Stress on the concept of volunteering

Every year has a theme, as you well know, and this year the focus is on volunteering. We sometimes fail to recognise the power this has and, more importantly, the difference it makes to people’s lives. Apart from potentially introducing one to new people and cultures, it is an excellent way to gain experience, with the greatest benefit going to the society. The European Union is well aware of all this, bringing volunteering to the fore, with the main aim of getting as many people as possible involved or, at least, aware of the influence it has.

Volunteering affects more people than we may initially think and it deserves to be in the spotlight. About 100 million Europeans regularly volunteer, which, in turn, affects the lives of even larger numbers.

The EP Volunteering Interest Group has been set up at the European Parliament. This group has furnished me, together with all my other MEP colleagues, with all the national contact points. It is now up to us to contact our respective regional points to further understand what is taking place and, more importantly, how we can get involved at a national level. This is effective, particularly because there is a direct link between parliamentarians and volunteers, with a platform for open dialogue and hands-on experience. Whether it is preserving the environment, supporting those in need or holding activities to help each other, volunteering is one major factor in bolstering social cohesion.

There are a number of interesting projects worth mentioning. Value is a project that involves volunteering for lifelong learning in universities and Move targets mutual recognition of skills and competencies gained through volunteering. Last year, we saw the rise of the EY2010 NGO coalition network, a catalyst to creating public debate and generating dialogue through an active participation of social NGOs.

The European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion was marked in 2010.

The order of themes has been crafted in a way so there is a certain synergy between last year, this year and the next. Last year, the socially marginalised citizens were brought to the fore. This year, we are to promote the concept of volunteering, which would directly affect these people. And 2012 will be dedicated to active ageing, as populations are demographically increasing in age, and this wealth of experience can be used in a positive way to improve social cohesion. This is one continuous agenda with a conscious effort to making a real difference.

On another note, it is well worth stressing it is imperative for stakeholders to realise that governments have their restrictions and limitations. The bleak reality is that budgets and resources are far from unlimited. It is therefore crucial the public and private sectors join forces and converge, in particular when dealing with volunteering, as venturing into partnerships can leave the biggest impact on the common good. In this respect, I must say that, nowadays, prominent business organisations are improving their corporate social responsibilities, some even being precursors to a number of private-public initiatives that are a great success.

I recognise that, as a society, we are driven by our social conscience. Living proof of this are the contributions and donations made on a regular basis in this country.

However, with more awareness, we can get the message across: one that tells us how the act of volunteering is much deeper than a simple donation with a lasting benefit both to society and also the volunteer.

The author is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.