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SPEECH BY STAFFAN NILSSON, PRESIDENT OF EESC
at
STAKEHOLDERS CONFERENCE WITHIN THE II YOUTH CONVENTION ON VOLUNTEERING "YOUNG VOLUNTEERS: STAND UP!" at the EESC
07.09.2011
Welcome everyone in one of the houses of civil society!
I have known the European Youth Forum for quite many years, having excellent relations with them; they have never ceased to amaze me when it comes to the way they can mobilize young people from all over Europe to come together in Brussels or elsewhere; the European Youth Forum gatherings are, for me, manifestations of the spirit of Europe!
When we speak about democracy in Europe, I immediately think of European citizenship. Citizenship will always remain voluntary, but it is a right as much as a duty. However it is extremely important to remember that volunteering cannot replace paid jobs and the state’s responsibilities. We are going through a deep economic and social crisis and trade-unions sometimes are afraid that work places might be substituted for volunteering positions. And there is one aspect which is unique about volunteering: emotion. Emotion is intrinsic to volunteering and this is what makes it so valuable.
I'm proud to say the EESC was the one to propose a European Year of Volunteering back in 2006 and now it has become a reality. Especially now in times of crisis, we need to consider how much volunteering has brought and can bring to the economy of our countries. This is why we need reliable and comparable statistics on the scale, on the importance and socio-economic value of voluntary activity.Beyond its economic impact, volunteering is of real value for all in the European societies: for those who volunteer, for organisations, employers and all community services.
The risk with such focus on one year is that although you highlight the importance of volunteering and you also showcase the need for society to take volunteering into account, all this might stop at the end of the year and we might not obtain concrete results. I hope that the efforts brought forward during the EYV will continue after 2011, aswe have brought to surface concrete challenges. For example the EESC is supporting the idea to have a good Charter of the rights and responsibilities of volunteers – as a legacy of the year, to which the Member States would subscribe and commit to. So the Charter will need to be endorsed by the European Council.
I am sure that we all will all have recognized the values of volunteering. As president of the European Economic and Social Committee I have committed to be as practical as possible, and always to try to come up with concrete proposals whenever our expertise is called for.
The EESC has adopted three opinions on volunteering during the last 4 years. We have set up a coordination group excellently chaired by Pavel Trantina, and we have been supporting EYV Alliance whenever we could, being vey conscious of the valuable contribution such a group of organisations could bring to advance the volunteer work in Europe.
To prepare for this European Year, the EESC has established the Coordinating group on EYV 2011. It is contributing to the development of the European Policy Agenda on Volunteering. Through a series of public hearings, held in cooperation with the EYV 2011 Alliance, the EESC also wants to start up a discussion between employers, trade unions and non- governmental organisations(those we represent) on how to advance the European policy agenda on volunteering.
There is definitely a need for better understanding between the volunteers' world and employers - the EESC is providing a platform for dialogue for this, and the EESC Coordination Group for the EYV2011 has made it a priority for the hearings on volunteering to be organized this year.
People engaged in voluntary work acquire skills — teamwork, problem solving, language skills, multicultural awareness, empathy, and a sense of initiative and responsibility — that are highly prized in the labour market. Volunteers are not usually aware of the competences they have acquired, and are not able to translate their skills into the language of business. We need to develop the means to recognise the results of this ‘non- formal education’. We may need new instruments for it, such as European Skills Passport, and by raising awareness constantly about the value of volunteering and non-formal education among the social partners. The EESC strongly supports the recognition of non-formal education!
We are there to stand up for the citizens' social rights, including those of volunteers.
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For further details:
Coralia Catana | EESC President's Spokesperson | +32 (0)25469963 | +32 (0)498984613
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