Conferentie beoogt meer aandacht voor economische waarde van vrijwilligerswerk (en)

Participants in a high-level conference on volunteering, held today in the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, pledged to spare no effort to sustain the momentum generated by the European Year of Volunteering in a bid to make life easier for volunteers. The conference, which brought together hundreds of civil society and voluntary organisations from the EU and Eastern Partnership countries, was organised by the European Economic and Social Committee’s Various Interests’ Group, in cooperation with the Polish Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland and the European Commission Representation in Poland.

In his opening address, Bronislaw Komorowski, Polish President, the conference's host and guest of honour reminded participants that the very room where the conference was taking place witnessed the 1989 Round Table talks that paved the way for the establishment of democracy in Poland. “Had it not been for courageous, active citizens, the 1989 change would not have been possible” he said highlighting a direct interplay between democracy and active citizenship. “Volunteering is a formidable way of instilling values underpinning active citizenship”.

Responding to fears about the negative impact that the current economic crisis can have on the future of volunteering, Staffan Nilsson, EESC i President said that “the crisis, no matter how serious and gloomy it is, cannot be an excuse for pushing everything else aside - including aspects that are intrinsic to the very fibre of our society, such as volunteering". He added that one in four Europeans engaged in voluntary activity. His views were echoed by Luca Jahier, President of the EESC's Various Interests Group, who said that volunteering accounted for up to 5% of GDP in some of the EU countries. However, the economic value of volunteering remains largely unknown and it is about time that this changed. He also called for “a more accessible and sustainable funding of volunteers and voluntary organisations, in addition to the removal of legal impediments holding back its development”.

László Andor i, European Commissioner responsible for employment, social affairs and inclusion, underlined the role that volunteering can play in creating a truly inclusive labour market. “Volunteering boosts employability by helping people acquire new skills”, he stated and went on to say that the European Commission will strive towards a formal recognition of skills acquired through volunteering.

In the same vein, Jolanta Fedak, Polish Minister for Labour and Social Policy, said that volunteering was an excellent way of smoothing out the social consequences of the crisis, combating poverty, strengthening social integration and boosting growth. She highlighted the efforts undertaken by the Polish presidency i of the EU to promote volunteering at all levels; on 3 October, following the Polish Presidency’s initiative the EU Council will adopt conclusions on the role of volunteering in social policy aimed at stepping up efforts to tackle existing barriers to volunteering in Europe and beyond.

The conference was concluded by Mr Jahier who underlined the main points of his declaration on volunteering, including the establishment of a European Charter for Volunteering, laying out the basic principles for the rights and responsibilities of volunteers and their organisations. The declaration also calls on Member States to adopt volunteering-friendly legislation and to set up efficient and well-structured infrastructure for volunteering.

Back in 2006 the EESC, a relentless champion of volunteering, was the first EU body to put forward the idea of having a European year dedicated to it.