Strengthening European Volunteering
Aims:
- Strengthen the European Solidarity Corps Programme
- Put SOLIDARITY in the heart of ESC-volunteering
Objectives:
- Increasing the knowledge about the European Solidarity Corps Programme and its impact
- Supporting the knowledge exchange around European volunteering and solidarity
- Advocating for better conditions for ESC volunteering
- Increasing the visibility of ESC-volunteering
- Fostering the collaboration among stakeholders and strengthening the community(ies) of practice
Research Outcomes:
Download the explanatory report "Mapping and Analysis of Research on Youth Volunteering in Europe"
Coordination:
Partner:
Background and Needs
With the new programme generation starting 2021, the European Solidarity Corps programme has undergone a shift towards a pure volunteering scheme for local and international volunteering.
The SNAC has grown from the need to explore questions together as a network of National Agencies: What does the shift to volunteering imply for the community of practice? What are the new trends? What are the risks? How can we improve the conditions for different strands of the ESC (Individual, Teams, Solidarity Projects) and look deeper into complementarity of national and EU volunteering? What is needed to strengthen European volunteering?
Embedded in European Policy
In 2020, an Expert Group on the Mobility of Young Volunteers and Cross-Border, involving SALTO ESC, developed a Background Paper to support the European Commission in reviewing the 2008 Council Recommendation on the mobility of young volunteers.
In April 2022 a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on the mobility of young volunteers across the European Union was adopted. SNAC Volunteering aims to support the implementation of this document.
Since 2024 is the year to publish the midterm evaluation of the implementation of the European Solidarity Corps programme SNAC Volunteering is an active partner in this endeavor as well as a platform to discuss the development of the programme for the upcoming programme periode 2028-2034.
The main areas of activity of SNAC Volunteering are:
- Analysis (including research and publications)
- Visibility & Advocacy to improve the conditions for volunteering in the European Solidarity Corps programme (including communication work and online events)
- Knowledge exchange (including networking events)
The following research results will be published in 2023
- Mapping Study of European Civic Engagement Frameworks and Their Links with Youth Volunteering
- Exploration of the Complementarity and Synergies of the European Solidarity Corps Programme with other EU Youth Programmes
- Working Title: Explore Needs of Young People and Organisations in the Volunteering Field That Lead to New Trends in Volunteering and Solidarity Activities
- Mapping and Analysis of Research on Youth Volunteering in Europe
Volunteering Conference 2023
Shaping Volunteering in Europe and Beyond
Podgorica, Montenegro 4.-6. 10. 2023
The Volunteering Conference is one of the activities within the framework of the long-term Strategic National Agencies´ Cooperation on Volunteering.
Objectives of the conference:
- To support the implementation of the Council Recommendation on the Mobility of Young Volunteers across the EU
- To create a space for networking and exchange between the different stakeholders of the programme
- To influence the mid-term evaluation of the program and the forthcoming shaping of the new programme
- To celebrate the 5th anniversary of the first deadline of the European Solidarity Corps
The location of the conference, Podgorica, reflects the objective of SNAC Volunteering to give visibility to the implementation of the European Solidarity Corps in the partner regions of the EU.
Profile of participants:
- representatives of the NAs dealing with European Solidarity Corps
- practitioners from organisations involved in European Solidarity Corps
- young people involved with European Solidarity Corps
- experts / trainers within European Solidarity Corps.
Expected outcomes of the conference:
- insight into the topics of the researches conducted within SNAC
- gathering information on the current practice in the volunteering field in programme countries and partner countries
- map the current and possible future implementation of the Council Recommendations on the Mobility of Young Volunteers across the European Union
Program of the conference:
Speakers at the conference:
Gabriella Civico - CEV Director. Advocating for better volunteering policies, contributing at the European level in various European Union expert & advisory groups, such as EQF, Europass, Mobility of Young Volunteers.