“Future active citizens: Volunteering as an exercise of democracy”

“Future Active Citizens: volunteering as an exercise of democracy”

Description:

“Future Active Citizens: volunteering as an exercise of democracy” (FAC) project was created within the "Europe for citizens 2007-2013" program, established by the European Parliament and the European Council to support a wide range of activities and organizations that promote active European citizenship, that is citizens’ and organizations’ involvement in civil society.(http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/)

In this context, the main objective of the project is to stimulate young Europeans’ desire to become active citizens informing them about the meaning and tangible voluntary activities basing on civic and voluntary associations’ experience.

Grounded on partnership of 7 European countries, the project has been thought for future European citizens, who will hopefully play an active role on the community social scene. Thus high school students, namely 16 and 17 years old adolescents, can experience an activity of European dimension, matching against their peers from other countries. The idea of the project is to offer European students a transnational European perspective that overcomes geographic, cultural and linguistic features of each partner country.

European students are offered informal training in volunteering, enriched by the video contest that will put them in competition fostering intercultural exchange.

Location: 

The project is conducted in 7 EU countries: Austria, Italy, Romania, United Kingdom, Slovenia, Germany, Slovakia.

Duration: 

September 2011 – December 2012

Purpose:  

The main purpose of the project is to encourage young Europeans to become active citizens, informing them about the meaning and practice of volunteering, based on direct experience of civic and voluntary organizations. It will also allow both voluntary and civic organizations involved in the project to develop a better understanding of their own action in a European framework, and allow teachers to experiment with a new form of informal learning.

Beneficiaries:

 125 students in IX-XII grades from 6 high-school in each participating country

Activities:

1. Research based on existing European studies coordinated by FONDACA, one of the partner organizations
2. Seminar on the concepts of voluntarism, active citizenship and civic participation topics. Its objectives will be to increase the knowledge of participants, to discuss the situation of voluntarism in Europe (especially in the 5 participating countries) and to identify a common definition of voluntarism that will be used as a reference point during the whole project. 
3. From February until March 2012 in each six high-schools participating in the project will be held two meetings where each partner organization will present their work and the importance of working with volunteers. During the project three partner organizations with extensive experience working with volunteers, young participants in the project will present the latest achievements and will motivate them to get involved in this project.
4. Video production contest (April-May 2012) - Students from 6 high-schools will be encouraged to create a video illustrating the concept of volunteering and voluntary practice in their country. The winning team will be rewarded with the opportunity to participate in a European event organized by one of the partners in the project. Videos can be produced by any technique (animation, film, cartoons, etc.) And tools (camera, mobile phone, etc.) Should not be longer than 1 minute and can be silent or in English.
5. Creating a website with information about the project where will be posted videos made by young students.
6. Creation and distribution of an electronic animated illustration to invite at least 3,000 people in each country to vote for the best video production.
7. Production and dissemination of about 600 DVD (125 / country) containing all the videos made by students.
8. Organizing a European level event for prize awarding to the winning team (will attend the event only the winning team - five high school students and their teacher).

On September 20^th, PACT organized a meeting at the Mihai Viteazul National College in Bucharest, with approximately 100 young people from six high schools in Bucharest. The event brought together representatives from three organizations experienced working with volunteers partner in the project), teachers and parents. The representatives of the organizations held presentations about their work with volunteers and about the importance of the volunteering in day-by-day life. During the meeting, the high school students had the opportunity to know the work of NGOs involved in the project and their latest achievements. Also, they have learned more about the project activities, objectives and expected results.

Between 28 and 30 November there was organized a seminar in Rome named “A common definition of volunteering” with the voluntary and civic organizations involved in the project. At the seminar attended 28 representatives of 28 European civic associations (including 1 representative of the project partners and 3 representatives from the voluntary associations for each 7 countries involved). Its objectives were to increase the knowledge of participants, to discuss the situation of voluntarism in Europe (especially in the 5 participating countries) and to identify a common definition of voluntarism that will be used as a reference point during the whole project. The representatives of 28 European civic associations which participated to the seminar held in Rome have defined the concepts that must be conveyed to the students and have identified the working methodologies aimed at addressing one of the most important project activities: meeting students in schools. Also, during the seminar the participants had the opportunity to share experience and examples of good practice from their work with volunteers.

International Partners:

Local partners:

Project participating high-schools: 

• Coordinating organization - Cittadinanzattiva (www.activecitizenship.net), Italy
• Fondaca (www.fondaca.org) – Italy
• The World of NGO’s (www.ngo.at) – Austria
• BBE (www.b-b-e.de) – Germany
• Consumer Protection Society – Slovakia (www.sospotrebitelov.sk)
• Zavod Nefiks (www.talentiran.si) -  Slovenia
• Rutland Citizens Advice Bureau (www.rutlandcab.org.uk) –United Kingdom

Project financer:

Contact:

European Commission by Executive Agency for Education, Audio Visual and Culture

Georgiana Cune, georgiana@fundatiapact.ro

Luiza Cristea, luiza@fundatiapact.ro