Author/Cbuilder

Antti Reinsalo

View Antti Reinsalo’s profile

Title

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Encouraging social engagement, participation and volunteering

Description

Description

The ‘Europe for Citizens’ programme for the period 2014-2020 is established through the Council Regulation (EU) No 390/2014 of 14 April 2014. One of the aims of the programme is    to encourage democratic participation of citizens at EU level, by developing citizens’ understanding of the EU policy making-process and, by promoting opportunities for societal and intercultural engagement and volunteering at EU level.

Elections to the European Parliament were held in all Member States from 22 to 25 May 2014. These elections are the first to be held under the Lisbon Treaty enhancing the role of EU citizens as political actors through Article 11 TEU. There is a need for deepening the debate on the future of Europe with the aim of setting up a European public space, where European issues are discussed and debated from a European standpoint. In this context one of the priorities of the Citizens Programme will be given to projects dealing with citizens’ participation in the democratic life of the EU, ranging from local democracy to the empowerment of citizens to play a full part in EU policy.

In 2011 the European Commission published a communication on EU Policies and Volunteering: Recognising and Promoting Cross-border Voluntary Activities in the EU, acknowledging the benefit and added value of volunteers. The EU also designated 2011 as the “European Year of Volunteering”. In the European Union, almost 100 million citizens of all ages invest their time, talents and money to make a positive contribution to their community by volunteering in civil society organisations, youth clubs, hospitals, schools, in sport clubs, etc. For the Commission, volunteering is an active expression of civic participation which strengthens common European values such as solidarity and social cohesion. Volunteering also provides important learning opportunities, because involvement in voluntary activities can provide people with new skills and competences that can even improve their employability. This is especially important at this time of economic crisis. Volunteering plays an important role in sectors as varied and diverse as education, youth, culture, sport, environment, health, social care, consumer protection, humanitarian aid, development policy, research, equal opportunities and external relations.

In ADAM 2522 projects can be found when entering the search term encouraging social engagement, participation and volunteering.

Keywords / TAGS

social engagement, participation, volunteering

Coordinator contact details

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antti.reinsalo@eucis-lll.eu

Coordinator Country

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Coordinator Region (NUTS code)

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Partners

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Theme

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• Continuous training
• Lifelong learning
• Social dialogue

Target Groups

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• Individuals
• Groups
• Careers officers
• Members of students/teachers councils

Type

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• Best practice
• Methods for Training of Teachers/Staff
• European Qualification Framework
• Inclusion of all in Lifelong Learning

Sector

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• Education
• Others

Educational sector

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• General secondary
• Vocational/Technical secondary
• Special education for disabled persons
• Adult Education Provider
• Higher education
• Organizations working migrants/minorities
• Centres for guidance, counselling or accreditation

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additional info if needed

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Language

Your Project language (ISO 639-2)

eng

Languages you will look for

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1. LLP project or related resource

Title

Social Erasmus (ESN)

Hyperlink

http://socialerasmus.esn.org/

Comments/Description

SocialErasmus (SE) is an international project of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) with the aim of involving international students, participating in university exchange, in to social and volunteering activities in their host country. The project promotes a social attitude among international students and facilitates their social integration into the local community while exploring the added value that resides in the diversity in Europe. The project goes under the slogan:
Reach higher! Go further! Go social!
The aim of the SocialErasmus project is to complete the stay abroad with the original values of the Erasmus Program. Erasmus is supposed to be an opportunity to get to know new cultures and education systems as well as to make new unforgettable friendships, but also it should be a kind of inspiration for a future life. Moreover, SocialErasmus project enables to experience something new, as consequence Erasmus program participants will get a new perspective, which would be beyond their cognitive abilities, if they did not take part in the Erasmus program.

2. LLP project or related resource

Title

SiS Catalyst

Hyperlink

http://www.siscatalyst.eu/resources

Comments/Description

SiS Catalyst aims to show that Science Communication and children’s university type activities, combined with widening access, are powerful tools to vastly change society for the better. Not only do they give opportunities for HEIs to influence young people, but also it gives the young people an opportunity to influence the HEIs in turn, shaping the education system to one that is relevant to the to the needs of those in it.

3. LLP project or related resource

Title

Value

Hyperlink

http://www.eucen.eu/current/value

Comments/Description

Volunteering and Lifelong Learning in Universities in Europe.

The VALUE project aims to bring the university and volunteering sectors together to share experiences of collaborative working and to explore the potential for developing new university lifelong learning opportunities for volunteers.

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