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Supported by Erasmus + Programme

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Open Digital Europe

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Out of the Box International develops a tailor made open data model and policies based on open digital environment which is transparent, accountable and secured.

Social Businesses

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Out of the Box International works with already existing hubs, various local and national stakeholders and social entrepreneurs in order to further develop and promote successful social entrepreneurship policies and practices.

Solidarity Europe

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Out of the Box International delivers expertise in the field of cohesive policies by using cross-sectorial approach and non-formal  education, in a global perspective.

European Project

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Out of the Box International  works further to enhance current cooperation in South East Europe region and actively supports the integration of all European countries in common European project.

The European Volunteering Capital is a Europe-wide open competition that aims to promote volunteering at the local level by giving recognition to municipalities that support and strengthen partnerships with volunteer centers and volunteer-involving organizations and celebrate and promote volunteering and the impact made by volunteers.

In order to contribute to strengthen, inspire and celebrate volunteering and solidarity in Europe, in 2013 the European Volunteer Centre (CEV) launched the European Volunteering Capital (EVCapital) competition to recognize the local volunteering initiatives, strengthen the local framework and inspire the culture of volunteering.

The competition aims to strengthen volunteering at the local level and connect present and future local volunteering actions, strategies, policies, and programs to the European Context. It enables volunteers, volunteer-involving, and volunteer infrastructure organizations to collaborate more closely with local policymakers in a common cause to strengthen, inspire, and celebrate volunteers in their area. Becoming a candidate requires a detailed analysis and assessment (‘Audit’) of volunteer provision at the local level, therefore helping to identify strengths and weaknesses of the approaches taken, as well as acting as a catalyst for improvements.

Participation enables stakeholders from different fields and sectors to come together and further develop their local volunteering policy and practice frameworks and strategies, using European standards as guidelines. It also assists the development of volunteering and solidarity in Europe more widely, as the examples are shared to serve as inspiration for others all across Europe.

Finally, joining the competition as a candidate municipality provides the opportunity to join a unique community of practice of municipalities “European Volunteer Capital Candidates Community” (EVCCC) (and other levels of local and regional authorities) that have expertise in, and a shared concern for strengthening, inspiring and celebrating VOLUNTEERING and SOLIDARITY.

Former European Commission Vice President Viviane Reding welcomed the initiative given that it clearly showed the strong link between European Years 2011 and 2013, and demonstrated CEV’s continued support for cross-border volunteering in Europe.

All European Municipalities can participate. The awarded municipality is chosen from the candidates by an international jury of key personalities connected with volunteering, representing civil society, the private, for-profit sector, as well as the EU institutions.

The awardee is chosen from the applicant municipalities by an international jury of experts who assess the extent to which the recommendations as listed in P.A.V.E. and the “5R” policy priorities as identified in the P.A.V.E. five-year review Helping Hands, are shown to be implemented. How the European Solidarity Corps will be supported and promoted is also part of the criteria.

The northeastern Italian city of Padua in Veneto region officially marked its status as the European Capital of Volunteering 2020. The year-long program would see several initiatives with a focus on seven core areas, including health and well-being, technology and innovation, and environment and urban planning, according to the local organizing committee.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella, addressing a gathering of 5,000 volunteers from all over Italy at the opening event, stressed that “volunteering is the indispensable energy for our society.”

 

Here you can find the call for European Volunteering Capital 2022 Competition, deadline extended until 22 June 2020: https://df2253af-c034-4026-aac2-5d1c91f60490.filesusr.com/ugd/3ec99c_adadc1cffb3a4e308ed80d8e2964b6db.pdf

Why Out of the Box International

The seemingly ever-lasting depression of European economies has shaken the very foundations of many European societies. The shear rate of unemployment in Europe and the omnipresent environmental crisis coupled with the often frustratingly slow process of decision making in the EU, are calling for civil society actors to step in and fill the void.

In the aftermath of the 2008. economic crisis, the apprehension of falling under the spell of apathy of economic depression across the continent has not been easy to shake off. However, pinpointing the culprits for the current state of affairs on any particular EU decision maker is not the answer. Nonetheless, the fact remains that the current approach to the economic and environmental crisis hasn’t yet shown the affected citizens the light at the end of the tunnel.

As representatives of the civil society we feel the need to make our voice heard in the midst of the current debate on economic crisis. Being a social enterprise we offer new and feasible ideas in education and community work, creative cross-sectorial cooperation among different actors and strong networking coalitions to turn these dire economic challenges into possibilities through social entrepreneurship initiatives which aim at benefiting wide range of citizens, particularly vulnerable groups and those affected by the economic crisis.

Social entrepreneurship is a simple concept that has been put into practice by civil society actors for the benefit of a specific social group or people, and this is precisely what we want: to create projects and initiatives with fresh ideas in different policies, educational programs or tools, support businesses, empower cultural initiatives and offer different solutions to individuals, corporate bodies, everybody who believe that we can have more Creative, Innovative and Cohesive Europe.

 

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