Report from working groups
National Conference:
Croatia in the European Year of Volunteering: progress and perspectives
19th January 2012.
[The report contains a detailed description of the working groups held during the National
Conference on Volunteering held in Zagreb in December 2012.]
Content
Introduction
Report I. Group: Challenges in the implementation of the Law on volunteering
Report II. Group: How to increase youth participation
Report III. Group: Support infrastructure for the development of volunteerism on the
local, regional and national level
Introduction
The National Conference on Volunteering – ''Croatia in the European Year of Volunteering: progress
and perspectives'' was held on 7th December 2011 in Zagreb, with the aim to contribute to building a
positive and supportive volunteer environment in Croatia.
The conference provided an overview of the results of the 2011 European Year of Volunteering
achieved at European and national level and brought together participants from public and civil
sectors to discuss common challenges and perspectives in the development of volunteering at the
local, regional and national level.
During the conference the structure of the National Programme for the Development of Volunteerism
was presented. The aim is to produce a clear and simple plan, with clearly defined goals, measures /
activities, indicators of verification/implementation and the responsible bodies/organizations.
Foundation for National Programme for the Development of Volunteerism as an over-arching strategic
document was the decision of the Commission for marking the European Year of Volunteering of the
Government of the Republic of Croatia. Drafting the National Programme for the Development of
Volunteerism is planned in the time period from February 2012th until April 2012, and it will cover the
period of 5 years, from 2013 to 2017.
On the basis of the suggested structure of the National Programme for the Development of
Volunteerism the three topics of conference working groups were defined: challenges in implementing
the Law on Volunteering and other regulations related to volunteering, how to increase youth
volunteering and support for the development of volunteering at the local, regional and national level.
Recommendations and conclusions from each of the working group are marked by concreteness and
applicability. The fact they were formed by different actors of the public and civil sectors who have
experience in the development of volunteer activities makes them relevant for further consideration in
the process of creating the National Programme for the Development of Volunteerism . As the
recommendations received match the theme and structure of the future programme they will surely
be useful for the further creation of the programme. This will also ensure that the area covered by
each working group is improved in reality.
Although the recognition of volunteering is in rise in recent years it is still very common to encounter
wrong interpretations of it and not enough recognition of it has been achieved. The strength of
volunteering in promoting cooperation and contributing to the individual and social benefit is affirmed.
In order to allow for this strength to use its full potential an adequate legal framework is needed as
well as support of it on all levels. Young people, who are stakeholders in development towards the
future, play an indispensable role in advancement of volunteering. Therefore the legal framework,
increasing the volunteering of youth and support for development of volunteering are pivotal topics of
discussion.
The group tackling challenges in implementing the Law on Volunteering and other legislation relating
to volunteerism discussed the connection between volunteering and the Labour Act, association of
volunteering and social protection schemes and the volunteering with and of minors. Included in the
discussion were the by-laws, confirmations, register of volunteer activities and recommendations for
the National Programme for the Development of Volunteerism .
Groups addressing possibilities for increasing youth volunteering addressed existing youth policies
related to youth volunteering through examples. It covered issues of how to encourage young people
to volunteer through the educational system, how the knowledge and skills acquired by young people
volunteering can improve employability and competitiveness in the labour market and how to increase
the mobility of young people through volunteering.
Addressing issues of what kind of support exists for the development of volunteering, what types of
aid should be provided and which bodies, institutions and organizations should be involved in the
process of developing volunteer work was done by the group discussing the support for development
of volunteering at the local, regional and national level.
REPORT
I. group: Challenges in the implementation of the Law on volunteering
Facilitators: Ivana Kordić (Volunteers' Centre Zagreb) and Martina Horvat (National Board for the
Development of Volunteering and Ambidekster Club)
Goal: The main goal of the ''Challenges in the implementation of the Law on volunteering'' workshop
was to analyse the application of the Law on Volunteering (Official Journal No. 58/2007) on the basis
of the experiences acquired by workshop participants (representatives of volunteer organisers,
volunteer centres, public administration on state and local level, state agencies and services), to
determine the difficulties they encounter in its application, to discuss the need for potential changes of
the Law and, if such process is needed, to gather recommendations for the changes.
Methodology: Participants were divided into 4 smaller groups which looked into four thematic areas
determined as most challenging in the application of the Law. The topics were determined on the
basis of frequently asked questions addressed to the Ministry of Family, Veterans and
Intergenerational Solidarity (MFVIS) as well as to the Regional Volunteer Centres. Four following areas
were topics of discussion: Volunteering and the Labour Market, Volunteering and Social Protection
Scheme, Volunteering of Youth and for Youth, General Application of the Law on Volunteering. In
each of the groups a person was determined beforehand who took lead in facilitating and inciting the
debate (form MFVIS, Croatian Employment Service, Ambidekster Club and Croatian Volunteer Centres
Network).
Conclusions / recommendations:
-
Demarcation of volunteering from other forms of non-remunerated labour as regulated
by articles 5 and 11 is not adequate – since the changes of the Labour Act in 2009. took place
the notion of ‘’volunteer work’’ is not in use any more, while on the other hand there are
obstacles in the implementation of these articles, as it is not easy for the volunteer organisers to
differentiate between type of workplace for which they are allowed to take up volunteers and the
‘’workplace which, according to their nature and type of work as well as the scope of competence
of the employer have the characteristics of the workplace for which contracting is predicted on
the basis of the Labour Act’’. Furthermore, the question is raised whether Croatian regulation
provides solely for unqualified volunteering, as every type of volunteering by using professional
capacities can be interpret as a breach of articles 5 and 11. Also, it is difficult to differentiate
volunteering in associations from membership in the same, which creates, due to the wide
spectre of organisations covered by the Associations Act problems for them when they act in the
capacity of a volunteer organizer.
-
Concluding a Volunteer Contract in written form regulated by articles 25 to 29 presents a
problem when one-time volunteer activities are implemented which include a high number of
volunteers (for example, a children home which organizes a one day volunteer actions in which a
larger number of volunteers take their beneficiaries to cinema). In these circumstances it is
simply not possible to ensure all the documentation required by the Law on Volunteering
(certificate from criminality register, doctor’s certificate…) which puts the volunteer organiser in
the position that it has to decide whether to give up on organising such activities or to accede to
implementing them without adhering to the regulations. The same difficulties arise when it comes
to volunteering in urgency situations. The recommendation is that a less demanding procedure is
devised for cases of short-term volunteering (volunteer actions) for which the volunteer organiser
provides the person responsible for their implementation.
-
There is a need for thorough revision of all other provisions related to the Volunteer
Contract as many difficulties arise in practice when volunteer organisers attempt to implement
them literally. The provision requiring the notarisation of the signature of the volunteer required
in written form of the contract is completely impossible to implement as it is linked to the
disproportionally high expenses not to mention complications which the need to see the public
notary would provoke if it was conducted every time a volunteer contract is signed. The same
stands for the certificate from criminality register, as the provisions of the existing Criminal Code
are not in line with provisions of the Law on Volunteering (as regards the authority to issue such
data). It is crucial that the procedure of issuing such data is very well thought through as the
array of organisations which could act as volunteer organisers is very wide which could lead to
opening a wide access to the private data related to individual volunteers. The recommendation
is that the documentation requires is thoroughly revised, that the deadline for obtaining such
documentation is set in a reasonable way so as not to impede the start of volunteering as well as
to set the longer time limit of validity of all the documentation required so as to avoid the need of
issuing new certificates in cases of prolonging the contract.
-
It is necessary to revise the provisions related to the education on volunteering and
volunteering of minors. From the existing provisions it is not clear to the volunteer organisers
which bodies must issue the consent for volunteering of minors to be conducted according to the
Law. It is questionable whether this field should be regulated by Law or by a sub-legal act, but it
is necessary to clarify the existing dilemmas.
-
It is necessary to better determine the role and responsibility of Volunteer Coordinators
which are recognised as key persons for ensuring the quality and sustainability of a volunteer
programme. The recommendation is to formulate such recommendations through the ministries
relevant for specific public bodies, offices and agencies working with NGos and also among the
public bodies themselves.
-
Significant differences exist among different types of organisations listed in article 7 as potential
volunteer organisers. Difficulties have been registered at the public bodies (on all levels) acting
in the capacity of volunteer organisers as regards the implementation of provisions related to
signing of Contract on Volunteering and issuing certificates. The problem is especially pronounced
if a larger number of volunteers are included in a short term activity, which is a problem
recognized by other volunteer organisers as well.
-
The principle of preventing the abuse of volunteers, regulated by the article 11 can hinder
volunteering in certain situations. Cases have been registered where a person has the willingness
to volunteer above the maximum prescribed (for example inactive persons, retired persons),
which is disabled by this provision. It is recommended that an additional procedure is devised
which would regulate this issue, bearing in mind the need to protect volunteers from exploitation.
-
Volunteering certificate should be additionally developed to encourage people to acquire
competences which make them more competitive on the labour market. For this additional
development of the certificate is needed as well as education for organisations issuing them and
recognition on behalf of the employers.
-
As far as transnational volunteering is concerned, harmonisation in practice of different local
departments of the Ministry of Interior Affaires is needed as cases have been recorded in which
their employees have denied the issuing of volunteer visa or have prolonged the issuing to the
extent that it hindered the implementation of international projects enabling such volunteering in
Croatia.
-
The regulation of corporate volunteering is needed, as an additional part of the Law.
-
The formation of the fund for financing the expenses of volunteers is recommended, so as
to incite a greater number of citizens to volunteer, regardless of their social background.
-
Registering data related to volunteering was recognized as a significant asset for the better
development and recognition of the contribution volunteering gives to the social development.
The difficulties encountered with registering relate to short term volunteering in which a large
number of volunteers are included. Also, the recommendation was formulated towards the
ministry competent for acquiring data on volunteering to improve the publishing and
transparency of the data collected through the annual reports so that the public is better
acquainted with the situation of volunteering in Croatia.
-
A negative tendency was noted regarding the inconsistency in regulating different
aspects of non-remunerated work in Croatia which undermines the efforts on achieving
better recognition of the value of volunteering in our society. The unfortunate use of the term
‘’volunteer work’’ in the Labour Act up until the changes of 2009. for un-paid professional
capacitating has left permanent damaging consequences on the public perception of volunteering
and led to mixing the notions of volunteering with work an individual invests solely for his/her
own professional development and similar activities. The same risk is brought about by the recent
changes of the Social Welfare Act, which introduced the notion of ‘’humanitarian work’’ by which
it conditions obtaining/maintaining certain privileges from the unemployed person status. When
regulating various forms of non-remunerated work it should be borne in mind that precise
regulation is needed in order to diminish the risk of confusion of different notions. The question
of alignment of financial and accountancy regulations with Law on Volunteering was also raised.
-
To conclude, the need to invest further effort into devising regulations and programmes intended
to facilitate organisation and encourage the development of volunteering instead of putting
administrative barriers before it was determined. The final recommendation is to accede to
the process of revision and change of the most problematic provisions of the Law on
Volunteering as well as devising non-legal documents which will encourage its
development, such as the National Programme for the Development of Volunteering. Once
again, the need to act coherently and taking into account all of the existing regulations related to
the field of volunteering was additionally stressed out.
REPORT
II. Group: How to increase youth participation
Facilitators: Jelena Kamenko (Volunteer Centre Osijek), Gordana Šimunković (Volunteers' Centre
Zagreb)
Objective: To identify the mechanisms that need to be further strengthened and developed to
increase the voluntary engagement of young people
Methodology: Through working in small groups, participants included the following topics / issues:
Mobility in volunteering (mobility contribution to volunteering and volunteer activities, encouraging the
mobility of volunteering in the Croatian territory, the implementation experience gained during
volunteering in other countries), volunteering through the educational system (evaluation volunteering
in the education system, an important share), Labour Market (evaluation of volunteering in order to
increase the employability and competitiveness in the labor market)
Presenters: Anamarija Sočo, Croatian Youth Network, Ana Nahod, the Agency for Mobility and EU
Programmes, Mirjana and Željka Krakić Žnajder, Special Education and Rehabilitation Sciences
Conclusions / recommendations:
- Mobility of the participants, identified as very important in the knowledge of other cultures, ways
of working and the dissemination of knowledge. It was pointed out that young people in
volunteering, going to gain great knowledge that can significantly affect the local community. It
is necessary to find appropriate mechanisms to implement this knowledge.
-
To ensure that the experience gained during volunteering in other countries to be implemented
at the national level, the proposed construction of a platform that is the forum. Its purpose was
to exchange experience and no incentive to implement new activities and projects. In this part,
emphasized the role of NGOs in Croatia, which can provide options and opportunities that
volunteers continue to volunteer at the national level as well as opportunities for further
education through local and international training.
-
Information Centre or a desk where young people could get information about funding
opportunities and the implementation of his ideas, has been recognized as an activity that would
also contribute to increase youth volunteering and implementation experience gained.
-
To encourage motivation, it is necessary to put attention to projects involving young people is
being structured specific objectives so that young people progress and allow the identification of
sense. Also, places to volunteer youth should be designed so as to be interesting and attractive
and offer the opportunity to develop skills that can be used on a professional level.
-
In order to encourage greater mobility, recognizes the need to ensure greater visibility,
monitoring mechanisms and evaluation of the experience gained and the need to promote
greater flexibility and a system that will allow young and departure on a long-term volunteering
retain all existing rights.
-
Recognizes the significance of mobility in the long and short term volunteering on Croatian
territory, and therefore need to invest in development opportunities and the promotion thereof.
-
Evaluation of volunteering in the system of secondary and higher education represents a
significant challenge. For the purpose of evaluation is recommended to use praise and official
certificate as the Diploma Supplement and the provision of facilities such as days off. It is
important that the evaluation does not apply to the assessment that is not to be a consequence
of better success. Be sure to include credits for volunteering, but the scoring system so controlled
that there is no inflation points and not to lose the value thereof.
-
It is proposed the valuation of volunteer work in admission to college and employment, and civil
service have been recognized as a service that should certainly scored volunteer experience in
employment.
-
Volunteering is an additional value in the educational system and as such it is necessary to
nurture and emphasize what you can do in such a system. Important participants in the
promotion of volunteering in the education system (except for the very educational institutions
and their employees) are certainly the media. Schools, universities and professors in this process
can take a coordinating role, intermediaries and partners and that the role be encouraged and
supported. Pedagogical entities are identified as additional key persons and the need to sensitize
them to work on the topic of volunteering. Volunteer Centers are recognized as the share that
would allow room for volunteering.
-
Education in the kindergarten and primary school age can be seen as important for the
subsequent greater involvement of young people in volunteer work. For this purpose it is
necessary to foster education for volunteers and allow the students examples of which will be
able to learn. Experiences of school volunteering should make visible and to keep in mind the
need to provide a good example. Recommended by the presentation of good practices and the
benefits in schools and colleges. Recognized the significance of the inclusion of volunteering in
the teaching curriculum.
-
Encourage children, youth and their parents to take an active voluntary participation in the life of
their fourth, the local community was also identified as important for encouraging volunteering.
By participating in joint initiatives to small firms are feeling the need to participate and be
conscious of the importance of it. In this way they will create a community of active individuals.
-
In addition to volunteering as an incentive is proposed to use a field trip to trip to Dubrovnik used
to volunteer at the Arboretum - Trsteno.
-
Volunteering can make your contribution and the prevention of behavioural disorders and for this
purpose it is necessary to work on awareness and sensitization to this potential was fully
exploited. When information is important to emphasize - volunteering as a protective factor. It
recognizes that when volunteering in the education system changes do not come right away but
then come and give a reflection of the very personality, confidence, develop communication and
social skills.
-
The potential that is contained in volunteering continues to be partially recognized. Here we can
mention college community college courses while technical studies are that much weaker, or are
not familiar and do not use it enough.
-
Evaluation of volunteering as business experience was identified as an important motivational
element. Sure, they recognize the danger that a desire to help and work for the common good,
then be in the background.
-
Participants recognized the importance of evaluation of volunteering in order to increase the
employability and competitiveness in the labour market. She pointed out the significance of
implementing self-evaluation (example - Youth pass -), finding ways to volunteer to be aware of
all the skills and knowledge that is gained by volunteering.
-
Organizers of volunteering through referrals and various documents may be listed as a volunteer
and worked to emphasize the right skills. For it is a prerequisite to the organizers of volunteering
to be trained and to systematically work with volunteers. Employers, in order to identify the
values of volunteering for a candidate for the job, we also need effective mechanisms to sensitize
and educate.
-
The main problem that is recognized in the field of mobility, volunteering in the education and
evaluation of volunteering in order to increase employability, is insufficient awareness of what
volunteering means and how the whole system of volunteer work. In this work emphasizes the
need for further investment in the challenge.
REPORT
3rd group: Supporting the development of voluntarism on the local, regional and national
level
Facilitators: Gordana Forčić, Slađana Novotna, Marta Hauser (Association for Civil Society
Development SMART)
Methodology: The participants have through the interactive method "World caffe-a" discussed the
following issues: Current type of support/infrastructure for the development of voluntarism on the
local, regional and national level; Which support/infrastructure for the development of voluntarism is
needed on the local, regional and national level?; What kind of support/infrastructure should be
initiated/ensured in order to have quality and effective development of volunteering on the local,
regional and national level; Who are the key stakeholders crucial to ensuring the support to
developing the voluntarism?
Presenters: Vesna Lendić Kasalo, Office for Cooperation with NGOs, Romana Galić, Office for Social
Protection and Persons with Disabilities of the City of Zagreb, Karla Mušković, City of Rijeka
Department for Health and Social Welfare, Gordana Radonić, Ministry of Family, Veterans and InterGenerational Solidarity of the Republic of Croatia, Maja Tatalović, City of Rijeka.
Conclusions/recommendations:
-
The participants have recognised the Law on voluntarism and the Ethical code on volunteering as
the documents which have greatly contributed to the development of volunteering, especially in
prompting the inclusion of volunteers in the public institutions (education, social welfare, health
etc.). However, the participants have pointed out the need for improving the legal framework in
other areas as well as revision and harmonising the Law on volunteering with other Laws (i.e.
Law on health, labour law, sports, volunteering in special situations, Law on local and regional
self- government) in order to enforce more effective implementation. Moreover the emphasis
should be put on the analysis of the existing Law with the goal of identifying the areas of Law
which has most challenges in the implementation.
-
The preparation of the National programme for development of volunteering was emphasised as
the important strategic document which will give long term direction for volunteering
development in Croatia.
-
The efforts that have been done by the civil society organizations/regional volunteer centres in
the area of education are recognised as the positive effect on the volunteering development in
CSO's , public institutions , local self-government and initial steps done in placing volunteers in
the public administration. The participants are acknowledging the importance of the quality
standards in volunteer programmes which should be promoted through education for volunteer
implementing organizations. In connection to this, the emphasis should be put on education for
all actors in the process of volunteering, including the education for volunteers, education for
volunteer implementing organizations in the area of volunteer management and education and
preparation of beneficiaries of volunteering.
-
The discussion produced the conclusion that the education on volunteering should be introduced
from an early age which implies the introduction of volunteering in the educational curriculum on
all levels of institutional education of children and youth.
-
The research is recognised as the backbone for enabling the simulative environment for
volunteering development and also its results should provide data for proposing new as well as
redefining the existing public policies thus improving the existing practice. Although the Ministry
of Veterans, Family and Intergenerational Solidarity and Regional volunteer centres are already
collecting valuable data regarding volunteering, there is still lack of systematic research on
volunteering in Croatia regarding the frequency and the extent of volunteering, as well as its
impact and contribution in the society.
-
The promotion of volunteering as the societal value is visible on the national level through
establishment of the National award for volunteering and through the national campaign "Croatia
is volunteering". Parallel to this there is a high level of promotion and individual awarding of
volunteers, active in schools, public institutions and local self-government and also since 2011
there is a journalist's award for the best written or TV feature contribution on volunteering. It is
visible through the discussions that there is a lack of recognition and valuing the volunteering,
especially for the area of additional recognition and valuing of volunteering in the process of
employment, applying to the high school and university.
-
It is well known that the media have large role in the promotion of volunteering and this is why
the participants have recognised the importance of stimulating and educating the representatives
of media and prompting their larger inclusion in the promotional activities. The positive
experience of establishing the Journalist's award should be sustained.
-
The volunteers as a key factor in the process of volunteering should be protected and thus more
efforts should be done in curbing the misuse and the potential abuse of the volunteers and its
work.
-
The recommendation is to make clearer distinction among term volunteering and for example
service learning, public benefit work, student praxis, internships etc.
-
Current practice shows that there is a high interest of citizens for volunteering on one hand and
on the other there is a deficit of quality volunteer positions and possibilities as well as the lack of
variety of volunteer programmes in which the citizens can be included. In order to develop
higher number of quality volunteer programmes and more importantly to secure their
sustainability it is of high importance to secure systematic long term financing and financial
support to the volunteer programs and development and work of the local and regional
volunteer centres. The practice of long term (3 year) financing of regional centres was recognised
as commendable and the one which should be continued together with support for the local
volunteer centres. The recommendation is to put volunteering as a crosscutting priority and
criteria in all grant schemes of administration authorities.
-
In order to develop the more effective and sustainable volunteering in Croatia, the volunteering
should be introduced to the local and regional strategic documents.
-
The following key stakeholders in Croatia were recognised: governmental authorities (Ministries
of education, health, social welfare, environmental protection, culture, tourism…), public
institutions, media, Office for Cooperation with NGOs, academic community, National foundation
for Civil Society Development, regional and local volunteer centres, volunteering organisers and
volunteers.