Volunteer management in European Parks

Background

Protected areas need their local communities and stakeholders to get more involved in their management. Volunteering is a great way to do this. This project provides an invaluable opportunity to advance existing approaches to Lifelong Learning through conservation volunteering and to find means of consolidating these as integrative parts of protected areas' volunteer management.

This GRUNDTVIG project runs from 01 November 2010 to 31st 12th 2013. The lead project partner is EUROPARC Germany. The other  partners are the Rodna Mountains National Park Administration (RO), British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (UK), EUROPARC Atlantic Isles, The Environment Agency of Iceland, The EUROPARC Federation, FUNGOBE/ EUROPARC Spain, Nature Conservation Agency of Latvia, Federparchi- EUROPARC Italy, The Association of Lithuanian State Parks and Reserves. 

The partners have already cooperated successfully in a Grundtvig Learning Partnership "European Volunteers in Parks" focussing on the transfer of new skills and experiences in volunteer management and gaining experiences in the international exchange of short-term volunteers.

Objective and results

Project partners intend to disseminate innovation and good practice in the field of volunteer management and upgrade learning opportunities in the context of volunteering.

The project will produce the following outputs:
- Trainings for volunteer coordinators (vc), who manage, supervise and teach volunteers; ongoing exchange of vm material and methods
- Innovative learning material for vc in European parks
- Exemplary combined working/learning opportunities in parks for foreign volunteers and park employers for mutual tutoring, enhancing expertise, life skills and practical skills
- Quality standards for professional vm in European parks
- Awareness-raising national seminars in the “Year of Volunteering” 2011 focussing on volunteering and LL
- Report on benefits of volunteering in parks on local communities and volunteers, especially referring to LL

Project partners hope that the project and its results will further the professionalisation of volunteer management in European parks ensuring that it supports the lifelong learning of volunteers. A vital network of skilled volunteer coordinators in parks  will be created. The project will also create higher park awareness of the value of volunteering that leads to future promotion of volunteeer management.

More information on the project will be uploaded shortly on the main project website.