9th-10th May 2012 – Copenhagen, Denmark
       

Partner: The National Knowledge and Development Centre of Volunteering
(Center for frivilligt socialt arbejde)

 

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The voluntary sector has seen many developments recently, and gained a well deserved place on the public agenda through the European Year of Volunteering 2011. However, there is still a long journey ahead for volunteers and organisations that support them to achieve the aim of their efforts: better communities, stronger societies. It is therefore crucial to build partnerships between different sectors, to approach the growing interdependence between the state, business sector and civil society with innovative ideas, and to increase collaboration among different actors in the decision making arena.

In its 23rd Multi-Stakeholders Symposium, the European Volunteer Centre (CEV) addressed the need for increased collaboration through innovative action between voluntary, private and public sectors. Building collaboration for solid societies through volunteering means being able to respond to questions such as: How can partnerships between agents from different backgrounds be increased? What tools are available to enhance the quality of such partnerships? How can we gain new resources and competences through cross-sectoral collaboration? What can be considered good collective action from the point of view of voluntary organisations, private companies, municipalities and local governments? What is missing to make innovative cross-sector collaboration possible?

 

Venue: The Symposium took place in The Danish Parliament, the Folketing, which is located in Christiansborg Palace on the Castle Islet, “Slotsholmen”, a small island in Copenhagen harbor in the heart of the city.

 

The objectives of the symposium were the following:

• To provide a highly participatory and interactive space for debates, partnership building and expertise exchange;

• To identify and explore the best use of tools enhancing cross-sector cooperation;

• To develop action points for innovation and quality engagement in the voluntary field and society as a whole.
   

Interpretation was provided from English into Italian and from English into Spanish during plenary sessions.

 

CEV Symposium Volunteering for stronger societies through innovation and cross-sector collaboration was organised under the auspices of the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.