VOLUMEN – VOLUnteering for inclusive DevelopMENt

The primary aim of VOLUMEN is to encourage volunteering initiatives by creating an action plan that promotes sustainable gender equality. Our focus was identifying and analyzing existing inequalit...

The primary aim of VOLUMEN is to encourage volunteering initiatives by creating an action plan that promotes sustainable gender equality. Our focus was identifying and analyzing existing inequality factors in volunteerism across partner nations through a needs assessment and continuous transnational collaboration. Also, we equipped youth workers with tools to enhance their efforts to implement gender mainstreaming within volunteer activities. Participants have received training tailored to the promotion of equality, gender mainstreaming and non-discrimination through a non-formal education method. We facilitated their role as advocates for gender equality work within their organizations. A key facet has been raising awareness among young people, the educational community, and the wider public about the necessity of sustainable and gender-equal volunteering practices. Both organizations also strive to offer accessible volunteer opportunities to the local community and further training that can generate a culture of equality. VOLUMEN's success depended on transnational, cross-sectoral cooperation between project partners. This was achieved through knowledge exchange and sharing best practices related to project main areas.

Among the activities of VOLUMEN, the first phase included the mapping of good practices and local resources in Greece and Spain. We conducted four focus groups to assess the current scenario, identify needs and collect data. Genderhood and SCI Madrid then executed a pilot series of 5 community workshops named "Gender & Community" in Athens and Madrid. These workshops effectively covered most of VOLUMEN's intended objectives. Based on the experience of the transnational grassroots training, the educators from both partner organizations crafted a toolkit, serving as a foundational resource for the project dissemination and sustainability. This toolkit also served as the main input for professional training for NGO and youth workers. For this scope, events and seminars were held in both countries. We also undertook a robust awareness-raising campaign on gender equality, as a part of the general communication plan. Morevor, throughout the project, social media dissemination proved pivotal for informing the general public and specific target groups. Social platforms shared seminar invitations, project group participation opportunities, and campaign materials, aiding effective outreach and engagement.

The project VOLUMEN has successfully achieved its goals through implemented activities. These include promoting gender mainstreaming in volunteer programs, identifying inequality factors in Greece and Spain's volunteering actions, and raising youth awareness about sustainable volunteering's impact. Initial focus groups gathered essential information and participants. This preliminary phase guaranteed an optimized execution of the workshops. Greece and Spain's workshop attendees displayed strong community commitment, fostering dynamic debates enriched by diverse perspectives. A tangible outcome worth mentioning is the toolkit, a result of collaborative efforts between the two entities' staff. This toolkit allowed the dissemination of good practices learned during the workshops’ implementation by helding professional training sessions for the Genderhood and SCI Madrid teams and for a broader public both in Athens and Madrid. Another tangible result is the raising-awareness campaign throughout internal and external channels. We are committed to extending the impact of the project in different ways.