Planning for the International Year of Volunteers 2001www.iyv2001.org
Planning for the International Year of Volunteers 2001
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team@iyv2001.org
www.iyv2001.org
www.iyv2001.org
Introduction
In November 1997, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers (IYV). To prepare for the year, the United Nations has invited governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), individuals and all volunteers or volunteer groups to find means of enhancing the recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion of voluntary service.
The following pages contain a wealth of ideas and strategies to assist in planning and participating in the Year. Activities for IYV can start at any time, but for the best results, there is no time like the present.
Reminder of the IYV Resolution
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Who is IYV for?
The International Year of Volunteers is for volunteers of all ages, representing the diversity of volunteering from all cultures. The year is for:
Each individual volunteer
State bodies
Governments
IYV is about people, women and men acting for the society. It is about solidarity, care, time given, and also fun and pleasure.
Inspired by the UNV mission statement, we could say: “IYV supports sustainable human development globally through the promotion of volunteerism and the mobilization of volunteers. It serves the causes of peace and development through enhancing opportunities for participation by all peoples. IYV 2001 is universal, inclusive and embraces volunteer action in all its diversity. It values free will, commitment, engagement and solidarity, which are the foundations of volunteerism.
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What make a successful UN Year?
During the Canadian Leaders Forum, volunteer stakeholders examined the history of successful UN-designated years and came up with these five suggestions for the International Year of Volunteers 2001:
1. Pick the right moment
2. Package the Year so that the maximum number of people can relate to the issue
3. Aim not only to celebrate the ongoing work but also to change behaviour and attitudes
4. Start early
5. Ignite passions – and have fun
Canada has a pro-active role on IYV 2001. This was already discussed in 1998
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IAVE WORLD CONFERENCE, 14-18 January 2001
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Naples, Italy
Putting the Citizen at the Center: Strengthening Voluntarism and Participatory Democracy, Vancouver, Canada
UN WORLD CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM, September 2001
Durban, South Africa  
Geneva, Switzerland
UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY SPECIAL SESSION, 5 December 2001
The Secretary-General and member states to identify ways governments can support volunteering
New York, USA
These are just international conferences and workshops. Some countries are also planning large-scale volunteer actions:
Kenya: IYV is: volunteers for the eradication of the Malaria
Nigeria: Volunteers for poverty alleviation
International Year of Volunteers 2001
www.iyv2001.org
activities
2 Create volunteer networks and linkages
3 Plan and coordinate energetic IYV activities
4 Produce event materials
6 Celebrate voluntary service
8 Nurture good media relations
9 Lead by example and volunteer
10 Make it happen
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Through people and institutions:
Facilitation through recruitment, enabling a national center or foundation to promote volunteering
Invite eminent persons that are strong advocates of social or volunteer issues to promote IYV
Encourage the government to join in:
Propose legislation designed to facilitate volunteering
Issue messages of support through high ranking officials
Framework agreements between state structures and volunteer associations
Solicit financial and in-kind donations:
Seek financial or technical support (private sector, government) for volunteers projects, campaigns, advocacy or events
Organize a time donation campaign (people for specific projects)
International Year of Volunteers 2001
www.iyv2001.org
2 Create volunteer networks and linkages
Join your country’s IYV National Committee or consider bringing together volunteer organizations, NGOs and government to form one.
Ask your mayor to proclaim International Volunteer Day (IVD) on 5 December
Develop a plan to disseminate IYV information to volunteer organizations and individuals
Produce a national volunteer directory
Engage tomorrows volunteers – children and youth.
Ask postal authorities to issue IYV- IVD stamps.
Bring together community leaders of different groups
Organize conferences, symposiums, workshops bringing together NGOs, government representatives, volunteers researchers and interested individuals (on national or regional levels)
Organize television or radio roundtable discussions
Share information about your activities with Team IYV
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IYV activities
Events to mark the opening and closing of IYV 2001 on 5 December 2000 and 2001.
Conferences, workshops or meetings of volunteer stakeholders
Events that involve volunteers in local, national, international projects or charities
Build a national commission on volunteerism - Portugal
Contribute to a “National Volunteer report” – China
Develop or inspire a national volunteer centre – Singapore
Encourage academic volunteer studies, research or measurement – South Korea & Japan
Develop a volunteer resource center or archives – Ireland
Set up volunteer training courses – South Africa
Serve as a voice for national volunteer issues and interests – Bosch Foundation in Germany
Poster campaign – Indonesia
Countries examples
And 2 CITY IYV Committees: Hong-Kong, NY
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Create posters, flyers, calendars of activities, stickers and other promotional tools.
Download the IYV logo from the IYV web site at www.iyv2001.org to produce event materials.
Send a copy of your IYV materials to Team IYV to help document the wealth of materials produced for the Year.
We encourage the creation of all kind of materials, locally produced, with the use of the IYV logo. The logo presented in orange has also been transformed by some countries, e.g Switzerland.
But please, send a copy of your material to Team IYV, at UNV-Bonn.
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5 Community participation and outreach
IYV is about bringing people together to help each other. Events during 2001 offer an ideal opportunity to help foster participation and social networking. Below are some ideas to help encourage community participation:
Launch a promotional and information campaign
Make and advertise a list of all the services, which would not exist if they were not accomplished by volunteers
Coordinate exhibitions on volunteering
Invite people to participatory events where they may plant trees, clean up parks or paint buildings in your community.
Develop a national IYV web site and invite organizations to link to it
Consider national and local distribution opportunities:
Place posters and flyers in in libraries, government buildings, community centers, NGOs and educational institutes
Try to add IYV materials to mailings from other NGOs, businesses and government agencies that support IYV
International Year of Volunteers 2001
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Assure Recognition
Host an event to distribute awards to outstanding volunteers and volunteer initiatives
Give certificates for volunteer solidarity action and/or NGO of the year
Hold a ceremony with eminent persons to preside over celebrations and hand out awards
Plan for cultural and recreation events (exhibition, volunteer ball, concert, play, sports event)
Invite a historian or writer to trace and present the history of national volunteering
Host celebrations in honor of outstanding volunteer initiatives or persons
Let the world know about your activities by sending out press releases and inviting the media
Volunteer appreciation award
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7 Invite eminent persons to support IYV activities
When eminent persons speak about volunteer issues, they are more likely to attract public attention and inspire action. Here are some ways eminent persons can get involved with IYV:
Attract media attention through participation in IYV events and initiatives
Lead by example and volunteer at IYV events
Appear in various media to talk about volunteer issues or personal volunteer experiences
Create and/or contribute to volunteer-related publications
Endorse volunteer books, movies, stories, etc.
Perform at IYV events
Donate works of art or possessions for volunteer or IYV-related fundraising
Encourage people to volunteer in their community
Present awards at volunteer award ceremonies
Participate in IYV regional meetings
IYV eminent persons:
Principe, Spain
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8 Nurture good media relations
For IYV events to have the greatest impact possible, it is important to complement IYV activities with pre-planned media relations.
Focus your press message on the one issue you want to convey, whether is news about an upcoming event or promotion of an opinion.
Create standard media tools in advance: Media advisory, photo opportunities, press releases, public service announcements (PSA) for television and/or radio, letter to editors and/or submissions to event calendars.
Make media releases sound exciting and newsworthy.
Create a media distribution list or database to use when sending out media material. You may find media lists in libraries or try partnering with a group that already has one.
Timing is important. Plan ahead and send out different media tools at different times.
Be prepared for journalists: provide them with facts, contacts, information and press kits about your volunteer activities.
International Year of Volunteers 2001
www.iyv2001.org
9 Lead by example and volunteer
The most important thing you can do for IYV is volunteer! Here are some volunteer activities you may do to support the Year:
humanitarian and solidarity actions: visiting sick people, donating blood, medicine, visiting children in orphanages and offering help, providing free medical services and vaccinations to the needy, providing free legal advice, giving lessons for free, providing friendship services such as support and counselling, collecting and distributing clothes, shoes, toys or food, helping single mothers and pensioners, providing a hotline for those in distress, helping in farming, visiting juvenile detention centres, providing the elderly in need with services such as shopping, letter writing…, companionship, securing sponsorships producing event materials: Donating classroom materials, hospital supplies, machinery, instruments, wheelchairs and other material for disabled, scholarships, IT equipment, charity dinners, getting involved in civic and developmental actions: renovating / building /sponsoring / institutions for the disabled, orphans, pensioners, civic and community centers, schools, hospitals, libraries, playgrounds for city children, infrastructure, Organizing work camps with different goals, cleaning historical sites, renovate places of worship. getting involved in environmental activities: Campaigning, pressuring, undertaking and studies, cleaning initiatives, initiating solid waste disposals, ensuring safe water supplies, planting gardens, trees, getting children involved and informed about nature and environment. getting involved in educational actions: Transferring knowledge and technical skills, Teaching and literacy campaigns, Maternity and infant care workshops, Training session on health issues - awareness campaigns
International Year of Volunteers 2001
www.iyv2001.org
10 Make it happen
Everyone is invited to make IYV 2001 the success it deserves to be!
It’s our time.