On 2 and 3 March 2012, we organized a workshop on “Volunteering in times of crisis”. Spain is among the countries which have been most affected by the current economic crisis with an unemployment rate rising to more than 20%, among young people even more than 40%. During the conference the effects of the crisis on active citizenship and volunteering were discussed. Numerous Spanish experts and representatives of civil society organisations as well as guests from other countries affected by the crisis (Portugal, UK, Italy among others) were present. Visits to current urban projects and a public breakfast in cooperation with breakfast with pedestrians (”Desayuno con Viandantes”) were also part of the agenda.

Further details on the venues and schedule can be found in the agenda of the event.

The conference was organized in the framework of the VIT project which is financed by the European Commission and which deals with volunteering and democracy in an enlarged Europe. It seeks to promote volunteering in various European cities, raising debates on questions of active citizenship and participation. 19 partners – local and regional authorities, NGOs and associations – in the whole of Europe are working together during a period of three years. They will organize a series of conferences and workshops to reflect on how an active citizenship can improve European governance. Through this a platform of debate will be created collecting tools and good practices used by the regional and international actors involved.

Partners of the project:
- The Association of Local Democracy Agencies (lead partner of the project)
- University of Valencia
- Desayuno con Viandantes
- The Association of Belgians living in Valencia
- Arte&facto
- LAMinuscula
- Ineditt Photography
- GA Valencia

Presentations of the event:
- José de Brito, Institute of Childcare, Lisboa, Portugal
- Umit Ozturk, Mediterranean Resource Centre, Reino Unido
- Javier Edo Ausach , Plataforma de Voluntariat Social de la Comunitat Valenciana
- Marco Boaria, ALDA
- Pilar Ortega, Intermón Oxfam
- Dorothee Fischer, RECREATURA_arts&culture

Photos of the event are available on our Facebook page!