More and more Europeans are involved in volunteering in all fields of social life : sports and leisure, health, social services, culture, environment, human rights, consumption…
Volunteering may be a fundamental step for all young people to prepare their future social and professional life- it can be much more decisive for his/her future: feeling useful for the collectivity, meeting people they wouldn't have had the chance to meet in their life.
Volunteering needs to offer opportunities to take on stimulating work, to develop skills, to explore different careers and to get work experience. If instrumental motivations are not new, they appear to be increasing rapidly among young people.
In times where studies are longer and entering the labour market is more difficult (unemployment rates are higher in the younger population), young people should involve in voluntary experiments that will enrich their background, apart from their previous education or background. Sometimes a voluntary involvement may be the first step for a future job.
Concerning youth volunteering, the European Commission has led a very positive action with the European voluntary service for young. A new form of " proximity volunteering " is being developed in countries. For governments, volunteering has become a key issue.
The aim of this European network is to evaluate youth volunteering in different European countries on the basis of national studies already done and to propose concrete actions to promote it on both European and national levels