THE EAEA AWARD FOR ADULT LEARNING (Grundtvig Award) 2011

Innovative Approaches in Adult Education and Learning - Learning Experiences through Volunteering

 Each year, the European Association for the Education of Adults celebrates innovation and excellence in adult education. The Grundtvig Award highlights project results that produce new ideas, new partnerships, new methodologies and a new understanding how we can work in adult learning. In 2011, EAEA is looking for projects that tackle Learning Experiences through Volunteering.

The EU has designated 2011 as the ‘European Year of Volunteering´:

In the European Union, almost 100 million citizens of all ages invest their time, talents and money to make a positive contribution to their community by volunteering in civil society organisations, youth clubs, hospitals, schools, in sport clubs, etc. For the Commission, volunteering is an active expression of civic participation which strengthens common European values such as solidarity and social cohesion. Volunteering also provides important learning opportunities, because involvement in voluntary activities can provide people with new skills and competences that can even improve their employability. This is especially important at this time of economic crisis. Volunteering plays an important role in sectors as varied and diverse as education, youth, culture, sport, environment, health, social care, consumer protection, humanitarian aid, development policy, research, equal opportunities and external relations. (http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/focus/focus840_en.htm)

EAEA also sees volunteering as essential for non- and informal learning. The learning can be for active citizenship, social inclusion, employability and / or personal development. We particularly appreciate volunteering in and for civil society organizations and associations, which are part of participatory democracy. We are looking for projects that either have volunteering as their main topic or projects that enhance their learning potential by a volunteering period.

We are willing to accept a wide range of topics, such as

- learning material and / or courses for potential volunteers in order to prepare them

- projects that have volunteering periods in the range of activities

- projects that validate the learning experience through volunteering

- etc.

For excellent adult education and learning projects with the topic ‘Learning Experiences through Volunteering´ in two categories:

1. European projects:

- EU + candidate countries need to have a transnational element

- All other European countries need to have either a transnational element or have a strong national partnership with a diverse range of stakeholders

2. Projects from outside of Europe

Projects can but need not be supported by the European Commission (and can but need not be Grundtvig projects)

Criteria:

The project must clearly demonstrate the teaching and/or learning and/or material of the volunteering or for the volunteers

It must have evidence of outcomes, such as a report, DVD, or any form of verification

It is desirable that the project is transferable and/or useful for others

The project or the initiative should be up and running for at least ½ year and/or be close to completion.

What do we expect?

A description of your project:

§ The main goals of the project and the role volunteering played in it

§ How did you achieve the learning through volunteering?

§ What you actually did and how you did it

§ Your target group(s)

§ What processes or partnerships were important

§ How did you get people involved

Some explanation about the impact:

§ The impact on the participants / volunteers

§ How you recognised and tracked success

§ What you have learned - what would you do again or differently next time

Entries must be received until Monday, 4 April 2011, at the

EAEA main office

To the attention of Ms Gina Ebner

Rue d´Arlon, 40

B-1000 Bruxelles

Tel. + 32 2 234 37 60

Fax +32.2.235.05.39

e-mail: gina.ebner@eaea.org

You may submit a description of your project in one of the following languages: English, French and German

What do we offer?

- The Award and a certificate

- An invitation to 2 persons of the winning organisation to the EAEA General Assembly 2011, including travel and accommodation. The EAEA General Assembly this year takes place in Malmö, Sweden.

- Publicity for the winning project(s) via the EAEA website and the members´ mailing list to 125 organisations in 43 European countries

For more information about EAEA and the Award, please visit www.eaea.org