For one, to gain a greater understanding of the current situation regarding the training and qualifications currently available to existing and potential volunteer managers. Then, with this increased understanding, the partners aimed to develop a HE master level programme and associated resources that increase the opportunities for the partners and stakeholders to increase the opportunities across Europe for existing and future volunteer managers to be properly trained at HE level and receive a recognised qualification based on common European standards for volunteer management education. This will serve to ensure that volunteers across Europe are managed effectively and in a more ethical way, avoiding exploitation, instrumentalisation and job substitution. It will also increase the capacity of communities in general regarding disaster prevention, preparedness and recovery through having better trained and qualified volunteer managers and increase the diversity and inclusivity in the volunteering sector with better trained and qualified volunteer managers able to assess the inclusiveness of the organisations where they are active and develop, manage and follow up on plans and strategies to mitigate risks of lack of inclusivity.
Europe needs well trained volunteer managers to properly harness the vast potential of volunteering impact but lacks quality ‘volunteer management courses’ at the HE level. There are also big gaps and needs in terms of recognition of volunteer managers as a profession and in general. That’s why the common action was needed to gather relevant experiences, expertise and skills to collaborate to produce HE learning opportunities (modules) and associated learning resources that can serve to properly train and accredit voluntary managers with qualifications that are given against European standards and reflect European values. PR1 – the state of the art report, which examined the current state of HE and other educational offerings for volunteer managers laid out how across Europe this offering is nearly completely lacking. Confirming the vision on the matter that existed before starting the project. Additionally, the aim was to develop some needed practical guides for volunteer managers.