Active Citizenship through European theme-years

1. Active Citizenship through European theme-years Petre DumitruInformation and Communication OfficerPetre.Dumitru@ec.europa.eu

2. Why a European Year? • What: Communication and information campaign • Purpose: Raise awareness of and drawing national governments' attention to a thematic area • 1st EY-1983: SMEs and the Craft Industry

3. 2010 & 2011 • Opportunity to promote active citizenship • 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion • 2011 European Year of Volunteering

4. Stop Poverty now Four categories of activities: 1) Awareness raising (debates, didactic materials, media work, art competitions, solidarity chains, social networking) 2) Direct support (information on rights, community support, empowerment through arts or informal education) 3) Policy developments (conferences, seminars, participatory meetings, the introduction of new policy schemes and action plans) 4) Expertise (research, studies and publications)

5. Strengthening partnerships at European level • Strengthened cooperation among EU level stakeholders (NGOs, social partners, foundations, regions/cities) • Major events organised by EU institutions and bodies (EP, EESC, CoR) • Within the EC (info on rights, conferences, photo exhibitions…) Setting the ground for future action (European platform against poverty and social exclusion, part of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.)

6. EY 2010 at a glance • Supporting several hundreds of initiatives throughout Europe • Building political momentum • Increased public awareness • Highlighting good practice • Strengthening partnerships and cooperation at various levels

7. EY 2010 Main Outcomes • Declaration endorsed by the European Council; 17.12.2010 • Encourage EU stakeholders and citizens to consolidate past and current activities • Europe 2020 Strategy: national targets for reducing poverty and exclusion • European Platform against Poverty

8. 2011

9. Why EY of Volunteering? • An expression of active citizenship • Important indicator of civic engagement • Rich learning experience (develops social skills & competences, prepares young people for working life) • Promotes solidarity, non-discrimination, harmonious development of society, sense of citizenship

10. What does the Year hope to achieve? Four objectives: • To foster an enabling environment for volunteering in the EU • To empower volunteer organisations and improve the quality of volunteering • To reward and recognise volunteering activities • To raise awareness of the value and importance of volunteering

11. Volunteering landscape in the EU • 94 million people (23%)Europeans aged 15 and older engage in some form of voluntary activity • The typical volunteer is — • 30 to 50 years old, • in employment, and • well-educated (higher education and beyond), • male (males outnumber female volunteers in 11 Member States, and are roughly equal in number in a further 9 countries). • Sport attracts the most volunteers, • followed by volunteering in the social sector, aid to the disadvantaged, and the health sector.

12. Challenges • Lack of internationally comparable data • National volunteering strategies? Rarely! • Lack of a legal framework for • the social insurance coverage of volunteers • their training • entitlement to holidays • accommodation or pocket money etc. • Increased professionalisation of the volunteering sector • Result: growing mismatch between the needs of volunteering organisations and the aspirations of volunteers. • Lack of recognition of skills and competences gained through volunteering activities. • Problem with finding sustainable funding.