2011: European Year of Volunteering
What's the idea behind the European Year of Volunteering?
The idea is to celebrate the work of volunteers across Europe - including in Britain's family of 15 National Parks - and to encourage others to start taking part, learning new skills and having fun while helping others.
Currently more than 100 million Europeans volunteer each year and the EU wants to spread two vital messages:
- Thank you! - Celebrating and recognising the efforts and contribution of volunteers and volunteering organisations
- You can! - By empowering, promoting and helping new people to volunteer
How many of us actually volunteer?
- Three out of 10 Europeans volunteer
- 80 per cent of Europeans say active participation in society is a crucial part of their life
- Seven in 10 people don’t volunteer and many face barriers towards volunteering - for example lack of information, time and financial pressures
- More than 100 million European citizens put values of solidarity, social cohesion and active citizenship into practice but there is still massive untapped potential in Europe for citizens to get involved
Volunteering and UK National Parks
The four main objectives of the EU initiative tie in with what we're doing in National Parks as part of our National Parks Volunteering Strategy:
- Recognising and raising awareness of the value of volunteering
- Celebrating volunteer efforts
- Empowering people and volunteer organisations
- Working to create an environment that helps people volunteer (including working with other community organisations to create a volunteering infrastructure)
Some of the UK National Parks' volunteering co-ordinators
Where can I find out more about the European Year of Volunteering?
www.europa.eu/volunteering_UK_events
Forthcoming events (2011):
Using social media to reach volunteers
21 Nov - London
22 Nov - Leeds
23 Nov - Birmingham
24 Nov - Exeter
For futher information see:
