ESC: Volunteering for inclusion

Volunteering for All Association is a non-governmental, non-profit and independent association which was founded for the public’s benefit by a group of young Resita students and volunteers. The purpose of this group is to create more youth activities and to engage more young people in volunteering activities. This group came into being out of the need to address the many problems that its members have identified as being recurrent for the young people of Resita and those living in the villages of Caras-Severin County; those young people being the target group that is being assisted through various activities. Thus the Volunteering for All Association was created, having as its top priority the engagement of youths in volunteering activities which in turn would raise their awareness and responsibility towards the society they live in. The aim of the Volunteering for All Association is to improve the economical, educational and social situation of citizens. In order to accomplish this purpose, the association proposes the following activities: a. Raising the organizational capacity of youths b. Supporting youths in improving their problem solving skills c. Collaborating with organization from Romania and abroad in order to implement projects that support youths d. Creating community engagement programs that will prevent prejudice towards underprivileged groups e. Hosting cultural, artistic, educational, applied science, sports and touristic activities for people and home and foreign organizations that will favor the promoting of multiculturalism f. Activities that promote, monitor and defend human rights g. Initiating and carrying out activities that promote democracy, volunteering and European citizenship h. Initiating programs and volunteering activities within the organization’s field of activity i. Promoting volunteering and education, especially in the rural environment j. Hosting youth activities: educational, cultural , sports, environmental k. Creating social intervention programs that will prevent social exclusion l. Fighting unemployment m. Professional formation, orientation and counseling n. Promoting tolerance, diversity and equality within society o. Supporting and aiding civil society organizations Our association was created and is being run by youths who promote the interests of other youths in and around Resita and who try to raise their motivation to be more involved in the local community and in the decision making process of the issues that concern them. We organize informal meetings, workshops, seminars, debates, happenings and other events where we try to foster interest and participation of people on democratic principles, public affairs and the everyday life of local communities within Romania. We form an informational and search center for volunteering stages so using the knowledge from the volunteering activities people will understand and deal with the social, economic, cultural and language barriers in their lives through the principles of tolerance to diversity, open discussion, active initiatives, shared experiences, volunteering non-formal education and informal learning. We receive a lot of attention from students, teachers, social workers, youth workers and young people from our region as well as from all around the Romania as we bring them interesting events, activities and new opportunities for their self-actualization and personal development. We cooperate with local municipalities, schools and other institutions as well as independent interest groups, associations and other organizations.