2. Definition [1]
IVISOC definition of volunteering
the ‘touchstone’ for the European Commission…
enables more ready adoption and judgements to
be made regarding project impact
is flexible and with blurred boundaries
allows volunteering roles to evolve
accepts different country contexts
3. Enabling volunteers [2]
Moving beyond empowerment to
enablement
giving volunteers a high status within organisations
reviewing management structures and governance
facilitating processes of social innovation
demonstrating values attached to volunteering and
respecting these
making the framework relevant
4. Give something back
European Year of Citizens 2013
…is ‘dedicated to the rights that come with EU
citizenship’ and the Commission’s promotional
strap-line ‘it’s about Europe, it’s about YOU’ echoes
the endeavour to build tools and products that
respond to volunteers
5. Wants as well as needs [3]
Recognising wants of volunteers as well
as needs of organisations
allowing a more positive perspective on training,
building skills, developing knowledge (etc)
allowing for incentives and modest payments
allowing for framework evolution – improved
ability to engage wide variety of volunteers
6. Listen to ‘the people’s voice’
László Andor
European Commissioner for Employment,
Social Affairs & Inclusion
…points to the necessity of finding ‘new answers to
social needs’ [adding that] ‘in order to innovate, we
need to rely on the inventiveness of the individual, of
civil society, organizations and local communities’
7. Partnership working [4]
Seeking volunteering partnerships
recognising the relevance for different sectors –
including the emergent fourth sector
linking with multi-disciplinary approaches
responding to [sometimes] complex needs
embracing entrepreneurship and creativity
engaging people ‘at risk’ of exclusion
bottom up and not top down
8. Progressive thinking
European Institute for Public Participation
…the private sector is dedicating more commitment
to ‘corporate’ and ‘social responsibility’ and the
public sector and the third sector are becoming
more business-savvy, ‘social harmony and the
commitment of resources requires a collective
response’
9. Ethics [5]
Necessity of equitable and fair
approaches
bringing meaning to the term ‘co-production’
recognising volunteering as a moral good
recognising the engagement of and support for
volunteers as a moral good
helping meet European Commission objectives
around social inclusion and the health and wealth
of the EU
10. Quality of life
European Quality of Life Survey III
‘measures to address social exclusion should not
only focus on the labour market or even improving
income - people involved in voluntary work, for
example, feel less excluded’
‘the underlying concepts of happiness and life
satisfaction are central to subjective well being’