Recognition of volunteers’ skills and competences within the context of non-formal and informal education

and training systems in sport

Simone DigennaroUniversity of Cassino, Faculty of Sport Sciences

EuroVolNet, Riga, 23rd-25th September

Lessons from the past

Starting pointVolunteerism has an important role in the society

Recognition of skills and competences in the context of formal-non formal and informal education

(good example but a lack of a global strategy)

There is an important player sitting on the bench

Starting point

Starting point (the last one!)

Factors that motivate individuals to volunteer are

• Personal interests;• Social benefits;• Social responsibility;• Opportunity to participate;• Acquisition of new skills/competences and

experience; (professionalisation) • …

Do ut des (I give so that you may give)

Higher level of personal skills and competence

required

Higher level of education; aim to be

involved in more stimulating activities

New strategies to attract volunteers

Thus,…

• Organisations have a crucial role in matching the expectations of today’s volunteers and

• Organisation are required to find new way to attract and engage people and

• Organisations are required to give more in terms of opportunities, quality of activities, education and training, etc.;

Notwithstanding,…

• There is evidence to maintain that the level of training given to volunteers is overall considered insufficient (meta analysis);

• There is also evidence about a certain number of limitations associated with the application of the VNFIL;

Solutions?

What EU and Members States are required to do?

• EU and Member States are required to revise and implement laws and legislation in order to foster the recognition of volunteers’ skills and competencies within the context of non-formal and informal education.

• EU is required to support Member States’ practices. • EU is required, in collaboration with the Member

States, to put in place the European agenda of the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL)

• ….but…

And what about sport organisations?

<<Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country>>

What sport organisations are required to do?

• Stand-up from the bench!

• Improve the level of training given to volunteers;

• Develop or enhance their capacity (skills, knowledge and abilities) to effectively recruit, focus, and support volunteer resources;

• create a platform for communication, best practice exchange;

• Support the application of the VNFIL Agenda;

• Make better of of HRM tools;

• Influence social policy;

An attempt to conclude…

• Today, recognition of volunteers’ skills and competences within the context of non-formal and informal education and training systems is a crucial issue for the sport system;

• European Union and Members States are required to further implement policy and strategies adopted in the field, but a direct and more concrete involvement at grass-root level is also required;

• Networking and bridging can be considered as two concrete actions organisations can put in place.

• Increase awareness about learning outcomes of non-formal and informal education;

Recognition of volunteers’ skills and competences within the context of non-formal and informal education

and training systems in sport

Simone DigennaroUniversity of Cassino, Faculty of Sport Sciences

EuroVolNet, Riga, 23rd-25th September