Volunteering offers a rich learning environment, in which motivated people of all ages can contribute to civil society in a self-chosen position and environment. At the same time they can gain skills and competences that have value for their personal and professional development and career. In this way, volunteering offers a nice mixture of non-formal and informal learning.This project is based on the results of the Public Consultation ''Towards a European Area of Skills and Qualifications'', published by the European Commission on 17 June 2014. The report of this consultation states that there should be more focus on the individual and on the end users of validation tools, that there should be more attention for guidance, and that the EQF should be more open towards non-formal and informal learning.Transferred to the world of volunteering this means that- there should be more attention for guidance of volunteers in their personal and professional development (instead of developing more tools and methods for recognition and validation of their learning outcomes)- the starting point of the validation process should be the individual, not the system- we should build bridges between the outcomes of informal and non-formal learning processes on the one hand and the European Qualifications Framework on the other hand.The project is innovative in three ways:- it builds bridges between informal learning on the one hand and the European Qualifications Framework on the other hand- it creates a clear link between volunteering on the one handand professional career guidance on the other hand- it does not provide new tools or methods, but provides guidance for volunteers in using these tools and methods for their personal and professional development.The project results will be:Booklet (PDF/printed) for volunteers how to ‘’translate’’ their volunteer qualifications to the labour market.Online training (using the online learning platform PBlearn or a similar platform) to support the use of the booklet.Face-to-face training in addition to the online training, custom-made for volunteering organisations, to be offered in the framework of Erasmus+ Key Action 1.The project partners are:EDOS Foundation - The NetherlandsBONSAI - local volunteer centre of Dubrovnik - CroatiaEuropean Volunteer Centre – Belgium

The EVS Realm: Masters of the learning path project was a Strategic Partnership aiming to increase the quality of EVS/ESC experiences and learning processes of EVS/ESC volunteers and hosting organizations.The project objectives were: 1.Build capacity of beginner EVS/ESC hosting organizations to design meaningful projects that respond to community needs while providing valuable learning experiences for the volunteers 2.Increase quality of the learning experience of the EVS/ESC volunteers by developing training and resources for the mentors engaged in EVS/ESC 3.Increase awareness of relevant stakeholders about the challenges faced by organizations in ensuring the quality of the EVS/ESC experiences and the key role of mentors in enhancing the quality of the EVS/ESC experience for the volunteer,the organizations & the communityThe partnership was made up of 4 organizations experienced in EVS and having had contact with the program from all the different angles and perspectives, coming also from very different corners of Europe:Politistiko Ergastiri Cultural Workshop from Cyprus, ANAWOJ from Poland, European Volunteer Center in Belgium and the applicant organization–Pro Vobis–National Resource Center for Volunteering from Romania. In the context of the EVS 20-year anniversary in 2016,the partner organizations analyzed the need for an increased quality in the management of EVS learning process,placing in the middle of this process the key actors who can influence and impact the way the learning journey goes.Besides the project coordinator and the volunteer him/herself,the most important role lies in the hands of the mentor.Thus,a vast part of the present project focuses on improving and creating mentoring tools and a framework for development for mentors&project coordinators in different organizations across Europe. Main project activities: -Transnational partner meetings–for planning, implementing and evaluating project activities and creating content&tools -Research on the status of mentoring in EVS,tools that already exist and needs still to be fulfilled -Creating an online professional community for ESC practitioners (mentors&project coordinators) to support and motivate each other,exchange tools,dillemmas and learn innovatively -Creating a set of 4 intellectual outputs to reach project objectives:a Training Design for hosting organizations focused on Quality in EVS/ESC project implementation (O1),a Training Design for Mentors in EVS/ESC (O2),containing a training curriculum,topics to be addressed,methodology & activities to be implemented in training,that can be then transferred to other organizations or institutions interested in training their own mentors, ToolBox for Mentors in EVS (O3),meant to support their concrete activities with the volunteers, and a Policy Paper on Improved EVS/ESC Quality (O5) to communicate project conclusions to European volunteering policy-makers. -Promoting EVS/ESC in smaller communities which do not have access to it -Delivering 2 training activities to test,consolidate and use the outputs produced: a Training for Mentors in EVS/ESC (C2),for 28 participants, as a test phase of the intellectual outputs developed and a Training for Hosting Organizations (C1)- participants who are beginners in EVS/ESC,have implemented none or 1 project and feel the need to understand how to properly structure a project to reach aims of both the hosting community,the volunteer and the hosting organization. -Involving training beneficiaries into a piloting phase of output 3,meant to test their suitability and utility before launching them in the wider EVS community -Organizing Multiplying Events locally in each partner country,to disseminate the project outputs and results,aiming to reach more than 90 local stakeholders -Large international Multiplying event,hosted by CEV in Brussels and which gathered over 90 participants interested/involved in the EVS/ESC movement,to share and exchange expertise,good practices,stories and tools that can push the ESC movement forward–60 international&30 national participants,using the opportunity to bring into the discussions European-level stakeholders and policymakers. -General project management activities planning,monitoring,evaluation,promotion,communication and dissemination) With all the activities we implemented, we believe we managed to reach an increase in the number of skilled,motivated mentors in ESC projects,more profound learning experiences for ESC volunteers, reduced risks of volunteers leaving their projects early,better chances for generating genuine community impact in the hosting communities as well as an increased quality in the general management of ESC Volunteering projects.The 4 project partners are now more able to manage complex European projects and will extend their services to other NGOs in their countries, and now there are concrete and attractive tools for mentors to create meaningful mentoring processes.

The project focuses on empowerment of low-skilled adult learners, volunteers engaged in activities in voluntary organisations, which are understood as all those non-profit organisations that engage volunteers and provide voluntary services of any kind.More and more people engage into voluntary work of various kind on formal and informal basis. Importance of non-profit org. providing voluntary services (associations, societies, foundations, churches) is increasing steadily. In 2015 (Eurostat last avail.), the involvement in informal voluntary activities in the EU-28 was slightly higher than in formal (organised) voluntary activities (22.2 % versus 19.3 %). Participation in partner countries: IT(12 formal; 11,2 informal), PL(13,8; 50,6), ES (10,7; 10,6), DE (28,6; 11,4); BE (20,4; 20,8). In all countries there are strong organisations that belong to networks, but there are also many small that operate locally/regionally and struggle to survive. Volunteers help elder, sick, immigrants, environment, but they also do work that helps keeping organisations alive. In this aspect, it would be beneficial for them to take advantage of EU funds. If they had strong digital, intercultural and initiative taking and entrepreneurship skills with specific knowledge on EU projects writing and managing, it would not only bring positive effects to their lives but also to organisations they voluntary for. Partners conducted own research about participation of voluntary organisations in EU projects and trainings available for volunteers. Results show that the reason “why” they don’t participate is mostly that volunteers are not trained in this area, they are not aware of such opportunities, they don't have international contacts or they don't have competences to write high quality EU funded project. Analysis of approved projects show, that there are no or little written by volunteers. As for the trainings, organisations can't afford it, especially if from their point of view, it is less urgent. If they have to choose accounting vs. how to prepare EU project, the first will be chosen, because it is a requirement while the second is only an option. As it is getting more difficult for small associations to raise money, this sector in particular could benefit from EU funded programs but often there is no one, who would know how to prepare projects. The objectives are:- to improve and extend the supply of high quality learning opportunities tailored to the needs of volunteers, especially those that are low-skilled by enhancing their knowledge and skills in issues related to EU projects development and management with a focus on developing effective open and innovative education in the digital area through the use of ICT supporting key competences - increase inter-regional and transnational cooperation and develop and reinforce European networks especially of those voluntary organisations that are not part of EVS/ESC-increase the capacity of voluntary organisations to operate transnationally-develop digital learning materials and tools in particular OER and support the effective use of digital technologies in education and training- to disseminate widely the results in order to reach as many as possible volunteers and voluntary organisations throughout European Union. Target group are low-skilled adults who work as volunteers of those voluntary organisations that are not part of EVS, that operate in small communities, work on local and regional levels and are not aware of possibilities that EU funded projects could bring them. The project is centred among development of two main Intellectual Outputs: - 1 OER for volunteers including practical Toolbox on various aspects of cooperation within EU projects (including 1-Internationalisation for voluntary organisations, 2- Dissemination and exploitation of results, 3-Intercultural communication in transnational work, 4-quality in EU projects, 5-ICT tools for the implementation and management of European projects). OER will include theoretical part and practical tools for work on planning, design and management of EU projects.- 1 e-catalogue of good practices in the field of EU projects implementation by voluntary organisations with possibility of interactive exchange of good practices for these organisations. The project is likely to have a sustainable impact within and beyond the project lifetime on the low-skilled adults who work as volunteers, on voluntary organisations, adult education providers, participants and participating organisations. As result of the project low-skilled adult volunteers will upgrade their competences in preparing and managing European projects, enhance their digital skills, intercultural competence and sense of initiative and entrepreneurship. Voluntary organisations will be able to strengthen their position in the region, gain new sources of funding, run more effective operations and establish new, international networks.

Evidence shows that volunteering is beneficial in many fields, unfortunately the methods used to measure the impact of volunteering are lacking. The V-Calc project will enable 800 volunteer managers and coordinators of all ages & diversity to measure and understand the impact of their volunteers. The objectives are to: develop a suitable methodology for gathering data about the numbers and profiles of volunteers, their motivation and impact on society and individual volunteer learning; Create and put in place the user-friendly online platform to gather the information from primary and secondary sources; Train and develop the capacity of volunteer managers and coordinators to gather and provide information about the impact of the volunteers that they engage with and in their countries more widely; Ensure the sustainability of project results by developing the community of practitioners from across Europe in order to promote the use of the V-Calculator and the importance of measuring volunteering for the development of better evidence based policies. The training programme in the use of the volunteer impact measurement methodology will lead to increased quality in the work, activities and practices of the volunteering organisations and institutions involved. It will introduce new actors to the importance of volunteer impact measurement across all sectors and fields that engage volunteers. Through the V-CALC project we will build the capacity of organisations to work transnationally and across sectors and at the same time address common needs and priorities for the volunteer-involving stakeholders in the fields of education, training, youth and sport, amongst others. The online platform, impact measurement methodology and training activities, together with the policy development work, will enable transformation and change at individual, organisational and sectoral level, leading to improvements and new approaches, in a wide variety of different volunteering contexts.

"The partner organisations DKolektiv from Croatia, Slovenian Philanthropy, Volunteer Centre and Self-help Denmark (FriSe), National Network for Civil Society from Germany, Volunteering Ireland and Centre for European Volunteering (CEV) have created a strategic partnership and merged their knowledge and experiences in order to explore the best practices and find solutions and innovations that reduce social exclusion among young people through volunteering. The main purpose of the project was to create strategic international cooperation on: improving practices of work with youth by measuring, testing and developing innovative models of youth volunteering as effective tools of inclusion; building new competences of organisations and experts who work with disadvnateged youth; affirming volunteering as a way of empowerment and tool of social inclusion; reinforcing links between practice and policy by creating new platforms for exchange of experience and know-how between organisations/experts in the field of youth volunteering and social inclusion. The success of social inclusion depends not only on the kind of volunteering activities on offer, but also on the kind of support and conditions that governments, volunteer development agencies and volunteer-involving organisations can provide. Therefore, the project also assists institutions and decision-makers to formulate policies and support programmes through comparable systematic data on the circumstances in which volunteering is useful for personal development, empowerment and inclusion of young people.During the “Making it Matter” project significant evidence was gathered in favour of inclusive programmes that support disadvantaged and marginalised youth to participate actively in volunteering in whatever way they can. Project enabled the creation of methods and indicators for impact measurement that will help volunteer involving organisations to understand the key benefits, and shape the most inclusive volunteer programmes.The partnership resulted with the following results and outputs that, in the long term, contributed to the improvement of social and organisational capacities for the development of high quality, innovative and community-oriented services that support the empowerment and inclusion of young people at risk of social exclusion through volunteering.IO1 Focus Research Report gives an overview of existing EU and national policies and practices that support the inclusion of disadvantaged youth through volunteering. The key findings and recommendations of the Report came out as a result of desk research of existing policies on an EU and national level, research implemented through 413 questionnaires of volunteer-involving organisations and interviews with 11 disadvantaged youth volunteers and 9 volunteer coordinators. The interviews were filmed and shaped in longer and shorter version of the promotional videos with testimonies of volunteer coordinators and volunteers on the impact of volunteering on their life and inclusion in the society.IO2 Manual on measuring the impact of volunteering on social inclusion designed as a simple, innovative tool, for regular monitoring and evaluation of impact of volunteering, evidence based, linking volunteer experience and its benefits with the impact on overall people’s well-being. The methodology was piloted within 11 organisations and 20 disadvantaged volunteers.IO3 Educational curriculum ""New pathway to social inclusion"" with tutor notes has been designed to ensure permanent support of capacity building of volunteer involving organisations to develop effective and well-managed inclusive volunteer programmes for disadvantaged youth. The design of the curriculum was followed by 3 implemented educations for over 50 participants. IO4 Policy Paper relies on the key findings of the Focus Research report and the Manual and offers set of recommendations at local, regional, national and EU level. It was communicated and disseminated to different stakeholders. 3 multiplier events through which the project results and outputs were presented and discussed as relevant for contributing to social inclusion gathered 129 participants from over 20 EU countries, among which were relevant researchers, practitioners, representatives of NGOs and representatives of European institutions who gained new knowledge and tools and were asked for greater support of volunteering as a tool of social inclusion of youth. The impact and sustainability of the project were achieved through improved infrastructure for development of volunteering as a tool for social inclusion; improved capacities of volunteer involving organisations and partner organisations for developing services and activities in line with the needs of disadvantaged youth; improved life quality of disadvantaged youth by their active engagement in the society through volunteering.The project contributed to the EU values of freedom, tolerance, respect of diversities."