Europe . CEV, in collaboration with EFIL, will run a workshop on “Identities and Polarisation”. Read more… and follow #CivSocDays.
OTHER NEWS:
SCULT is an International Sport Volunteers Movement, connecting bright-eyed volunteers at all ages, sport event organisers and sport clubs around the world. CEV is a partner in the project inSCULT.
Read their news here…
The Red Cross EU Office launched its new booklet: "Moving forward together - Red Cross approach to the social inclusion of migrants". The publication looks at the importance of supporting the active participation of migrants, irrespective of their legal status, with a view to building a more tolerant European society. It comprises concrete examples of needs-oriented activities implemented with and for migrants at the local level by National Red Cross Societies across the EU, including those involving volunteering.
Registration for the 25th IAVE World Volunteer Conference is open. The conference will take place on 16-20 October in Augsburg, Germany. Read more...
On 7 March the European Confederation of Youth Clubs (ECYC) ran a working group on policy recommendations with contributors from the European Commission, Eurodesk, EC&CoE Partnership and the Erasmus Student Network on the topic of European volunteer mobility as part of the Horizon 2020 project: “MOVE: Mapping mobility pathways, institutions and structural effects of youth mobility in Europe” Read more about the project...
