ERAS – European Alliance for Volunteer support

The main goal of the ERAS project is a long-term partnership of thirteen cities from thirteen different countries with the common goal of improving the conditions for the development of volunteering in partner countries and across Europe…

The main goal of the ERAS project is a long-term partnership of thirteen cities from thirteen different countries with the common goal of improving the conditions for the development of volunteering in partner countries and across Europe. To this end, partner organizations will exchange information, good practices, knowledge and promote volunteering as such. Together, we will present how volunteer programs can mean a great entry point towards active European citizenship for groups of people who are less active or even excluded from society. And by showing that volunteer programs provide great results and very clearly express the impacts of active citizenship encourage European people to work and live by voluntary values, partners will provide a productive and content-rich environment that will encourage the development of various voluntary programs.

Various organizations from Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Portugal, Malta, Albania, Lithuania, Latvia, Croatia, Macedonia, Hungary, Greece and Bulgaria will address various challenges of volunteering in Europe in the project. We all partners firmly believe that volunteering is a key element of modern democratic society, and by nurturing and promoting volunteering and spreading solidarity values, Europeans can make great strides towards a more developed, inclusive and dynamic society with quality opportunities for all.

Project partners:

1. DRUŠTVO ZA PODPORO CIVILNE DRUŽBE, SLOVENIA
2. SERDA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
3. KLUB ZA OSNAZIVANJE MLADIH 018 UDRUZENJE, SERBIA
4. MUNICIPIO DE LOUSADA, PORTUGAL
5. ЦЕНТАР ЗА ГРАЃАНСКА ИНИЦИЈАТИВА, МАКЕДОНИЈА
6. GENISTA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, MALTA
7. SOLIS TUVAK, LATVIA
8. UDHËTIM I LIRË – LIBERI DI VIAGGIARE, ALBANIA
9. UDRUGA ZA RAZVOJ CIVILNOG DRUSTVA BONSAI, CROATIA
10. SDRUZHENIE YUNI PARTNERS, BULGARIA
11. INSTITOYTO KOINONIKIS KAINOTOMIAS KAI SYNOXIS, GREECE
12. DDTG NONPROFIT KFT., HUNGARY
13. VSI VAIKU IR JAUNIMO CENTRAS “DZIAUGSMO SLENIS”, LITHUANIA

The project will include nine international events to exchange good practices, establish links with relevant organizations, study the concepts and effects of volunteering in different countries, and also to promote the development of volunteering across Europe. The project will address different areas of volunteering. From volunteering among young people, volunteering and the ageing population, volunteering in crisis situations (COVID 19), the issue of sustainable volunteering to European volunteering policies and national volunteering programs and incentives. An important topic that we will regularly highlight will be the opportunities, practices and objectives of the European Solidarity Unit mechanism.

Calendar of international events:

1. Slovenia – June 2021
2. Latvia – August 2021
3. Serbia – September 2021
4. Portugal – October 2021
5. Malta – November 2021
6. BiH – February 2022
7. Albania – April 2022
8. Croatia – June 2022
9. North Macedonia – August 2022

Facebook page ERAS – European alliance for volunteer support

Project ERAS is co-funded by the Europe for Citizens Programme of the European Union, Stand 2.2: Network of Towns 

Lead Partner: Društvo za podporo civilne družbe

Start date of the project: 01.03.2021 

Project end date: 28.02.2023