Volunteers dedicated to culture

Why become a volunteer?

Volunteering plays a very important role in our society. It is important because it promotes social inclusion, creates a civil society and strengthens and renews communities. In order for society and its many projects to work, we need passionate, committed people who are willing to give their time to support a cause and help others. Being a volunteer is not only about giving your time, but also about meeting new people with the same values or commonalities, sharing good times and doing an activity that you enjoy according to the interests and values you want to promote and share.

Volunteering takes place at different levels: You can volunteer for a project in your own neighbourhood, in your own country and even between different nations. The European Capitals of Culture are a very good example. Not only are the European Capitals of Culture looking for volunteers at a national level, but they also benefit from an international network (European Volunteer Coordinator Network/EVCN) which makes it easier to recruit motivated volunteers from other European communities.

European Volunteer Coordinator Network

The Esch2022 team joined the international “European Volunteer Coordinator Network” three years ago. This network’s mission is to enable the various European Capitals of Culture to help each other on the issue of volunteering in all its forms (management of volunteers, implementation of good practices, improvement of working conditions, evaluation of coordinators’ skills, etc.).

Since March 2021, 7 members of the EVCN have been carrying out research work that focuses on cultural volunteering, youth volunteer engagement and the organisation of activities that contribute to the personal and professional development of volunteers. This project, entitled “Youngeteers“, is supported by the European Commission within the framework of the Erasmus + KA2 projects and proposes a methodology on volunteer management in times of crisis such as the one related to Covid-19 (Project: “Young Volunteers in the Cultural Events-Lessons Learned from COVID-19 Crisis“).

REMIXER – Esch2022

Volunteering played an important role in the Esch2022 project, both for projects developed by the executive structure, such as the opening and closing ceremonies, and for projects developed by the 130 project partners, some of whom were volunteers and designed projects for the overall Esch2022 programme.

In order to prepare the REMIXERs for their participation in the Esch2022 project, numerous training sessions were organised in various fields (e.g. accessibility for the public, first aid, etc.). The volunteers were also given the opportunity to meet each other in the form of team building, evenings and other activities to create team cohesion.

This collaboration was unique and we wish to perpetuate this commitment by allowing REMIXERs to continue to invest in the cultural field and by offering our project partners and other structures a platform to present their projects and missions.

Here are some REMIXERs’ testimonies from our monthly Gazette:

“I volunteer because I enjoy giving my time to the community. Volunteering allows me to meet new people and experience new things.” Adriana, Kayl/Tétange (L)

“Through my help, I hope to make a small contribution to the preservation and evolution of our culture within the Minett region.” Charles, Schifflange (L)

“Being a volunteer means helping to spread culture and discover the diversity of our region on both sides of the border.” Laurence, Villerupt (F)

 

A platform for cultural volunteering in Luxembourg

After the end of Esch2022, you can still get involved in culture!

In 2021 and 2022, Esch2022 and the project partners have recognised the importance of volunteering, which is partly responsible for the success of the projects. As a follow-up to the impetus provided by Esch2022 and the network created, the European Capital of Culture has initiated a partnership with the Luxembourg Volunteer Agency and supports the efforts to promote and highlight volunteerism in the cultural sector. All project partners and REMIXERS were invited to register on benevolat.lu, a new platform for volunteers in Luxembourg created and supported by the Ministry of Family, Integration and the Greater Region. Since 2002, the Agence du Bénévolat has been promoting and developing volunteer work in Luxembourg among public authorities, organisations that call on volunteers and the general public. It provides a platform for cultural organisations to find volunteers and for volunteers to find assignments. It assists volunteers in their search for a suitable volunteer position according to their interests, talents and the time they wish to devote to volunteering. For associations, it not only offers the possibility of searching for volunteers, but also provides information sessions on the creation and management of a non-profit organisation as well as free legal advice to support their associative project. Coaching can be provided on request to support the association in managing volunteers.

Schenk Deng Zäit!

Esch2022 and the Agence du Bénévolat are joining forces to continue promoting cultural volunteering in Luxembourg.  So, if you too would like to become a volunteer or if you have an association that needs volunteers to support the realisation of your projects, do not hesitate to register with the Agence du Bénévolat. We need you – for a better life together!

Visit benevolat.lu!