CEV 2006 - October (Barcelona, Spain) - Effective and Innovative Networking and Mobilisation

Strengthening volunteering and making it more effective are the main goals of CEV at the European level, and its member organisations at the national, regional and local levels. Networking between volunteer organisations, as well as with other stakeholders, is seen to be crucial in this effort, both to build capacity, to pool resources and to increase visibility and strength that single actors do not have. That is the principle reason for setting up formal networks such as CEV and national and regional volunteer networks. Mobilisation of volunteers and public opinion on the other hand can be one of the most effective impacts of networks making the volunteer movement even stronger. However, there are manifold ways to organise networking and mobilisation: permanent and formal networking structures; ad hoc and informal networks; project based networking; one-off mobilisation; sustainable volunteer mobilisation; all these are different ways that bring added value for specific goals.

The General Assembly aimed to give an overview of effective and innovative networking and mobilisation strategies throughout Europe to strengthen volunteering. What has worked? Why? Is this practice transferable? The presentations were in the following fields: