CEV General Assemblies > 2009 - October (Malmö, Sweden) - An Enabling Volunteering Infrastructure in Europe ...

An Enabling Volunteering Infrastructure in Europe:

Situations - Trends - Outlook
14 - 16 October 2009
Malmö, Sweden

What do we mean when talking about an enabling volunteering infrastructure in Europe? What are its elements and roles? And how do we want it to look- like?

The volunteering infrastructure is not an end in itself but it is there to serve a purpose: To create an enabling political, social and economic environment in Europe for the full potential of volunteering to be realized. The volunteering infrastructure is, thus, a building block in a democratic society, through which everybody can actively contribute to the development of communities and have an equal access to voluntary activities.

Research and the work of CEV members all over Europe suggest that raising public awareness about volunteering; developing volunteering opportunities and brokering between (potential) volunteers and placements; developing good practice; working on policy response and the strategic development of volunteering in our societies are key roles to be fulfilled by the volunteering infrastructure. Some elements seem to be crucial in this respect: organisations and networks at local, regional and national level; governmental policies; cross-sectoral cooperation between stakeholders including in particular businesses; funding; laws and a regulatory framework as well as research.

But is this an exhaustive list? Do we miss out on other elements and roles? Can we reach a common understanding and develop an agenda towards an enabling volunteering infrastructure all over Europe?

During this conference we have discussed the panorama of the volunteering infrastructure in different countries in Europe; exchange good practices on how to develop an effective volunteering infrastructure; and work towards a common understanding of what a volunteering infrastructure is and what its different elements are. The conference discussions will be followed-up by a printed publication on enabling volunteering infrastructure in Europe and the “Malmö Agenda” towards the European Year of Volunteering 2011 and beyond.

Keynote presentations:

Johan von Essen, The Volunteering Infrastructure in Sweden

Cees van den Bos, A Panorama of Volunteering Infrastructure in 8 Countries

Workshop presentations:

Sandra Kamerbeek, Government's role in succesfully constructing and supporting a sustainable volunteer infrastructure in the Netherlands

Domagoj Kovacic, Volunteering in Southern and Eastern Europe (SEE) - from underground to mainstream

Zsofia Tornoczi, What competences and policy are needed in order to support and promote senior volunteering?

Fiona Sexton, Yvonne Mc Kenna, Bridging the gap: building support for volunteer-involving organisations

Henrik Melius, Niclas Holund, Tholas Holst, "Wag the city" - Innovative ways of involving youth in volunteering

András F. Toth and Cristina Rigman, Building volunteering infrastructure from scratch in a post-communist country: opportunities and challenges

Amelie Silfverstolpe, Casper Bo Dano, Online volunteer recruitment services in Denmark and Sweden: presentation of Amelie; presentation of Casper

Peter Kromminga, Business community engagement: the German network of local brokers and the European project INCLUDE

Dr. Kang-Hyun Lee, History, role and development of volunteer centres as infrastructures in Korea

Ettore Degli Esposti, Volunteer infrastructure in Italy: framework law on volunteering and the system of volunteer support centres (CSV)

Final report

Programme

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