More than 65 participants took part in the webinar that presented and discussed a draft Toolkit for good practice "Volunteering in Events” and how to keep solidarity at the heart of it co-financed by the Europe for Citizens. Lejla Sehic Relic opened the webinar and presentations delivered by Jurgen Grotz, Director, Institute for Volunteering Research, University of East Anglia (UK), and Silvia Cannonieri, CSVnet Lombardia.

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The COVID19 crisis has changed many aspects of life, including the cancellation and postponement of many events that would have involved volunteers. At CEV, we are confident that in the future citizens will once again be able to engage as volunteers with one another in the framework of event organisation and delivery in a variety of contexts and for a wide range of causes. The toolkit reflects the new reality in which we find ourselves and will include ideas for recruiting  & managing volunteers in such a way as to and provide the biggest added value and safety for the success of the event, the wider community and the volunteers themselves.

We seek to identify what are the specificities of volunteering in large events in the recovery phase from the COVID19 crisis and longer term. The toolkit includes suggestions about how volunteering in events can best lead to longer-term volunteering for those who are interested to further contribute as a volunteer in other contexts as well as how to maintain solidarity as a basic concept central to volunteering in events.
Participants learnt how the well-being of volunteers in events can be protected and how the question of their skills development can be best approached. The motivation of volunteers in events was also discussed and a greater understanding about this reached in order to improve support and value-added for all.