iriv was selected under the Leonardo da Vinci sub-programme (call for proposal 2003) of the "Lifelong learning" programme. The project is called "Assessing voluntary experiences : identifying, evaluating and validating skills and qualifications acquired through volunteering as an informal learning for a professional purpose". It was gathering seven countries: France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom. This project was supported by the European programme Leonardo da Vinci and the Regional council in Champagne Ardenne for the experimentation in France. The web site of the project is : www.eEuropeassociations.net.
Associations may be the ideal place to get accustomed and trained to novel and innovative solutions and practices, to experiment or acquire new skills. For volunteers, a voluntary experience may lead or facilitate a professional career. Identifying and evaluating the skills and qualifications acquired through volunteering in the associations should be the way to recognize and validate this informal learning. It should be very useful for people who have no professional experience to face with a first activity (youngsters) and for people who have been kept away from the labour market to renew with a professional activity (parents who have raised their children, sick people when they have recovered, prisoners when they are free...). A voluntary experience is an alternative way to experiment, develop or renew with specific skills and qualifications in a specific context, nor public nor private, with both professional and non professional staff, with the goal to include and serve the general interest.
The project consists in : a statement of the recognition of voluntary work in each of the 7 countries and the kind of training proposed by professionals to volunteers and the qualifications they require ; a synthesis of the main skills and qualifications developed in the voluntary activities and the ways and tools to identify them for professionals ; a proposal and experimentation of validation for these skills and qualifications in the short term for the associations, in the long term for their partners (public and private sectors..).
Building a double network :
Elaborating tools and methods :
Experimenting this identification, evaluation and validation
The results are:
1. a portfolio to value the skills & competences acquired thanks to a volunteering on the labour market;
2. a guide for professionals working with the volunteers and in the professional integration field.
1st of October 2003 - 30th of March 2006
France IRIV |
Maine University |
CICOS |
AFEV |
Regional council in Champagne Ardenne |
Regional Direction for Youth and Sports |
Germany INBAS Sozialforschung |
DPVW |
Austria European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and ResearchCharlotte Strümpel, Barbara Riedl Berggasse 17 1090 Vienna Tel.: +43 1 319 45 05 24 fax : + 43 1 319 45 05 19 www.euro.centre.org |
OEVBW |
Hungary OKA |
Poland Wolontariat |
Italy FIVOL |
United Kingdom Institute for Volunteering Research |