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Coordination of Volonteers (COVO) |
INTRODUCTION
Volunteering and Volunteer Coordination
The European Commission has decided to declare 2011 the „European Year of Volunteering“:
In the European Union millions of citizens are involved in V work. People of all ages make a positive contribution to the community by devoting some of their free time to organisations of civil society, to youth clubs, in the fields of social and health services, in schools, sports clubs etc. The European Commission considers volunteering as active civic participation which strengthens common European values such as solidarity and social cohesion.
It is against this background that the international innovation transfer project COVO must be viewed: the participation and involvement of Vs in many areas of social work is gaining importance even in Europe: on the one hand, social institutions require the involvement of Vs in order to complement and support their services in an important and interesting manner. On the other hand, this creates valuable venues of participation for people such as those who are no longer working. Thirdly, it offers people who are still working, studying or others numerous opportunities for an additional involvement through meaningful social activities - with all the benefits attached thereto.
Practical experiences not only of the organisations from Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Germany and Austria represented in this partnership have shown that V work can develop its full potential only when these V services are coordinated in the best possible way. Volunteers cannot be treated as equivalents of regular staff but have different prerequisites, needs and capabilities.
This leads us to the formulation of the problem statement for the project: „How can regular employees in the social services get the optimum qualification with respect to coordination and guidance of V services?“ In view of the developments outlined above teachers and trainers in vocational education for social services are faced with a growing professional challenge: imparting and/or promoting the competencies for coordination and guidance of V services in order to develop the resource of V work to its fullest potential in the long run.
COVO refers to the results of the Equal Partnership „Professions and Training in the Health and Social Services“ (AT – 3 – 01/68): (Final products of this Equal Partnership are published on www.berufsbilder.org). The goal of that project was to „Identify and show the varied training programmes for health and social services in Austria as well as in selected countries“. Particular emphasis was placed on the problem of curricula and training schedules. In particular, „modular trainings“ in social and health services were recommended.
From these vocational trainings for social work the parts dealing with formation of competencies for coordination of V services were singled out for COVO, related to the experiences of the COVO project partners and transferred to a curriculum for V coordination. The goal of COVO was to identify competencies and innovative concepts for the coordination and guidance of Vs and their transfer to an up-to-date user-oriented curriculum the modules of which can then be (re)integrated in (vocational) trainings and/or may be utilized as elements of lifelong learning (including non-formal education).
In the course of formulating the present COVO curriculum the project proceeded in the following six work phases:
1. Research and Best-Practice Phase
Identifying best-practice examples of regionally successful coordination of V services; selecting some of the identified suitable modular components of existing vocational trainings in the health and social services;
2. Analysis and Transfer Phase
Applying the client and staff perspective to the products to be transferred;
3. Consolidation Phase
Consolidation of specialized topics (of all partners) for V coordination (see also COVO annex to curriculum);
4. Curricular Phase
Formulating a simple and user-oriented curriculum structure – by safeguarding NQR and EQR principles (National and European Qualification Framework);
5. Practice and Piloting Phase
Reviewing the emerging, evolving?? curriculum by means of several pilotings both as individual modules as well as in total. In addition, external experts were asked for formalized comments by means of a questionnaire;
6. Result and Presentation Phase
Systematising, evaluating and incorporating the piloting feedbacks;
Writing the final COVO product.
The COVO transfer product may help trainers and teachers in social sector training and further education to impart coordination competency for V services to regular staff in the social servies, to participants of formal and non-formal social trainings in a well-founded manner and in accordance with the growing demands.
The COVO curriculum is intended for professional teachers and trainers. A prerequisite for its successful practical implementation apart from pedagogical-didactical competencies is previous experience with coordination of V services.
COVO does not provide ,step-by-step instructions’ but an overview broken down into nine modules of those competencies which in the view of the project consortium and based on numerous experiences and samples from literature are indispensable for V coordination. Which of the individual topics are then utilized in detail in which way is left to the discretion of the trainers and teachers (or to the provider in charge) since the framework for V work and its coordination differs considerably in the European countries and the respective social systems.
COVO Partner Consortium
Funded by the European Union and supervised by the National Agency for Lifelong Learning (Vienna) the following project partners worked together on the COVO project from November 2007 to October 2009 :
P1: Ausbildung im Diakonie-Zentrum Salzburg, Austria (Coordinator)
P2: DieWille gGmbH, Berlin, Germany www.diewille.de
P3: Seniorenstift Kaufering, Germany www.seniorenstift.kaufering.de
P4: SOS-Children’s Village of Estonia, Tallinn, Estonia www.sos-lastekyla.ee
P5: Diaconia Centre of Evangelical Lutheran Church, Riga, Latvia www.diakonija.lv
P6: Powisle Community Foundation, Warsaw, Poland www.pfs.pl
The following colleagues were major contributors to the creation of the COVO curriculum both with respect to input and contents:
SALZBURG (A): Karl Winding (Coordinator), Matthias Reiter, Michaela Koller
BERLIN (D): Heidemarie Kollatz, Elisabeth Schneider
KAUFERING (D): Erich Püttner, Peter Braun
TALLINN (EE): Margus Oro, Kersti Puhm
RIGA (LV): Elga Zosima, Ilze Vitolina, Vaira Novicka
WARSCHAU (PL): Anna Gieraltowska, Malgorzata Kachniarz
Structure of the COVO Curriculum
The COVO curriculum is made up of the following nine COVO modules as well as a supplementary annex, with the numbers in brackets (next to the module titles) being a recommendation on the amount of time to be spent on the individual modules during the training - in total 14 days:
1. Education and Training (2 days)
Identifying the demand for qualification, developing (or selecting) suitable trainings for Vs, implementation and evaluation of the trainings
2. Guidance (2 days)
Supervision and guidance of Vs
3. Recruitment (2 days)
Recruiting and selecting Vs
4. Promotion (1 day)
Promotion, advertising and support of Vs ( volunteering)
5. Motivation (2 days)
Motivation of Vs
6. Networking (1 day)
Establishing and maintaining networks
7. Evaluation (1 day)
Evaluating and appraising V work
8. Communication (2 days)
Communication with Vs
9. Organisation (1 day)
Organising V work
The COVO modules are designed in such a way that they can be applied individually, without the other modules. This implies certain repetitions which were inserted on purpose.
Basic knowledge about V work, previous training or on-the-job training in the social sector and/or relevant professional activities are important not only for trainers and teachers but also for students in order to develop the COVO know-how to the fullest. As shown during the COVO piloting phase, these resources together with the COVO curriculum ensure that competencies relating to V coordination can be taught and/or improved in a very compact way.
The methodological approach:
Designing education and training programmes for adults means taking into account some crucial facts about adult learning: Adults want their learning to be problem-oriented, personalized and accepting of their need for self-direction and personal responsibility. A person who is in charge of V coordination in an organization has to deal with these facts and premises everyday. Therefore also in a train-the-trainer seminar they have to be taken into account when a training program has to be designed and carried out.
Each of the nine COVO modules is broken down in tabular form as follows:
• Introduction
• I-can-statements (partial competencies)
• Explanation(s)
• Example(s)
• Literature references
The competencies formulated as I-can statements allow both students and teachers to get a quick assessment of the status quo: What can I do/know already, what do I still want/need to learn? This analysis provides important information on the degree of intensity the individual sections need to be accorded: It is up to the teachers and trainers to decide together with the students on the priorities and emphasis of the initial or further training.
The Annex contains in-depth, supplementary material (in the English or German language), extracts of which can also be used for trainings.
Module Overview
Abbreviations: V = Volunteer; VC = Volunteer Coordinator;
Below, the nine modules will be explained briefly by means of their introductions:
1. Education and Training (2 days)
The design of training and education programmes for adult Vs needs to take into account some crucial facts about adult learning: Adults want their learning to be problem-oriented, personalized and respecting their need for self-direction and personal responsibility. A VC has to deal with these facts and premises everyday. In addition, other perspectives must be considered in the design, implementation and evaluation of volunteer trainings which reflect the needs of social organisations for the appropriate use of volunteers and the individual needs of the clients.
Any training process is comprised of a continuous cycle of activities: it starts with the needs assessment as a basis for the training programme to be developed; the training concept needs to be adjusted accordingly and finally the training can be carried out. An evaluation of the training will be the basis for a follow up training programme to be developed - and then the cycle starts again.
2. Guidance (2 days)
V guidance requires recruiting, motivating, communicating, and many other skills. These competencies have been widely described in other modules, such as Communication and Motivation. Items below focus on issues that go beyond topics covered in other modules or integrate some tasks/skills described in several modules. They also cover issues of technical organisation of V guidance.
The guidance process is crucial for achieving long-term cooperation with a V. The durability of this cooperation depends on mutual profits for the volunteer and for the organisation, on investments in Vs’ skills development and their identification with the organisation.
3. Recruitment
V recruitment means attracting and inviting people to consider involvement with organisations. Of special importance is planning and design of the selection process as well as the approach to searching for and finding volunteers. It is important to know the organisation from the inside as well as how it is perceived by the public at large. This process should ensure that volunteers are available for those assignments that the organisation needs and wants. These assignments can be: individual or group activities in the fields related to assistance, direct or indirect services, committee or advisory board tasks, fundraising assignments or advocacy tasks.
4. Promotion (1 day)
It is also a part of a VC's job to raise the awareness for the importance of volunteer work. This applies both to internal (within the organisation) as well as to external communication and is the topic of this module. If the organisation/institution approaches Vs in a friendly manner and is well prepared for their arrival then one should start thinking about which target groups of Vs should be approached and which is the best way to to do so. The main question is how to promote the concrete placement of Vs in the appropriate way. Once Vs are integrated into the organisation/institution it is the responsibility of VCs to ensure that they and their work are sufficiently appreciated which in turn motivates Vs. This appreciation should not be be expressed only by the VCs but also by other colleagues and once in a while by the „top level“; it is up to the VC to make sure that this happens.
5. Motivation (2 days)
Motivating of Vs is a process that begins at recruitment and is very important at the stage of the Vs’ first confrontation with their tasks. Continuous motivation during a long-term cooperation with a V is a challenging task. It is also a process requiring VC’s adjustment to Vs' expectations. VCs have to react flexibly to Vs’ needs, but they also have to determine resources that the organisation and they can invest to enhance Vs’ motivation.
Motivating includes soft interactions fostering Vs' identification and commitment as well as hard ones bringing tangible benefits. For Vs a crucial element is the possibility of direct contact with the VCs and their support. It is the VC's personality, skills and charisma that makes Vs eager to work. Another important aspect is the organisation’s internal culture – what place Vs take in its activities, how the organisation deals with workers of various status, gender, culture etc.
It is necessary that VCs have knowledge about the general nature of motivation, e.g. to know the most common motivations for volunteering and how to develop or correct them.
6. Networking (1 day)
Networking in V coordination could be considered as a skill or method of working for mutual cooperation and for creating synergies. Networking is used on a general level between different institutions (for the purpose of exchanging experiences, joint recruitment and information campaigns, sharing resources …) or on a specific problem-oriented level among professionals (as a method of solving individuals’ or client’s problems). Networking uses many other skills such as communication, promotion, recruitment as described in other modules. Items below focus on issues that go beyond topics covered in other modules or integrate some tasks/skills described in several modules. Networking as a method for addressing individuals’, clients’ or organizations’ needs is widely accepted in the social field of work, especially in Nordic countries. Networking can cross borders and build contacts between countries and professional fields.
The network is actually a social structure involving individuals and organisations which are connected with each other in formal or non-formal ways because of specific interconnections such as common values, visions, ideas, friendships etc. The focus is on individual actors in the network and on the relationships between them. Networking can play a significant role in defining and solving problems and can actually influence on a personal level how individuals achieve their goals. Networks are created between Vs or between staff and Vs or mixed networks with external colleagues and institutions. Networking as a method is very helpful for VCs in order to recruit new Vs or find support for the organisation's activities as well as the implementation of goals and addressing clients’ needs.
7. Evaluation (1 day)
Generally speaking, evaluation means the description, analysis and evaluation of projects, processes and organisational units. The goal of evaluation is to gain information on the usefulness and/or the achievement of agreed upon TARGETS. Thus, evaluations serve to assess the effectiveness and constitute an important instrument for optimizing rules and processes. Evaluation procedures can relate to the structure, the process as well as to the result.
Two questions are important in this context: „Are we doing the right thing?“ (validation) and „Are we doing it the right way?“ (verification).
Evaluation procedures are applied in many different areas: for example in education, in social work, in health promotion, in development aid, in administration, in market research and in business.
8. Communication (2 days)
V coordination requires advanced communication skills and sensitivity. Tools of communication management are indispensible for Vcs in order to ensure the information management within the organisation. VCs are responsible for recruitment of Vs by providing information on the work in the organisation at events and in the media. VCs conduct the initial interview with potential V candidates. In the course of a V assignment they are in charge of facilitating communication and information flow between staff, Vs and clients. When communication channels function smoothly and continuously between all parties the likelihood of obstacles, misunderstandings and conflicts is reduced and volunteering becomes more effective.
9. Organisation (1 day)
Organising the work with volunteers helps to structure the working process, to secure the quality of V work in the long run and to design the impact of volunteer involvement for optimum results.
VCs are responsible for formulating and communicating the rules and principles of cooperation, analysing the needs of the target groups and involved actors, determining the goals of V work, planning the tasks by observing the legal framework and implementing concrete activities.
Another task of VCs is to apply professional methods, to solve legal and administrative questions, to plan and organise the resources for V work, to document the results of their work and communicate them to the institution. In addition, VCs have to inform the public on the successful results of V work.
Note: The module is based mostly on the requirements of working with long-term Vs.
The COVO results will be available free of charge in English and German until (at least) October 2014 and can be downloaded from this website.
All COVO passages (including extracts) used and/or published must be quoted correctly (also applies to the COVO annexes): type of project (see header ), project title (COVO – Coordination of Volunteers), project number (see footer), reference to project funding by the European Union (see footer).
Participation Certificates
If you work with the COVO curriculum as part of a vocational training in the field of social services the project consortium may issue a participation certificate, provided that you supply proof of qualified and sufficiently in-depth work (refer to the duration of modules recommended by the COVO consortium). Please contact the COVO Coordinator: k.winding@diakoniewerk.at
We thank the European Union for funding the project and wish you an interesting time studying and working with V coordination
Salzburg, October 2009
for the COVO Consortium:
Karl Winding (PhD)
COVO Coordinator
LLP-LDV-TOI-07-AT-0004 COVO: This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use
which may be made of the information contained therein.