“VOLUNTEU, Citizen volunteering as a response to the COVID-19 crisis”, is a project carried out under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme (CERV), and it is aimed at analysing and promoting the exchange of experiences and intercultural dialogue in Europe through the culture of volunteering.
“VOLUNTEU” aims to create a sustainable cooperation network in the field of solidarity in times of crisis, mainly by strengthening youth volunteering, involving representatives from 8 different European countries. Through the implementation of the project, the participants create a path of solidarity and collaboration in which they analyse and debate about the different responses that have been given from their local areas to the crisis situation caused by the pandemic, and the role they can play in future emergencies.
Volunteering has always played a significant role in human society and its importance has became even more evident during the pandemic caused by COVID-19. Solidarity actions contribute to reduce the risk of social exclusion, while moving towards a society that offers equal opportunities to all, erasing difficulties related to gender, disability, racial, economic or cultural differences.
Volunteering promotes inclusion and so it should therefore be promoted, supported and disseminated at all levels, mainly since public administrations.
The activities carried out are based on non-formal education techniques and tools with participatory approaches, including street actions, all with the aim of reaching and involving the widest possible number of people.
The project partners intend to make the results and conclusions accessible to all citizens. To this end, all information on the results and conclusions of the different meetings will be shared publicly, thus facilitating the exchange of good practices in the field of volunteering.
MUNICIPALITY OF ALTEA (Leader of the project)
Altea is a Spanish town located on the Mediterranean coast of Alicante (Region of Valencia, Spain). It has a population of 23,000 inhabitants, of which 35% are foreigners, mostly from other European countries.
Altea’s multiculturalism proves in itself the quality of an European town. In December 2020, the municipality was recognized by the “V Edition of the Volunteering Awards” for the management of COVID-19 in the framework of the Voluntary Cities project (EU URBACT Programme).
Since 2018, Altea has a remarkable experience in European Union policies, having participated in several cooperation projects funded by programmes, such as Erasmus+, Europe for Citizens, CERV, URBACT or the European Solidarity Corps.
ATHIENOU DIMOS
Athienou is a municipality in the district of Larnaca, Cyprus, with 6,500 inhabitants, which has been involved in several European projects, with special mention to the Voluntary Cities Transfer Network, a project of the EU URBACT programme.
Due to the work carried out in the referred Project, the Municipality of Athienou obtained in 2018 a European recognition thanks to its contribution to the field of local volunteering.
OPCINA KALNIK OPCINSKO VIJECE KALNIK
Kalnik is a small municipality with approximately 1,500 inhabitants, located in a rural and mountainous area in the north of Croatia.
The municipality has experience in international projects with partners from, among others, Hungary and Poland, in programmes such as IPA and Europe for Citizens. Kalnik is particularly active in the implementation of cooperation policies in the field of education and supporting agencies and local community associations.
INDUSTRY DISRUPTORS GAME CHANGERS
Industry Disruptors-Game Changers (ID-GC) is a non-governmental and non-profit organisation founded to promote entrepreneurship in Greece, South East Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean regions. ID-GC’s strategy focuses on industrial sectors that offer a competitive advantage by making use of unique and original characteristics and entrepreneurial potential of the region.
Industry Disruptors Game Changers is participating in the project on behalf of the municipality of Paros, a Greek island in the middle of the Aegean Sea with more than 6,000 inhabitants.
European Institute for Diplomacy and Policy Netherlands (EIDP)
European Institute for Diplomacy and Policy Netherlands (EIDP) is a scientific non-governmental organization which General Committee is formed by local development stakeholders and specialists from various sectors of the civil society and European Member States: academics, NGOs, development agents, association managers, civil servants and social economy companies, as well as European organizations for local development.
EIDP operates as a social player in collaboration with local and regional organizations and institutions in the fields of Culture, Civic Engagement, Environment, Entrepreneurship, Equality (Gender Equality), Cultural Diplomacy, Education through New Technologies activities. Specifically, it provides Non-formal/ Vocational education, ICT education and innovative educational activities Integration of educational solutions into mainstream curricula specialized education for specific groups.
ASSOCIAZIONE INCO- MOLFETTA
InCo – Molfetta is a non-profit association born in 2016 thanks to a group of members who moved to the Puglia region after several years of experience in the field of international mobilities.
InCo-Molfetta offers volunteering opportunities, exchanges and training courses both in Italy and abroad, mainly within the European Union. The organisation is based in the former town hall of Molfetta, a city in southern Italy with a population of approximately 60,000 inhabitants.
ASSOCIACAO JUVENIL DE DEAO – AJD
The AJD was founded in 1997 in Portugal, and aims to create and develop social, cultural, sporting and artistic activities for young people, especially in the field of leisure, volunteering, cooperation and training. The association also promotes and improves the access to information, social inclusion, the democratic participation and equality between men and women. The AJD is officially supported by the Municipality of Viana do Castelo, to whom it represents in this project.
ASOCIATIA SOCIEDAD SCOUT
The Scout Society is a Romanian organisation founded in 2011 with the main objective of educating members of the local community through non-formal education in order to promote active citizenship in their local communities.