European Alliance for Volunteer Support - learnings from Covid-19 crisis

EUROPEAN ALLIANCE FOR VOLUNTEER SUPPORT - LEARNINGS FROM COVID-19 Project ERAS II will focus on the effects of Covid-19 on active citizenship and how the pandemic is affecting the functioning of our democracies and civic participation. Due to the need to prevent the spread of infection, it was necessary to impose strict restrictions on the freedom of individuals and society. With this project, we will reflect on the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on community life and functioning, and on forms of civic participation during the covid-19 crisis. To observe this, we will focus on active citizenship and civic participation through the act of volunteering. To this end, partners will share information, practices, knowledge and expertise. ERAS II will be implemented in 6 different EU countries, involving civil society organizations, NGOs and local authorities very active in their own territories. The project will organize 4 international project events in 4 different countries. The 4 events will be arranged in Slovenia, Bulgaria, Hungary and Greece. On the other hand, each project partner will implement photo exhibitions that will serve as an interesting way to highlight the importance of voluntary contribution to the fight against the Covid-19 crisis as well as a tool for raising awareness on volunteering as a form of active citizenship and its benefits for the society. Photo exhibitions will be organised in public spaces and will attract the attention of casual passers-by. This will also encourage a debate on volunteering and active citizenship. Alongside exhibitions partners will organize discussions between volunteers, voluntary organisations and local authorities on the topic of needs for the support of voluntarism and its development to be prepared for crisis response. The discussions will serve as a tool to create concrete measures and propositions for policymakers and stakeholders for facilitating volunteering in times of crisis.