The aim of the project was to develop approaches, mechanisms, methods, and guidelines for hosting volunteers that are inclusive, flexible, and designed to involve families. This helps participating organisations apply shared learning to involve people with fewer opportunities and those in family relationships in volunteering, while also encouraging human-focused civil society organisations to open up to new forms of volunteering. Providing learning opportunities was also an important goal. On the one hand, the project facilitated learning and the sharing of experiences among participating organisations. On the other hand, it contributed to expanding the practical knowledge and strengthening the skills of staff members from new civil society organisations. In addition, volunteer workshops offered learning opportunities for volunteers from these organisations. Creating a collection of practice-based tips was another important goal, ensuring that other civil society organisations could access and benefit from the project’s experiences. During the dissemination phase, it was particularly important to share the publication and results at both national and European levels.
In the project, we aimed to respond to the needs of specific volunteer target groups in order to ensure equal opportunities for everyone to engage in volunteering, to carry it out ethically, and to overcome potential fears. On the one hand, we focused on individuals and families with fewer opportunities, many of whom would like to get involved in volunteering and for whom participation could provide a valuable form of informal learning. Since the smooth inclusion of people with fewer opportunities is not yet common practice, there is a need to broaden perspectives and methodologies. On the other hand, we aimed to take steps toward smaller, human-focused civil society organisations that seek to involve more volunteers and are committed to values such as solidarity and inclusion, as well as flexibility toward volunteers, but are uncertain about how to welcome volunteers from multiple generations who are connected through family ties. Since it is becoming increasingly difficult to reach and involve volunteers- especially those who require special conditions - it is essential to identify, understand, and address these challenges.