(iii) Provide or facilitate specialized training and the formation of professional volunteer managers and trainers in the area of formal service volunteering, including by introducing formal credentials and standards

Immigrants formed the first volunteer fire fighting units (still a volunteer activity in Chile).

E. Bringing volunteerism into the mainstream

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has developed an internal volunteering policy and established a volunteering focal point within its headquarters.

National legislation on volunteering was identified during the International Year of Volunteers as an important determinant of a flourishing volunteer movement.

The legislative environment is becoming increasingly supportive of volunteering and the contribution that volunteering makes to individuals and societies is increasingly recognized.

(i) Assist countries, upon request, in building national capacities, including in the field of training, and further support Governments in their actions to promote volunteerism as a strategic tool to enhance economic and social development

56 38. Recommendations on support for volunteering

References in national Human Development Reports to volunteerism are an indicator of the extent to which volunteerism is entering the mainstream of development thinking.

Women's Union of Russia (1999 2002)

Involvement ranges from employer supported volunteer schemes and funding for volunteer projects, to building partnerships around volunteer focused government and civil society initiatives.

Research is important in order to establish culturally sensitive definitions of volunteerism, to determine its scale and characteristics and to assist in the development of policies that recognize and support voluntary action.

Other examples abound of providing recognition.

This is what I will briefly discuss in this post.

Indeed, there is a need for changes in some existing legislation that has a negative impact on volunteering, including barriers to international volunteering schemes.

The United Nations Children's Fund has comprehensively researched the state of volunteering within its national committees and plans to use the results to enhance the spirit of volunteerism.

Panel discussion on Volunteerism How you can make a difference? and

11. Acknowledges the importance of civil society organizations for the promotion of volunteerism, and in this respect recognizes that strengthening the dialogue and interaction between civil society and the United Nations contributes to the expansion of volunteerism

Advances since 2001 in the recognition and promotion of voluntary action have been backed up by efforts to facilitate volunteerism through the establishment and strengthening of human and physical infrastructure.

Basic information is lacking on the scale of volunteering, the different forms it takes, the impact of cultural, economic and social perspectives and the nature of barriers to taking part in voluntary action that face some segments of the population.

The feasibility of periodic reviews of the global status of volunteerism that would take stock and highlight major developments in voluntary action around the world and provide inputs for United Nations publications, might also be considered.

Governments, the media and the private sector are increasingly vocal in their support for volunteering.

The present report provides evidence of the beginning of a trend towards a greater recognition on the part of Governments and other stakeholders of the value added by volunteerism and of the need to ensure a favourable environment within which voluntary action can flourish.

C. Training

The resolution recognizes that volunteerism builds strong cohesive communities, encourages participation in the democratic process and reduces social tensions by forging a common view, and it encourages further support.

1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary General on support for volunteering A 56 288.

Last year, European Commission Vice President Viviane Reding issued a call to voluntary action.

In Benin, a law on decentralization encourages the promotion of volunteerism and community initiatives.

There seems to be a fundamental difference between our concept of volunteering work for no return but the love of God, and the Western concept of working on volunteer projects serving causes people believe in.

At the regional level, the European Conference and Exchange Forum about Volunteering (Eurofestation 2004), held in 2004 in the Netherlands during that country's presidency of the European Union, was attended by representatives from a broad range of stakeholders in volunteerism.

More efforts are needed to disseminate information about the rich diversity of voluntary action, stressing the value of all forms of voluntary participation, including mutual aid and campaigning alongside service oriented volunteer work.

Training will be based on the training needs assessment (skills gap analysis)

The TrainForTrade Programme attaches importance to a regional approach to training.

7. Invites all stakeholders, especially from the private sector community and from private foundations, to support volunteerism as a strategic tool to enhance economic and social development, including by expanding corporate volunteering

Research on volunteerism undertaken since 2001 in developing countries and countries with economies in transition, however, is still a very small proportion of the totality of research on voluntary action.

Among countries with economies in transition, the Czech Republic and Hungary already consider volunteerism as integral to their development efforts. Bolivia is an example of a developing country whose economic and social planning reflects the contribution of voluntary action.

There have been important advances in recognition of the economic dimension of voluntary action and this has, potentially, significant implications for the way that volunteerism is perceived and the extent to which it is incorporated into the mainstream of development planning.

In many instances, the introduction of supportive legislative and fiscal frameworks may play a critical role, either through the creation of specific volunteering legislation or through ensuring that other legislation and public policy is supportive of volunteering.

Training and education

Training and research

Kabinda

Group training

Training material

This includes a range of volunteering possibilities with organizations in deprived communities and towns.

(d) Encouraging and undertaking research in the various aspects of volunteerism and its impact on society