Competent in Volunteering – Competent in Live Erasmus Project

Project Title

Competent in Volunteering – Competent in Live

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Recognition (non-formal and informal learning/credits); Inclusion – equity; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy)

Project Summary

Context/background of the project:
Before the beginning of the project the project partners were involved in topics as Volunteer Management and recognition of competences gained in volunteering. They have observed in their work with volunteers and volunteer organisations that there is a need of inclusive volunteering especially in the field of youth. They have noticed the organisations involving volunteers needed to get certain knowledge in volunteer management of vulnerable youth – since young people with fewer opportunities are the target group which was not often participating in volunteer activities. There were stereotypes and prejudices on the side of volunteer organisations towards this target group as well as fear and doubts on the side of vulnerable youth when thinking about being involved in volunteering. Partners have seen the need to create specific training and guidelines for managing young volunteers from vulnerable groups. On the other hand all partners were aware of the fact that young people (especially those with fewer opportunities) can be motivated for volunteering also for reasons to get competences they can use in their future personal and professional lives. They needed to create or adapt tools – specifically online tools which would prove the skills and competences enhanced while volunteering. These tools had to follow specifics of the respective countries´ legislation. These tools enable young people already volunteering at the end of the volunteering to get a certificate of the enhanced competences which they can use on labor market. For creating and adapting such tools partners also need to observe the processes of validation of competences in other countries of Europe.
Objectives:
– to include young people from vulnerable groups in Croatia, Romania, and Slovakia to various volunteering activities and thus, integrate them into society,
– to recognize competencies and skills acquired through volunteering and
– to increase the employability of young people, and to inform about tools for recognition and validation of skills and competencies gained through volunteering already existing within Europe.
Number and profile of participating organisations:
The project was based on the cooperation among NGOs, especially volunteer centres and educational institutions in three countries: Slovakia, Romania, and Croatia. There were 6 partners involved, two from each country.
Description of undertaken main activities:
In the project we have trained 46 volunteer coordinators in all partner countries who are prepared to coordinate young volunteers
from vulnerable groups. We have develop training materials and tailored training for volunteer coordinators working with young people
from vulnerable groups. We have created a website www.civcil.eu providing information about already existing tools for recognition and validation of competences acquired through volunteering in Europe, and created and improved online tools for recognition and validation
of competences gained through volunteering in partner countries. We have involved 75 young volunteers with fewer opportunities into volunteering in partner countries and then created recommendations about inclusive volunteering – about specifics of involvement of young people with fewer opportunities into volunteering.
Results and impact attained – The main results of the project are:
1. Publication “Be Volunteer Inclusive! Recommendations about How to Work with Young Volunteers with Fewer Opportunities” which describes proper environment, cooperation of different stakeholders and volunteer management of vulnerable youth needed for inclusive volunteering as well as results of involvement of 75 young volunteers from vulnerable groups into volunteering.
2. Training materials for trainers and participants of the Volunteer Management of Vulnerable Youth Training.
3. Website www.civcil.eu: overview of recognition and validation tools of skills enhanced in volunteering in European countries
4. Created and adapted online tools for recognition and validation of competences gained while volunteering in Romania, Slovakia and Croatia: SK: http://dzrucnosti.dobrovolnickecentra.sk
RO: www.hartavoluntariatului.ro
HR: http://kompetencije.volontiram.info/
Longer-term benefits:
All materials (publications) and tools have an European perspective and can be used as guideline for involvement of vulnerable youth in volunteering or for creating validation tools in all European countries. They are public and can be widely use by educational non-formal and formal institutions. Online tools will be used by volunteers and volunteer organisations after the end of project in all project countries.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 94550 Eur

Project Coordinator

Platforma dobrovolnickych centier a organizacii & Country: SK

Project Partners

• UNIVERZITA MATEJA BELA V BANSKEJ BYSTRICI
• PROJEKT GRADANSKE DEMOKRATSKE INICIJATIVE
• Volonterski centar Osijek
• Liceul Pedagogic Gheorghe Sincai Zalau
• Centrul de Voluntariat Cluj-Napoca