1
GRUNDTVIG SENIOR
VOLUNTEERING PROJECTS
TIPS AND RESOURCES FOR A
GOOD PROJECT
2
This document has been produced by the service responsible for Grundtvig in the European
Commission to help organisations and volunteers prepare their Grundtvig Senior Volunteering
Projects.
For any question or suggestion about this guide, please contact:
European Commission
Directorate General Education and Culture
Unit B4 - Adult Education; Grundtvig
MADO 13/03
B-1049 Brussels
geraldine.libreau@ec.europa.eu
December 2008
Table of contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3
Main features of the action ...................................................................................................... 4
What is volunteering? .............................................................................................................. 5
What you need to know............................................................................................................... 6
Key elements of a good project ............................................................................................... 6
Main resources ........................................................................................................................ 7
Roles and responsibilities of the partner organisations................................................................. 8
Implementation of the project ................................................................................................... 10
A partnership between two organisations .............................................................................. 10
Defining the volunteering activities ....................................................................................... 10
Dissemination and exploitation of results .............................................................................. 11
Visibility ................................................................................................................................ 12
The volunteers........................................................................................................................... 13
Recruitment and selection...................................................................................................... 13
Involving people with fewer opportunities ............................................................................ 13
Preparation and support ........................................................................................................ 16
Recognition ........................................................................................................................... 18
Linguistic issues..................................................................................................................... 18
Practical arrangements........................................................................................................... 19
Little reminder on procedures and finances ............................................................................... 21
How to submit an application................................................................................................ 21
The grant............................................................................................................................... 21
Additional references................................................................................................................. 22
3
Introduction
The European Community programme for education and training is the Lifelong Learning
programme1 (2007-2013). It aims to offer educational opportunities to people of all ages, to
facilitate formal, informal and non-formal learning. Within this programme, the Grundtvig subprogramme
is dedicated to adult education.
Grundtvig Senior Volunteering Projects are projects of a new kind, proposed in the wake of
successful past experiences of transnational (senior) volunteering projects funded by the Socrates
II programme for European cooperation in the field of education (2000-2006).
Volunteering is increasingly recognised as a very valuable informal learning2 experience for
people of all ages. Senior volunteering in particular has been recognised as a way of offering new
learning opportunities to senior citizens in Europe promoting the process of active ageing and
emphasising the contribution of senior citizens to our societies. This Action therefore offers a
new form of mobility to European senior citizens and will allow them to learn — and to “give”
— in a European country other than their own.
This new form of mobility is also a new form of Grundtvig partnership between the
organisations which will send and host volunteers. It should allow new types of organisations to
join the Grundtvig programme, enrich their work through the exchange of good practice, and
create sustainable European collaboration between them.
1 Decision N° 1720/2006/EC — see http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/doc78_en.htm
for more information.
2 Informal learning takes place through activities in work, family or leisure; it is not structured and typically does
not lead directly to qualifications. It is opposed to formal learning, organised in institutions and non-formal
learning, which is structured, intentional, but generally not provided by formal Education and training
organisations.
4
Main features of the action
Formal objectives
(1) To enable senior citizens to volunteer in another European country for any kind of nonprofit
activity, as a form of informal learning activity.
(2) To create lasting partnerships between the host and sending organisations around a
specific topic or target group, and thanks to the exchange of volunteers.
Expected outputs
For the volunteers: increase of personal, linguistic, social and intercultural skills, contribution to the
development and implementation of non-profit activities, and beyond this, contribute to the
community as an active citizen, and possibly the acquisition / development of specific taskrelated
skills.
For the sending and hosting organisations: exchange of experience, knowledge and good practices;
development of European collaboration around a particular theme (or several themes) and an
intensified European outlook.
Bilateral and reciprocal partnerships
Each organisation will be expected to send 2–6 volunteers within a year, and to host 2–6
volunteers within the same year.
Volunteers may move in a group or individually. Volunteers can only participate once.
Sending and hosting may take place at the same time but do not necessarily have to coincide.
Profile of volunteers
The action is open to all adult citizens aged 50 or over and who are legally resident in one of the
Programme countries. It is expected that in many cases volunteers will be experienced local
volunteers and this will enhance the exchange of experiences between the host and sending
organisations. However, this is not compulsory, and volunteers may also be adult learners
wishing to volunteer for the first time.
When possible, particular emphasis will be given to encouraging the participation of volunteers
from socially disadvantaged groups and ethnic minorities, thereby helping to strengthen their
integration in Europe and to combat racism and xenophobia. Equal participation of both genders
should also be encouraged.
Profile of sending and hosting organisations
Any organisation may send and host volunteers; however please note that the sending and
hosting organisations are expected to create working partnerships: they should therefore have
similar or complementary profiles.
Duration and type of the activity
The Grundtvig grant will cover volunteering (mobility) periods lasting between 3 and 8 weeks. If,
however, both partner organisations and the volunteer(s) are willing to extend this period beyond
8 weeks, they may do so, provided they find the appropriate funding to cover the costs attached
to this extra period.
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The mobility period will take place within a 2-year project (including preparation and debriefing
periods).
What is volunteering?
For the purpose of the Grundtvig Senior Volunteering Projects, the European Commission has
adopted the following definitions, based on the definition provided by the Association of
Voluntary Service Organisations (AVSO):
Volunteering: The term refers to all forms of voluntary activity, whether formal or informal. It is
undertaken of a person’s own free will, choice and motivation, and is without concern for
financial gain. It benefits the individual volunteer, communities and society as a whole. It is also a
vehicle for individuals and associations to address human, social or environmental needs and
concerns. Formal voluntary activities add value, but do not replace professional, paid employees.
Volunteer: A volunteer is someone who performs or offers to perform service out of his or her
own free will, without payment, usually in support of a non-profit organisation, mission-based
initiative or community.
It is worth noting that throughout Europe, there are wide gaps in the understanding of the
concept of volunteering between countries and in some population groups. There might even be
reluctance in some countries and from some people to engage in volunteering, as a non-paid
activity.
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What you need to know
Key elements of a good project
To ensure your project is a success for both the partner organisations and the volunteers, you
should take care over:
􀀹 Cooperation between the two organisations
􀀹 Active involvement of both organisations and of a maximum number of staff in the
project
􀀹 The volunteer selection process
􀀹 The preparation phase
􀀹 Provisions to include people with fewer opportunities
􀀹 The volunteering period and the volunteers’ tasks
􀀹 The support and training offered to volunteers
􀀹 The role of the mentor
􀀹 Risk prevention and management measures
􀀹 Active involvement of volunteers in the activity
􀀹 Social and personal development of volunteers, including the learning opportunities the
project offers the volunteers
􀀹 The acknowledgement of the volunteer’s contribution
􀀹 Adequate practical arrangements (board and lodging, transport, insurance, linguistic
support, etc.)
􀀹 Evaluation of the project
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Main resources
A range of resources are available to support organisations and volunteers. Some are relevant for
volunteering in general, others for adult volunteering, and we will list some of them in the
following chapters. Many were developed under the European programme ‘European Voluntary
Service’ (EVS) for young people3, but most of the methodologies and recommendations apply
equally to senior volunteers.
However, we particularly recommend that you consult the handbook ‘Learning opportunities
for senior volunteers — Managing trans-national exchanges’. It is targeted at senior
volunteers, sending and hosting organisations, potential coordinators, local authorities and
educational institutions, and is available at the following addresses:
in English: http://www.seven-network.eu/site/files/handbook-eng.pdf
in French: http://www.seven-network.eu/site/files/handbook-fr.pdf
in German: http://www.seven-network.eu/site/files/handbook-ger.pdf
in Italian: http://www.seven-network.eu/site/files/handbook-it.pdf
in Polish: http://www.seven-network.eu/site/files/handbook-pl.pdf
We also invite you to consult another invaluable set of resources which was developed under a
former Grundtvig project, ‘Still Active!’ which tested transnational senior volunteering and
developed several guides to help organisations and volunteers willing to undertake similar
activities. The following documents are available:
Guidebook for civil society organisations interested in hosting senior volunteers
Handbook for volunteers
Training course for senior volunteers
The three documents are available in English, French, German and Italian on the web page:
http://www.seven-network.eu/site/?q=node/93.
Lastly, the ‘Teaming up!’ project produced a ‘Guidebook for local governments interested
in international exchange programmes for Senior Volunteers’ which is available in English,
German and Italian on the web page: http://www.seven-network.eu/site/?q=node/94.
All these documents are hosted by a website which is being developed by another Grundtvig
project called ‘seVen’ (Senior European Volunteers Exchange Network); it offers other
interesting information and examples which you might find useful for your own work.
3 http://ec.europa.eu/youth/youth-in-action-programme/doc82_en.htm
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Roles and responsibilities of the partner organisations
The primary responsibility of both partner organisations is to define the short- and long-term
objectives and methods of your partnership, along with your partner, including the role that
volunteers will play to achieve these objectives.
The organisations will then have different roles and responsibilities depending on the role they
play:
…as a Sending Organisation (SO)
􀀹 Select suitable volunteers
􀀹 Arrange travel and other practical issues (including insurance and visa where necessary)
􀀹 Appoint a mentor / tutor
􀀹 Provide adequate preparation for the volunteers before departure, according to the
individual needs of the volunteers
􀀹 Help the volunteers to communicate with the Host Organisation
􀀹 Keep in regular contact with the volunteers and with the Host Organisation during the
project
􀀹 Ensure that the volunteers contribute to the evaluation of the project
􀀹 Support volunteers’ reintegration into their home community
􀀹 Give volunteers an opportunity to share their experiences
􀀹 Encourage volunteers to get involved in dissemination and utilisation of results
􀀹 Give guidance on further educational, social and volunteering opportunities
􀀹 Arrange some form of recognition / acknowledgement of the experience, together with
the Host Organisation and the volunteer
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… as a Hosting Organisation (HO)
􀀹 Identify a tutor to provide personal support for the volunteers
􀀹 Arrange supervision and guidance of the volunteers by experienced staff; identify
mentors
􀀹 Provide personal support to volunteers
􀀹 Help volunteers to adjust to the new environment, e.g. by giving them opportunities to
integrate into the local community, to meet other people, to socialise, to participate in
leisure activities, etc.
􀀹 Encourage contact with other (Grundtvig) (senior) volunteers whenever possible
􀀹 Arrange language learning opportunities and linguistic support if needed
􀀹 Introduce the volunteer to the organisation, its staff and its activities
􀀹 Offer the volunteers the opportunity to carry out a well-defined set of tasks, taking
account of the volunteer’s own ideas, creativity and experience
􀀹 Agree on a schedule and activity programme with the volunteer
􀀹 Identify clear learning opportunities for volunteers
􀀹 Insure the volunteer
􀀹 Provide suitable accommodation and meals (or a food allowance) to volunteers
􀀹 Ensure that adequate means of local transport are available for volunteers
􀀹 If appropriate, pay allowances to volunteers on a weekly or monthly basis
􀀹 Communicate regularly with the Sending Organisation
􀀹 Cooperate with the Sending Organisation on follow-up and evaluation matters
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Implementation of the project
A partnership between two organisations
Grundtvig Senior Volunteering Projects are not just about exchanging volunteers: they are about
creating a long-lasting relationship between two organisations with shared interests in a particular
topic or target group. The exchange of volunteers should reinforce this cooperation.
It is therefore recommended that partner organisations consider the following steps:
1. Start by defining the objectives of the project.
􀀹 Examples around a common topic: reinforcing or developing twinning activities between
two towns, exchanging ideas about how to run a local history museum or a hospital
library, setting up an exhibition for both cities to help discover each other’s national
culture, etc.
􀀹 Examples around a common target group: exchange of experience between organisations
working on social inclusion of specific target groups (e.g. ex-offenders, disabled people,
etc.), exchange of experiences between cities on projects to improve the integration of
migrants, development of methods and projects for intergenerational cooperation, etc.
2. Decide on the methodology and processes of the project
3. Study how the exchange of senior volunteers can support this project. Volunteers could then
be of two categories:
􀀹 experienced local volunteers who can support the project through their knowledge and
experience of the organisation’s activity
􀀹 members of the target group of the two organisations, for whom volunteering abroad may
be a new experience or a step towards their reintegration / participation.
So the project should not stop once all volunteers have returned home, but should carry on, with
the volunteers’ participation as far as possible, and develop into a sustainable partnership.
Defining the volunteering activities
Identify your needs and write down the tasks of the volunteer
It is advisable for the host organisation to carry out a needs analysis, starting by listing all the
tasks performed in the organisation and discussing the reasons for hosting a volunteer. This will
help to define potential tasks for a volunteer. A detailed task description should then be written,
setting out the volunteer’s tasks, as a basis for discussion with the sending organisation and the
volunteer.
It is recommended that:
􀀹 the volunteer’s activities should be meaningful for the organisation (why are they
important, and to whom?) and fit into the larger framework of the partnership between
the two partner organisations
􀀹 the staff of the hosting organisation should be involved in the project and especially in
defining the volunteer’s tasks and organising the support system
􀀹 there should be space for volunteers to develop their own project, or at least the project
should offer enough flexibility for volunteers to propose new ideas
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􀀹 volunteers should have enough activities throughout the week to keep them busy. But
care should be taken that the physical / health situation of volunteers allows them to be
active all week long, as more flexible hours may be more suitable
􀀹 the task description provides examples and percentages of the tasks as well as an
indicative daily or weekly timetable
􀀹 the tasks present a real interest for the volunteer. E.g. the task should not include too
much administrative work (unless the volunteer is really keen in this).
􀀹 volunteering activities should give volunteers a chance to discover or be in contact with
the local community
􀀹 the HO identifies the skills, competencies and qualities required for the task to be
performed
􀀹 tasks are clearly defined, and a learning agreement is signed between HO, SO and V.
Popular fields of activity for volunteers are: arts and culture, protection of heritage, equal
opportunities, social exclusion, intergenerational activities, European awareness, environment,
anti-racism and xenophobia, health, media and communication, active ageing, citizenship.
Developing volunteer job descriptions, Mary V. Merrill, World Volunteer Web, 2005,
http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/resources/how-to-guides/managevolunteers/
doc/developing-volunteer-job-descriptions.html
Bear in mind
The volunteering activity should…
􀀹 be non-profit-making
􀀹 provide real learning opportunities
Grundtvig senior volunteering projects are not…
􀀹 occasional, unstructured, part-time volunteering
􀀹 an internship in an enterprise
􀀹 a paid job and must not substitute paid jobs
􀀹 exploitation of cheap workforce
􀀹 a recreation or tourist activity
􀀹 a language course
􀀹 a period of study or vocational training abroad or a study visit
Dissemination and exploitation of results
The achievements and results of the project, including the volunteering activities, should be
disseminated and exploited in order to optimise their value, strengthen their impact and ensure
12
that the largest possible number of people and organisations benefit from them. This means the
outcomes must be communicated to the stakeholders concerned, so good results can be
replicated on a larger scale.
A whole section of the Directorate General Education and Culture’s website is devoted
to helping you disseminate and exploit the results of your project:
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/valorisation/index_en.html
Visibility
Each project should highlight the European Community support provided and give information
on the SVP and the Lifelong Learning programme to the outside world (e.g. by using the
European and Lifelong Learning logos). The volunteers should be made aware that they are
taking part in a European Union programme.
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The volunteers
Recruitment and selection
Volunteers should be chosen regardless of their ethnic group, religion, sexual orientation,
political opinion, etc. No previous qualifications, educational level, specific experience or more
than basic language knowledge should be required. A more specific volunteer profile might be
drawn up if justified by the nature of the tasks to be performed or the project context, but even
in this case selection must not be on the basis of professional or educational qualifications.
You might want to involve people who already volunteer for your organisation, or adult learners
attending activities of your institutions; alternatively, you might wish to start recruiting senior
volunteers. In any case, the following references can help you identify and recruit senior
volunteers:
Volunteering in retirement, a study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2005,
http://www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialpolicy/pdf/0115.pdf
A golden opportunity — A guide for attracting and retaining older volunteers,
Janet Rutherford, 2006,
http://www.reach-online.org.uk/assets/publications%20pdf/goldenop.pdf
16 tips in recruiting adult volunteers, Jason Scott, World Volunteer Web, 2006,
http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/browse/volunteering-issues/seniorvolunteers/
doc/16-tips-in-recruiting.html
Selecting and recruiting volunteers, Mary V. Merrill, World Volunteer Web, 2005,
http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/resources/how-to-guides/managevolunteers/
doc/selecting-and-recruiting-volunteers.html
Interviewing potential volunteers for specific jobs, Mary V. Merrill, World Volunteer
Web, 2005, http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/resources/how-to-guides/managevolunteers/
doc/interviewing-potential-volunteers-for.html
How do I interview a potential volunteer?, Volunteering England, 2005,
http://www.volunteering.org.uk/Resources/information/50frequentlyaskedquestions/26
howdoiinterviewapotentialvolunteer.htm
Volunteer Application form: see Annex 4 of the following document:
http://www.salto-youth.net/download/1305.pdf
Involving people with fewer opportunities
One of the objectives of the Lifelong Learning programme and of Grundtvig in particular is to
enable people with fewer opportunities to participate in the various mobility actions. Partner
organisations are therefore encouraged to involve them in Senior Volunteering Projects.
However, past experiences and studies have shown that it may be difficult to engage people
suffering from social exclusion in local / national volunteering activities, for a variety of reasons
such as:
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- Psychological reasons: lack of self-confidence, prejudices against volunteering itself,
(perceived) lack of time, real or imagined prejudices against acceptance as volunteers, fear
of losing welfare benefits, etc.
- Physical / material reasons: over-formal or over-long recruitment process (especially
difficult if in another language than the native one), long delays, lack of information on
volunteering opportunities, physical access difficulties (especially for disabled or older
people), lack of or insufficient pocket money, delayed reimbursement of expenses, etc.
The difficulty of engaging this target group in transnational volunteering should therefore not be
underestimated, and the above problems should be taken into account when designing the
project. You should however keep in mind that anyone can volunteer and has something to
contribute, whatever their age, skills and personal situation, as long as the volunteer receives
adequate preparation and support. A few ideas to encourage participation by people with fewer
opportunities can be found below:
􀀹 Try to involve such people in local volunteering before offering them the opportunity of
a Grundtvig senior volunteering project, to boost their self-confidence and help you to
get to know them better.
􀀹 ‘Reinforced mentorship’ might be considered as a way of giving increased personal
support to volunteers with fewer opportunities on the sending and/or hosting side.
􀀹 Sending volunteers in a group rather than individually might ease the experience.
􀀹 Take advantage of the opportunity offered by Grundtvig to hold a Preparatory Visit to
prepare your project. This can help you to get to know your partner better, discuss the
volunteers’ specific needs, understand better the context in which the volunteer will stay
and work, etc.
􀀹 Before the arrival of a volunteer with special needs, you should carefully assess:
o His/her technical needs: if the volunteer has a physical disability, carefully check
the location of the volunteering activity and the accommodation, in terms of
access, special equipment, width of doors, etc.
o His/her personal needs: can the participant stay (sleep, eat, wash) alone or does
s/he need a personal assistant? What are the things s/he can and cannot do
alone? What kind of special equipment is needed by the participant and/or
her/his personal assistant? Are there any special requirements (care, medicine,
equipment, etc.)?
o His/her emotional needs, individually and in relation to a group, the project staff,
etc.
Some more ideas can be found in the following references; some of these documents relate to
youth or British local volunteering but many ideas can be adapted to a more senior population,
and to transnational volunteering:
Including all with the ‘Youth’ programme — An inspirational booklet: see in
particular pages 5-8, http://www.salto-youth.net/inclusioninspiration/
Use your hands to move ahead: includes a methodology and ideas of tasks for
volunteers with fewer opportunities , http://www.salto-youth.net/useYourHands/ (in
English and Czech)
15
The good practice handbook, by the Goldstar project, managing volunteers from
socially excluded groups,
http://www.goldstar.org.uk/documents/GoodPracticeHandbookNormalResUpdated.pd
f
Toolkit for involving older black and minority ethnic volunteers, by Sally Price, for
the project ‘VITA — Volunteering in the third age’, 2006,
http://www.volunteeredinburgh.org.uk/strategy/documents/involving_older_bme_volu
nteers.pdf
Toolkit for involving older disabled volunteers, by Jaya Gajparia, for the project
‘VITA — Volunteering in the third age’, 2006,
http://www.volunteering.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/207D7D73-6EB4-4DC6-8CF7-
8D58A9E8AD78/0/G_Toolkitforinvolvingolderdisabledvolunteers_FINAL.pdf
A guide to involving young disabled people as volunteers, Leonard Cheshire and
Scope, 2006, http://www.lcdisability.org/?lid=3671
Recruiting ex-offenders, Volunteering England, 2007,
http://www.volunteering.org.uk/Resources/goodpracticebank/Information/Recruiting
+ex-offenders.htm
Looking beyond the homeless label, Volunteering magazine article, issue 98, May 2004
http://www.volunteering.org.uk/Resources/goodpracticebank/Core+Themes/recruitme
nt/lookingbeyondthehomelesslabel.htm
Volunteering for Everyone — A guide for organisations who want to include and
recruit volunteers who have a learning disability, Volunteering England and Mencap,
http://www.volunteering.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/E24F3E46-5033-4134-A83D-
2E858CC49330/0/mencap_final.pdf
Working with deaf or hard-of-hearing volunteers,
http://www.rnid.org.uk/howyoucanhelp/work_with_us/volunteering/dhohvolunteers/
16
Preparation and support
Adequate support for volunteers throughout the project is the key to a successful experience,
both for volunteers and partner organisations.
Here are the various stages and types of support which the sending and hosting organisations
should provide:
When Type of training / support Provided by
Linguistic preparation (if needed)
To be chosen by the volunteer
together with the sending
organisation
Before
leaving
Pre-departure training
Participants’ perception, adaptability, expectations,
raising cultural awareness, legal issues, safety,
information on host project / country, tasks to be
performed, readiness for an international experience,
identification of skills which could be used, etc.
Sending organisation
Immediatel
y upon
arrival
On-arrival training
Introduction to the country, city, organisation, staff,
users, tasks, expectations, linguistic introduction, etc.
Linguistic support (if needed)
Task-related support for performance of the
During the volunteering tasks
stay
Personal support for integration in the project /
country
Hosting organisation
Debriefing
Reintegration and evaluation of the stay abroad
Sending organisation, in
cooperation with hosting
Upon organisation
return Follow-up
Using the experience back home
Sending organisation
A few tips which have proved successful:
On the sending side
􀀹 Involve the volunteer’s family as much as possible, to make sure that the volunteer is
supported in this experience; contact details of the family members should be available to
both sending and hosting organisations, to maintain contact and in case of emergency.
􀀹 Explain to the volunteer how the finances of the project are organised: which
organisation gets what, what’s covered for him/her, and what’s not, cost of living in the
host country, etc.
17
􀀹 Make sure that the volunteer is physically and psychologically able to go abroad and
perform the task expected in the host organisation.
􀀹 Assist the volunteers when they come back home and help them into further education,
training or possibly employment.
􀀹 Give them space to share their experience with others (meeting, conference, website,
newsletter, etc.)
􀀹 Finally, and most importantly, the volunteers should stay involved in the activities of the
sending organisation, especially in relation to the Grundtvig project.
On the hosting side
􀀹 The hosting organisation should prepare a folder with all the information a volunteer
needs, including: phone list, what to do in case of emergency, practical directions for
answering the phone, opening / closing the office, sending mail, etc.
􀀹 Ask Grundtvig senior volunteers to work alongside other local volunteers — don’t leave
them alone!
􀀹 Ask ex-volunteers to help new volunteers for a short while to develop their talent in a
specific area.
􀀹 Create crisis prevention and crisis management mechanisms.
􀀹 It may be useful to appoint a mentor and a tutor for the volunteer. Mentors are more
particularly in charge of supervising volunteers in the performance of their tasks, while
tutors give more personal support.
Some useful recommendations and ideas can also be found in the following documents:
Use your hands to move ahead — see especially Annexes II and III for the various
elements to be included in pre-departure preparation and in evaluation and follow-up,
http://www.salto-youth.net/useYourHands/ (in English and Czech)
Working Group on Risk Prevention and Crisis Management: Chapters II and IV
give useful recommendations on how to avoid and manage a crisis. http://www.saltoyouth.
net/find-atool/
374.html?&type_id%5B%5D=9&topic_id%5B%5D=13&date_from=&date_to=&
search=&pagerCurrentOffset=7
Supervising volunteers, Mary V. Merrill, World Volunteer Web, 2005,
http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/resources/how-to-guides/managevolunteers/
doc/supervising-volunteers.html
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Recognition
Recognition of the skills and competences acquired by volunteers is key to acknowledging the
volunteers’ contribution to the project as well as its learning outcomes. It could be very formal or
quite informal, but it should always be a joint effort by both partner organisations. Here are some
recommendations and ideas for providing it:
Europass: The Europass Mobility is a record of any organised period of time (called
Europass Mobility experience) that a person spends in another European country for the
purpose of learning or training. The Europass Mobility is intended for any person
undergoing a mobility experience in a European country, whatever their age or level of
education, and is perfect for recording a volunteering experience. The template for the
certificate is available in most EU languages.
http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/europass/home/vernav/InformationOn/EuropassM
obility/navigate.action?locale_id=1
Assessing Voluntary Experiences: A portfolio of skills learned through
volunteering: a tool developed under a Leonardo da Vinci project, aiming to help
volunteer identify and present the skills they have learnt in their volunteering activities,
when looking for a job - http://www.ivr.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/546077B9-3C92-4145-
BF55-5A386D768A2C/0/Assessing_Voluntary_Experiences_Sept_06.pdf
Recognising volunteers, Mary V. Merrill, World Volunteer Web, 2005,
http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/resources/how-to-guides/managevolunteers/
doc/recognizing-volunteers.html
100 ways to thank, support your volunteers, Volunteering Ireland, World Volunteer
Web, 2006, http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/resources/how-to-guides/managevolunteers/
how-do-i-manage-volunteers-additional-reading/doc/100-ways-to-thank.html
Saying thank you to volunteers, Volunteering England, 2006,
http://www.volunteering.org.uk/Resources/goodpracticebank/Information/Thankyou.
htm
Linguistic issues
Linguistic support and/or training must be provided if needed, both before departure and during
the volunteering period. The format, duration and frequency can vary depending on volunteers’
needs and abilities, the tasks to be performed and the capability of the organisation to
accommodate such needs. Language training must be free of charge for the volunteer.
Here are a few suggestions to help organisations and volunteers face linguistic challenges:
􀀹 Sufficient funding for linguistic pre-departure training and on-site support should be secured
􀀹 Participation of two or more volunteers from the same sending organisation, to support each
other
􀀹 If volunteers are ‘shy’ or lacking in language skills, send them to a country with the same
language, if possible
􀀹 Engage in activities which do not require a strong command of the language (e.g.
environmental protection, artistic activities, activities with young children, etc.)
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Practical arrangements
Travel
Volunteers might not be experienced in travelling, especially abroad. The sending organisation
should therefore:
􀀹 discuss this topic with the volunteer in advance,
􀀹 ensure the volunteer is fit and feels comfortable to travel,
􀀹 choose the most suitable means of transport,
􀀹 consider giving extra support to the volunteer, such as: advice on packing (using the right
luggage, bringing the right clothes for a different climate, bringing all necessary
medicine), drive the person to the airport, make a detailed plan for travelling to the host
organisation, make sure that someone will pick up the volunteer on arrival, give phone
numbers in case of emergency, etc.
Accommodation
The host organisation is responsible for providing adequate accommodation and catering
facilities, as well as arranging other practical details, such as local transport. It is advisable to
establish good communication, in advance of the volunteering period, between the hosting and
sending organisations and the volunteers. The volunteers should be consulted in order to identify
their accommodation preferences (individual, in a family, in a community), their potential specific
needs in terms of meals (particular diet, can they cook for themselves) or transport (can they
drive, walk easily, etc.).
Volunteers’ special needs should be accommodated and their preferences should be taken into
account as far as possible. However, volunteers must also be made aware that the hosting
organisation may have limited capacities to accommodate their preferences. They should also be
made aware in advance of specific rules which they might need to follow if they stay in a live-in
community.
In any case, good communication is essential before departure, so that the volunteers know what
to expect when they arrive in the hosting organisation.
Pocket money
Senior volunteers usually already earn some sort of living and it could be argued that they should
therefore not need to receive pocket money. However, it cannot be assumed that this is the case
for all volunteers; additionally, the cost of living in the host country may be significantly higher
than in the volunteer’s country, thus reducing their purchasing power. All volunteers’ costs are
normally covered by the project, but the sending and hosting organisations should nonetheless
discuss with volunteers if they need any financial help to face personal expenses linked to
participation in the project (e.g. purchase of a suitcase, warmer clothes, payment of higher phone
bills to call home, etc.). If this is the case, sending and hosting organisations should agree on a
sum to be allocated to the volunteer, including the following elements: amount, timing, form.
This sum should come from the grant given to the organisations for their participation in the
project, and could come from either the sending or hosting organisations, or be split between the
two.
If the volunteers’ needs are already known at the project application stage, a request for funding
of special needs could also be included in the grant request.
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Insurance
Both organisations should make sure that volunteers are well insured from the time of departure
to their return home, and throughout their travel and stay abroad. They may be well covered by
their current insurance, but complementary insurance might be needed; this is particularly true
for health / repatriation insurance or for insurance related to specific tasks during the
volunteering activity (e.g. driving the host organisation’s vehicles).
Insurance of older volunteers is a sensitive issue. A British study on upper age limits in
volunteering organisations showed that the difficulty or high cost of insuring older volunteers for
some tasks (e.g. driving) or any type of task, was the main reason for setting these age limits. It
was also noted that many insurance companies asked unacceptably high premiums for these
target groups. As upper age limits are not acceptable in Grundtvig Senior Volunteering Projects,
and as we do want to enable anyone to participate, we recommend that you report any difficulty
you may encounter to your National Agency and/or the European Commission.
No group insurance is currently offered to Grundtvig senior volunteers, but to gain an idea of
items to be insured, partner organisations may wish to consult the cover offered to young
participants to the European Voluntary Service programme:
Group insurance plan for young European volunteers:
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/youth/library/insurance_en.htm
Insurance for volunteers, Volunteering England, 2008, gives detailed advice on which
should be covered by a volunteer’s insurance:
http://www.volunteering.org.uk/Resources/goodpracticebank/Information/Insurance+
for+Volunteers.htm
Other administrative issues
Other administrative issues, such as the need for a visa, should be taken into account. Normally
there should be no such problems, as volunteering periods should not exceed 8 weeks and the
volunteers should be legal residents of one of the participating countries, but it is advisable to
check whether there are visa requirements by contacting the Consulate or Embassy of the
country to be visited.
Finally, all administrative issues should be discussed with the volunteer: ID card / passport in
order or still valid, possible administrative duties to maintain unemployment benefits, etc…
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Little reminder on procedures and finances
How to submit an application
Grant applications must be submitted within the framework of the annual Lifelong Learning call
for proposals, and should be sent to the Grundtvig National Agencies. Both partner
organisations need to fill in the grant application form and submit it, separately, to their
respective National Agencies. Most of the questions in the form are designed as common
questions and should be filled in jointly. They aim to provide the National Agencies with the
information needed to evaluate the quality of your proposal, but they are also a guide to help you
prepare your project. Some of the questions, especially concerning your identity (contact and
bank details, budget) should however be filled in separately.
The grant
Each partner organisation receives a grant composed of two parts, to cover its costs as the
sending or the hosting organisation. The volunteer does not receive anything directly. The grant
is therefore composed as follows:
Activity
covered
Item Costs covered Basis for calculation
Travel costs International travel of volunteers Real costs, per
participant, to be
accounted for on a real
cost basis
Sending
Grant for
organising
mobility
􀀹 Contacts with partner
organisation
􀀹 Pedagogic, linguistic and
cultural preparation
􀀹 Communication with
volunteers when abroad
􀀹 Follow-up
􀀹 Other organisation costs
Flat rate per volunteer
sent — paid as a lump
sum
Subsistence costs 􀀹 Board and lodging
􀀹 Local travel
􀀹 Insurance
􀀹 Personal, pedagogic,
linguistic and cultural
support
Lump sum per
volunteer (based on
subsistence rate in the
specific host country
concerned)
Hosting
Grant for
organising
mobility
Organisation costs
Flat rate per volunteer
hosted — paid as a
lump sum
Please check with your National Agency which are the flat-rate and lump-sum amounts for your
country.
If needed, additional amounts can be requested, either on the sending or hosting side, to
accommodate the special needs of volunteers. These should be justified and accounted for on a
real cost basis. It also implies that volunteers and their specific needs have been identified at
application stage.
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Additional references
Lifelong Learning Programme: http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learningprogramme/
doc78_en.htm
List of National Agencies: http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/llp/national_en.html