European Year of Volunteering 2011
03/02/2011 12:54:00
The European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have officially announced that 2011 will be the European Year of Volunteering (EYV 2011).
This is an exciting opportunity for voluntary organisations like VSO, from across the EU, to join together in a celebration of volunteering.
Objectives of the Year
The EU will use the Year to work towards four main objectives:
- To create an enabling and facilitating environment for volunteering in the EU
- To empower volunteer organisations and improve the quality of volunteering
- To reward and recognise volunteering activities
- To raise awareness of the value and importance of volunteering.
Who will benefit and how?
- The European Year of Volunteering 2011 will enable volunteers all over Europe to meet and learn about best practices in each European country
- Public authorities, volunteer organisations and businesses will learn more about volunteering and how to make it easier for people to contribute
- People who have never heard about volunteering will learn to appreciate what volunteers do and might become volunteers themselves one day.
Editor's notes
In Ireland, Volunteering Ireland has been appointed as the National Coordinating Body for the European Year of Volunteering (EYV) 2011 by the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs and the European Commission.
Join the EYV activities in your community today.
