You’re invited to join in!

1. Team IYV Fax: (49 228) 815 2959 Tel: (49 228) 815 2000 team@iyv2001.orgwww.iyv2001.org United Nations VolunteersPostfach 260 111D-53153 BonnGermany IYV 2001 Planning for the International Year of Volunteers 2001 You’re invited to join in!

2. Introduction • In November 1997, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers (IYV). To prepare for the year, the United Nations has invited governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), individuals and all volunteers or volunteer groups to find means of enhancing the recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion of voluntary service. • The following pages contain a wealth of ideas and strategies to assist in planning and participating in the Year. Activities for IYV can start at any time, but for the best results, there is no time like the present.

3. Who is IYV for? • The International Year of Volunteers is for volunteers of all ages, representing the diversity of volunteering from all cultures.The year is for: • Each individual volunteer • International and national NGOs • Community groups, any volunteer association • State bodies • Governments

4. What make a successful UN Year? • During the Canadian Leaders Forum, volunteer stakeholders examined the history of successful UN-designated years and came up with these five suggestions for the International Year of Volunteers 2001: 1. Pick the right moment 2. Package the Year so that the maximum number of people can relate to the issue 3. Aim not only to celebrate the ongoing work but also to change behaviour and attitudes 4. Start early 5. Ignite passions – and have fun

5. Some of the many events in 2001 • IAVE WORLD CONFERENCE, 14-18 January 2001 • Amsterdam, Netherlands • WORLD CONFERENCE ON CIVIL DEFENSE AND VOLUNTEERISM, April 2001 • Naples, Italy • CIVICUS WORLD ASSEMBLY, 19-23 August 2001 • Putting the Citizen at the Center: Strengthening Voluntarism and Participatory Democracy, Vancouver, Canada • UN WORLD CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM, September 2001 • Durban, South Africa   • GENEVA SYMPOSIUM ON VOLUNTEERISM, November 2001 • Lessons learned from the National Committees • Geneva, Switzerland • UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY SPECIAL SESSION, 5 December 2001 • The Secretary-General and member states to identify ways governments can support volunteering • New York, USA

6. 10 Steps to successful IYV activities • 1 Build and solicit support • 2 Create volunteer networks and linkages • 3 Plan and coordinate energetic IYV activities • 4 Produce event materials • 5 Community participation and outreach • 6 Celebrate voluntary service • 7 Invite eminent persons to support IYV activities • 8 Nurture good media relations • 9 Lead by example and volunteer • 10 Make it happen

7. 1 Build and solicit support • Through people and institutions: • Invite influential organizations to get involved: NGOs, associations, clubs, schools, community groups, etc... • Facilitation through recruitment, enabling a national center or foundation to promote volunteering • Invite eminent persons that are strong advocates of social or volunteer issues to promote IYV • Encourage the government to join in: • Propose legislation designed to facilitate volunteering • Issue messages of support through high ranking officials • Framework agreements between state structures and volunteer associations • Solicit financial and in-kind donations: • Seek financial or technical support (private sector, government) for volunteers projects, campaigns, advocacy or events • Organize a time donation campaign (people for specific projects)

8. 2 Create volunteer networks and linkages • Join your country’s IYV National Committee or consider bringing together volunteer organizations, NGOs and government to form one. • Ask your mayor to proclaim International Volunteer Day (IVD) on 5 December • Develop a plan to disseminate IYV information to volunteer organizations and individuals • Produce a national volunteer directory • Engage tomorrows volunteers – children and youth. • Ask postal authorities to issue IYV- IVD stamps. • Bring together community leaders of different groups • Organize conferences, symposiums, workshops bringing together NGOs, government representatives, volunteers researchers and interested individuals (on national or regional levels) • Organize television or radio roundtable discussions • Share information about your activities with Team IYV

9. 3 Plan and coordinate energetic IYV activities • Events to mark the opening and closing of IYV 2001 on 5 December 2000 and 2001. • Conferences, workshops or meetings of volunteer stakeholders • Events that involve volunteers in local, national, international projects or charities • Build a national commission on volunteerism - Portugal • Contribute to a “NationalVolunteer report” – China • Develop or inspire a national volunteer centre – Singapore • Encourage academic volunteer studies, research or measurement – South Korea & Japan • Develop a volunteer resource center or archives – Ireland • Set up volunteer training courses – South Africa • Serve as a voice for national volunteer issues and interests – Bosch Foundation in Germany • Poster campaign – Indonesia • Film or documentary on volunteer actions – Mongolia

10. 4 Produce event materials • Create posters, flyers, calendars of activities, stickers and other promotional tools. • Download the IYV logo from the IYV web site at www.iyv2001.org to produce event materials. • Send a copy of your IYV materials to Team IYV to help document the wealth of materials produced for the Year.

11. 5 Community participation and outreach • IYV is about bringing people together to help each other. Events during 2001 offer an ideal opportunity to help foster participation and social networking. Below are some ideas to help encourage community participation: • Launch a promotional and information campaign • Make and advertise a list of all the services, which would not exist if they were not accomplished by volunteers • Coordinate exhibitions on volunteering • Invite people to participatory events where they may plant trees, clean up parks or paint buildings in your community. • Develop a national IYV web site and invite organizations to link to it • Consider national and local distribution opportunities: • Place posters and flyers in in libraries, government buildings, community centers, NGOs and educational institutes • Try to add IYV materials to mailings from other NGOs, businesses and government agencies that support IYV

12. 6 Celebrate voluntary service • Assure Recognition • Host an event to distribute awards to outstanding volunteers and volunteer initiatives • Give certificates for volunteer solidarity action and/or NGO of the year • Hold a ceremony with eminent persons to preside over celebrations and hand out awards • Plan for cultural and recreation events (exhibition, volunteer ball, concert, play, sports event) • Invite a historian or writer to trace and present the history of national volunteering • Host celebrations in honor of outstanding volunteer initiatives or persons • Let the world know about your activities by sending out press releases and inviting the media Volunteer of the Year Volunteer appreciation award

13. 7 Invite eminent persons to support IYV activities • When eminent persons speak about volunteer issues, they are more likely to attract public attention and inspire action. Here are some ways eminent persons can get involved with IYV: • Attract media attention through participation in IYV events and initiatives • Lead by example and volunteer at IYV events • Appear in various media to talk about volunteer issues or personal volunteer experiences • Create and/or contribute to volunteer-related publications • Endorse volunteer books, movies, stories, etc. • Perform at IYV events • Donate works of art or possessions for volunteer or IYV-related fundraising • Encourage people to volunteer in their community • Present awards at volunteer award ceremonies • Participate in IYV regional meetings

14. 8 Nurture good media relations • For IYV events to have the greatest impact possible, it is important to complement IYV activities with pre-planned media relations. • Focus your press message on the one issue you want to convey, whether is news about an upcoming event or promotion of an opinion. • Create standard media tools in advance: Media advisory, photo opportunities, press releases, public service announcements (PSA) for television and/or radio, letter to editors and/or submissions to event calendars. • Make media releases sound exciting and newsworthy. • Create a media distribution list or database to use when sending out media material. You may find media lists in libraries or try partnering with a group that already has one. • Timing is important. Plan ahead and send out different media tools at different times. • Be prepared for journalists: provide them with facts, contacts, information and press kits about your volunteer activities.

15. 9 Lead by example and volunteer • The most important thing you can do for IYV is volunteer! Here are some volunteer activities you may do to support the Year: • humanitarian and solidarity actions: visiting sick people, donating blood, medicine, visiting children in orphanages and offering help, providing free medical services and vaccinations to the needy, providing free legal advice, giving lessons for free, providing friendship services such as support and counselling, collecting and distributing clothes, shoes, toys or food, helping single mothers and pensioners, providing a hotline for those in distress, helping in farming, visiting juvenile detention centres, providing the elderly in need with services such as shopping, letter writing…, companionship, securing sponsorships producing event materials: Donating classroom materials, hospital supplies, machinery, instruments, wheelchairs and other material for disabled, scholarships, IT equipment, charity dinners, getting involved in civic and developmental actions: renovating / building /sponsoring / institutions for the disabled, orphans, pensioners, civic and community centers, schools, hospitals, libraries, playgrounds for city children, infrastructure, Organizing work camps with different goals, cleaning historical sites, renovate places of worship. getting involved in environmental activities: Campaigning, pressuring, undertaking and studies, cleaning initiatives, initiating solid waste disposals, ensuring safe water supplies, planting gardens, trees, getting children involved and informed about nature and environment. getting involved in educational actions: Transferring knowledge and technical skills, Teaching and literacy campaigns, Maternity and infant care workshops, Training session on health issues - awareness campaigns

16. 10 Make it happen • Everyone is invited to make IYV 2001 the success it deserves to be! • It’s our time. • Join in!