VOLWOB

Volunteerism Without Borders

Volunteering plays a key role in society across the European Union, fostering social inclusion, active citizenship, and community development. Volunteers are vital in addressing social challenges, promoting sustainability, and contributing to local economies, particularly in sectors like healthcare, education, and environmental conservation. In addition to these direct benefits, volunteering also enhances solidarity and cohesion within the EU by connecting diverse communities. It helps bridge gaps between different regions and groups, promoting a sense of shared responsibility for society's development. Volunteering in the EU is also becoming more closely linked with social transformation. For instance, volunteering can revitalize local communities by providing new services or enhancing existing ones, such as food banks or activities for children and the elderly.  Volunteering is also recognized as a means to foster youth participation, intergenerational dialogue, and lifelong learning. It is important to encourage volunteering across EU member states, aiming to increase engagement, mobility, and social impact in various fields. This growing focus on volunteering strengthens the EU's commitment to a more inclusive and sustainable future.
VOLWOB project provides an opportunity for volunteers in Osijek and Pécs to collaborate and develop a jointly implemented crossborder voluntary program. In addition, it reviews Croatian and Hungarian regulations and introduces a series of best practices, which will be integrated into the operations of the two applicant organizations and will form the basis for their long-term cooperation.
The project has three main objectives: to provide a Guideline (1) for volunteer organizations in the HRHU region on how to implement joint volunteer programs, to implement joint volunteer programs (2), and to promote intergenerational solidarity through the implementation of a practical program (3).

Volunteering - in Osijek and in Pécs

4 civil organizations from Osijek and Pécs will be involved in the project. The participants of the program (volunteers, involved seniors, visitors to festivals and events) will come primarily from Osijek-Baranja and Baranya Counties, but there will also be experts delegated from other EU and non-EU countries who will share their voluntary best practices with professional organizations and interested parties.
The project is due to be implemented within 12 months, the LA is DKolektiv, which has national knowledge in the field of volunteering, and the Hungarian applicant is DDTG, which has gained significant experience in implementing international volunteer programs. Their work is supported during the project by 2 partners without budget , the Croatian Volunteer Development Center and the Volunteer Center of Pécs.
In addition to the cooperation of the organizations during and after the project implementation, the main result of the project will be the implementation of 11 different events involving target groups and the general public, as well as the preparation of a Guideline for the implementation of joint volunteer programs for other organizations, which will be published online.
During the project, cross-border organizational cooperation will be established that will provide effective assistance in addressing social problems in the region and resolving emergency situations by mobilizing volunteers from the two countries.