Volunteering Beyond Borders - Creating partnerships for European Solidarity Corps projects involving neighbouring partner countries

The Czech National Agency in cooperation with the partners of the Strategic Cooperation of National Agencies and SALTOs “Beyond Borders” is organising a Partnership-building activity (PBA) to foster volunteering projects and partnerships between Programme countries and neighbouring partner countries within the European Solidarity Corps.

The PBA aims to:

• foster cooperation between organisations from Programme countries and neighbouring partner countries in the European Solidarity Corps;
• offer the space to create new contacts and networks between organisations and to develop new partnerships and volunteering projects;
• support quality in the partnerships, with a focus on equal partnerships, cultural sensitivity and awareness of specific needs or challenges.

The PBA targets up to 80 participants, in particular:

• From Programme countries, representatives of organisations that have a Quality Label as lead organisation and that are interested and ready to work with partner countries and are looking for new partners.
• From neighbouring partner countries, representatives of organisations looking for new partners, including organisations that are new to ESC, which already have Quality Label (or are in the process of getting it).
• You can apply together with a partner. This PBA might be the opportunity for building a solid partnership with a parter you do not know well yet. Each partner must submit their own application.

The programme is shaped over three full days.

On day one, the focus will be on getting to know the other participants and their organisations from the Programme countries and the three neighbouring partner regions. There will be space for dialogue and discovering possible future project options.

On day two, we will look at quality and how to deal with possible reasons for why  cooperation with partner regions might be a bit different. At the same time, we will highlight what makes it a great opportunity and what might be the benefits.

On day three, there will be time for concrete action, where partnerships can be created.

Support will be offered by an experienced team of trainers and representatives of different National Agencies and SALTO Resource Centres.

A follow up meeting will take place online on 12th of September 2023 offering the opportunity for further networking, exchange and support for developing projects and partnerships.

Beyond Borders is a strategic partnership of the National Agencies for Erasmus+, youth field, and the European Solidarity Corps of the Czech Republic, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, and Slovenia and the 3 regional SALTO Resource Centres (SALTO Eastern Europe and Caucasus, EuroMed and South East Europe). It aims to further develop the cooperation in the youth field between Programme and neighbouring partner countries within Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps.