Together with our partners from the Community Support Foundation(Fundația de Sprijin Comunitar), the Bethany Social Services Foundation (Fundatia Serviciilor Sociale Bethany), the Cluj-Napoca Volunteer Center (Centrul de Voluntariat Cluj-Napoca) and Norges Frivilligsentraler, we held eight consultation events on the methodological norms to accompany the Volunteer Law no. 78/2014, an approach organized within the Coalition for Volunteering project. The debates brought together over 200 people from across the country, directly involved in volunteering and volunteer management - non-governmental organizations, initiative groups and public institutions involving volunteers.
The eight regional events, held over four weeks, are part of the Coalition for Volunteering's efforts to improve the framework for implementing the Volunteering Law. Held online, the meetings represented the appropriate context to bring to the fore topics of interest for the volunteer movement in Romania like the correct application of the law, the need to have specific documents for the volunteers, the recognition of volunteering or the involvement of public institutions in supporting volunteering. The events brought together, in turn, organizations and institutions from all eight development regions of the country.
Following the online consultations with stakeholders involved in the volunteering movement, together with the members of the Coalition for Volunteering (Coaliției pentru Voluntariat), we will make a preliminary proposal of the package of methodological norms for the application of the Volunteering Law. The proposals will be discussed with stakeholders this year in autumn, in a new series of consultations. Therewith, dialogue mechanisms will be created between organizations involving volunteers and decision-makers at local and national level, in order to create the collaboration infrastructure in the territory and to access relevant information resources in the field.
***
The Coalition for Volunteering project is developed by the Bethany Social Services Foundation (Fundația Serviciilor Sociale Bethany), in partnership with the Community Support Foundation (Fundația de Sprijin Comunitar), Pro Vobis - National Volunteer Resource Center (Pro Vobis – Centrul Național de Resurse pentru Voluntariat), Cluj-Napoca Volunteer Center (Centrul de Voluntariat Cluj-Napoca) and Norges Frivilligsentraler, with the financial support of Active Citizens Fund Romania, program funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants 2014-2021. The aim of the project is to strengthen the volunteer movement at national level as a means of civic involvement and awareness. The project benefits from a non-reimbursable financing amounting to 248,990 Euro and is carried out between March 2021 - February 2023.
About the Active Citizens Fund România program
The Active Citizens Fund Romania program is financed by the EEA Grants 2014-2021. The overall objective of the Grants is to reduce economic and social disparities and to strengthen bilateral relations between the 15 beneficiary states and the donor states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway). The program is administered by the consortium composed of the Foundation for Civil Society Development (Fundația pentru Dezvoltarea Societății Civile), the Partnership Foundation (Fundația pentru Parteneriat), the Resource Center for Roma Communities (Centrul de Resurse pentru Comunitățile de Romi), the PACT Foundation and Frivillighet Norge, which acts as a Fund Operator designated by the FMO - Grants Financial Mechanism Office EEA and Norway. Active Citizens Fund Romania aims to strengthen civil society and active citizenship and increase the capacity of vulnerable groups. With a total allocation of 46,000,000EUR, the program aims to develop the long-term sustainability and capacity of the civil society sector, intensifying its role in promoting democratic participation, active citizenship and human rights while strengthening bilateral relations with donor states - Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
For more information about Active Citizens Fund in Romania, please visit www.activecitizensfund.ro.
For more information on EEA and Norwegian Grants, visit www.eeagrants.ro.
