The European Volunteer Centre (CEV) is the European network of over 60 organisations dedicated to the promotion of, and support to, volunteers and volunteering in Europe at European, national or regional level. Through our network we work together to promote and support volunteering through advocacy, knowledge sharing and capacity building & training. In this way we reach out to the many thousands of volunteers and volunteer organisations in Europe as a source of support bringing the European dimension to their work.
CEV channels the collective priorities and concerns of its member organisations to the institutions of the European Union and the Council of Europe. Together with other stakeholders we exchange policy, practice and information in order to ensure effective and coherent follow up to European Year of Volunteering 2011 and ensure its legacy through the implementation of the Policy Agenda for Volunteering in Europe (PAVE) and the follow-up “Helping Hands – Hope for Europe” report.
CEV’s vision is a Europe in which volunteering is central in building a cohesive and inclusive society based on solidarity and active citizenship. Our mission is to contribute to the creation of an enabling political, social and economic environment in Europe where the full potential of volunteering can be realised.
Together with our members we work to:
• Be the representative voice for volunteering in Europe
• Strengthen the infrastructure for volunteering across Europe
• Promote volunteering as an expression of Solidarity and European values.
Our strategic objectives:
•Developing partnerships with EU and other institutions at different levels, civil society organisations as a member of various Alliances, and with other volunteering stakeholders.
• Sharing knowledge through publications, social media, training courses, studies and other initiatives & events.
• Training members and other stakeholders on volunteering related issues, especially in the framework of the spring capacity building conferences.
• Advocating for supportive volunteering policies as a member of EU expert groups, including the European Solidarity Corps, attending and presenting at hearings & consultations, and organising CEV policy conferences.
CEV is an AISBL constituted under Belgian law, all details regarding this registration and CEV’s compliance with Belgian legal requirements for AISBLs can be found here.
CEV’s initiative and facilitating role was a crucial element in the civil society campaign achieving the European Year of Volunteering 2011 together with all our partner networks active in volunteering at the European level. These networks formed the ‘EYV 2011 Alliance’ and CEV was been mandated to host the Secretariat for the implementation of the civil society strand of the European Year of Volunteering 2011.
Our Partners/ Networks:
CEV works towards developing partnerships and alliances with key stakeholders across all sectors to promote and win recognition for volunteering as an expression of active citizenship in Europe. CEV is a member of:
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the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) Liaison Group together with Volonteurope, to represent the Volunteering Sector in Europe.