Volunteering Equality Rights Action
VERA

Throughout the year VERA activities were supported by an increasing collaboration with the European Parliament.
Meetings of the European Parliament Volunteering Interest Group were held throughout 2023-2024.
 

MEPs got closer to the volunteering field by job shadowing a volunteer during a normal day of activities. By wearing the shoes of volunteers, MEPs involved will be better suited to support, advocate and value volunteering in their daily work at the European Parliament.

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• On 21 February 2024, Volunteer Katarina Slovakova from the Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisations spent the day at the European Parliament with MEP Michal Wiezik (RENEW Europe Group). Katarina had the opportunity to attend the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and the Committee on Petitions (PETI). We have made a short interview with Katarina, you can find it here and the report here. On 26 March 2024, MEP Michal Wiezik (RENEW Europe Group) went to the Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisations in Banska Bystrica (SK) and spent a day volunteering. MEP Wiezik participated in a discussion on how the EU can contribute to the implementation of green measures at the local level. He emphasised the importance of volunteer activities in climate and environmental protection and expressed interest in connecting the topic of volunteering with his expertise in ecology.

 

• On 21 February 2024, Volunteer Michaela Cauchi from the VO Home away from Home Centre spent the day at the European Parliament with MEP Cyrus Engerer (S&D Group) and this exchange was facilitated by the Malta Council for Voluntary Sector (MCVS). Michaela had the opportunity to attend a conference which the MEP organised about HIV, about finding treatments, the statistics and much more information relating to HIV and AIDS. She also attended the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). We have made a short interview with Michaela, you can find it here and the report here. On 12 January 2024, MEP Cyrus Engerer (S&D Group) went to the VO Home away from Home in Malta, otherwise known as Salesian Youth Center and shadowed Michaela Cauchi during one day of volunteering. MEP Engerer also gave an inspiring speech to the Salesian youths, encouraging them to face challenges with bravery and perseverance.  

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• On November 29 2023, Volunteer Jana Mracnova from the Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisations spent the day at the European Parliament with MEP Michal Wiezik (Renew Europe Group). Jana had the opportunity to attend the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety for an exchange of views with Dr Sharon McGuinness, Executive Director of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Jana also had the opportunity to visit the European Parliament. We have made a short interview with Jana, you can find it here and the report here. On 8 December 2023, MEP Michal Wiezik (Renew Europe Group) went to the Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisations event in Banská Bystrica and volunteered. 

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• On 28 November 2023, Marta Herrera Morello from the Spanish Volunteering Platform spent the day at the European Parliament with MEP Mónica Silvana Gonzalez (S&D Group). Marta followed, together with the Spanish MEP, Committee on Development (DEVE) meeting, Delegation for relations with Mercosur (DMER) meeting and coordination meeting in preparation of the plenary session to happen in Strasbourg. We have made a short interview with Marta and the MEP, you can find it here and the report here.

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• On 6 September 2023, Beatriz Coelho, Pista Magica volunteer, spent the day at the European Parliament with MEP Maria-Manuel Leitão-Marques (S&D Group). She followed an S&D coordination meeting regarding the upcoming plenary session in Strasbourg, as well as experienced the day of the daily work of an MEP at the EP. Find Beatriz's videos here and the report of these activities here. On December 19 2023, MEP Maria Manuel Leitão Marques (S&D Group), Vice-chair of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, spent a day volunteering in the project “VoluntariaMente” in Valongo, northern Portugal, organised by the CEV Member Pista Mágica. 

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• On 26 April 2023, Viktor Kollar, Slovenska Filantropija volunteer, spent the day at the European Parliament with MEP Irena Joveva (RENEW Europe), Co-Chair of the European Parliament Volunteering Interest Group. He followed the voting processes and accompanied her to l meetings on youth active citizenship as well as the event “The migratory experience adopting a three-generational perspective”.  Find Viktor's videos here and the report of these activities here. On 21 February 2023, Viktor Kollar, volunteer, went to MEP Irena Joveva (RENEW Europe), Co-Chair of the European Parliament Volunteering Interest Group local office in Ljubljana, spending a day of job shadowing. On 12 January 2023, MEP Irena Joveva (RENEW Europe), co-chair of the European Parliament Volunteering Interest Group,  spent a day volunteering teaching the Slovenian  to refugees, majority of them from Ukraine, organised by the CEV Member Slovene Philanthropy. "I'm glad that I can be a part of your stories. Your lives are anything but easy, and your willingness to learn is enviable," Joveva said. One of the volunteers from Slovenian Philanthropy will also have the opportunity to spend a day shadowing MEP Joveva in her work.

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Contact Kristijan Gjorgjieski at kristijan.gjorgjieski[at]cev.be to know how to participate in this initiative.