The Steering Group of the European Year of Volunteering 2011 Alliance met on 17th November to make two important steps in their work. The final version of the Policy Agenda for Volunteering in Europe was agreed. The document is a platform that presents ideas and proposal for a more efficient and effective policy framework in Europe to support and promote volunteers, volunteering, volunteer-involving organisations and their partners. Recommendations are addressed to European Institutions, EU member states, social partners and civil society. The Agenda will be formally presented at the EYV Closing Conference, in realy december in Warsaw, Poland.
The second impornat issue was related to the future of the Alliance. Organisations cooperating in the Alliance agreed to work towards creating a volunteering platform – The European Alliance on Volunteering. It will bring together civil society actors from all sectors which engage in the field of volunteering in order to coordinate input towards the EU institutions, national level stakeholders and its social partners. The new structure will be operational from autimn 2012. WOSM and WAGGGS expressed their clear interest to contribute to the development of the new platform and participate in the Preparatory Working Group that will lead that process.