Lluc Martí, project manager at the Fundació Catalunya Voluntària, participated on November 10 in the Fifth International Congress and Eighth National Congress of REDVIVE (Interuniversity Volunteer Network for the Promotion of a Healthy Lifestyle and Social Responsibility), a network of voluntary-based organizations in Peru.

The congress held online from 8 to 11 November with the title ‘Eco-friendly good living in health and intergenerational volunteering’, included contributions from nearly 30 heads of organizations from different countries, with the FCV being the only European NGO guest.

Lluc had 20 minutes to share his point of view on spaces for improving intergenerational volunteer programs. After schematically sharing the vision and trajectory of the FCV regarding the meaning of volunteering, he highlighted three aspects that the FCV considers key in volunteer programs, which might help to achieve a long-lasting impact and which, once part of the organization’s culture, can be improved continuously, as they are: 1) the integrative and inclusive approach, making it possible for people who have never volunteered to start and continue volunteer; 2) learning-focused, helping volunteers to relate tasks to significant competence development; and, 3) results-focused, so that the volunteer knows and is part of the impact of the NGO activities, achieving personal challenges and goals related to these results.

He shared examples of intergenerational volunteering activities with high potential, to the extent that they revolve around the interests and skills of each person, make use of peer-to-peer learning methods, and keep an eye on the specific needs of both elderly and youth (from loneliness to uncertainty, from lack of time to lack of income, etc.). Among the challenges still to overcome to give more space to intergenerational volunteering, he mentioned overcoming hierarchical and vertical organizational cultures and the need to dedicate more efforts and resources so that there are inclusive and participatory volunteering programs, consistent with the NGO’s mission. Lluc shared information on training and advocacy initiatives promoted by the FCV at the international level, such as, for example, the promotion of the recognition of a right to volunteer as part of European citizenship.

The presentation ended wishing to carry out bilateral and multilateral collaboration initiatives with voluntary organizations in Latin America on issues of youth and leaders’ mobility, training, and advocacy.

The congress, organized by REDVIVE, has had contributions from expert voluntary-based organizations from Peru (the majority), Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Chile, Catalonia, and Costa Rica.

For more information about the congress, you can send an email to projectes@catalunyavoluntaria.cat