Can You Do Better Than This?
2011 has been designated as “The European Year of Volunteering” by the European Commission, who have promised six million euros to support the call to raise the profile of volunteering and encourage the voluntary sector to learn from each other. Throughout the EU and estimated 100 million people give their time and energies in this sector and it is sen to be a vital part of civil society. The year is being coordinated by an alliance of volunteer bodies and administered by the European Volunteer Centre, whose project officer , Cândida Salgado Silva,, explained why they wanted a dedicated year, “The idea is to raise the profile of volunteers as they put the values of solidarity and civil responsibility into society and we wanted to create an atmosphere that recognised their value and encouraged organisations to learn from each other.”
As many companies depend on interns for entry level staff, is this what the year will be advocating? “No. Volunteering is different to being an intern. It is done out of free will, not for profit and it is something to offer your skills to help another person or organisation, it’s a human quality, it’s about what you can do for society. In today’s world many people are self-focused and volunteering can open you up to new experiences and can be very empowering.” Experts agree that there are real gains to be made from donating time and skills. For some, it can help make friends in a new town or country, for others it can be a way of using lifelong skills after retirement. The largest group of volunteers in countries where the voluntary sector is more established are the young, often taking up a gap year, or time out after graduating from university to go and look at the wider world and for many, it can be a life changing experience.
To show the value of volunteer input, the Year of Volunteering is holding a competition, Let’s Slogo, to find a logo and slogan for the year. Visitors to their website ( www.eyv2011.eu ) can enter their own designs and the winner will be chosen by experts and a public vote. Storme explains, “We think that people who are interested in volunteering will be able to produce a design that has some, heart, some spirit and we thought it was in keeping with our plans for the year to open up creating the symbol to the general public”.
If people are interested in offering their skills and time, it is recommended that they research their options carefully, asking if placement organisations offer sufficient support, training and resources. as CEV say, volunteer work is freely given, but not cost free as there need to be insitutional structures in place to support people, but the aim of helping your fellow man or woman and working for the greater good are seen as core values, not just for Europe but for all of us.
