Thank You for the Invitation to A Coruña

Thank You for the Invitation to A Coruña!

Network on the role of volunteering in local welfare and integration policies – Sweden and Trollhättan wish You all a Happy New Year!

Network on the role of volunteering in local welfare and integration policies – Sweden and Trollhättan The Present situation and the General Survey Disposition • Laws and regulations (The National Agreement) • Strategies and working applications (regional and local strategies) • Our current situation (Evaluation of…) • Associations in Trollhättan • Results – the Volunteering sheet

Laws and regulations in Sweden • Historical overwiew - Sweden as a so called ”Wellfare State” (Presentation by Mölndal) • The National Compact in Sweden, the Agreement (Överenskommelsen) • The situation in a regional perspective • Local ambitions in Trollhättan

The National Compact of Sweden, the Agreement (Överenskommelsen) • Is an initiative taken by the Government in Sweden in concensus with the political opposition… • A first concerted action including public authorities and idea-based organization – with decisions made in 2008. • The Agreement between the Swedish Government, national idea-based organizations in the social sphere and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (all Municipalities and Regions is included). • The agreement is optional… voluntary! … for all involved. • …and therefore not that challenging.

The National Compact of Sweden, the Agreement • Starting points in common (1): §The idea-based organizations contribute to developing democracy and welfare § Idea-based organizations in the social sphere often have common aims as the public sector. § The voluntary and non-profit sector is accordingly a resource to develop welfare – not a potential for economy cuts.

The National Compact of Sweden, the Agreement • Starting points in common (2): §The agreement clarifies the role of voluntary players in the social sphere. Municipalities and county councils decide within the framework of current legislation whether and to what extent they wish to expose their activities to competition. This agreement enables the idea-based organizations to compete on equal terms with other actors active in this sphere.

The National Compact of Sweden, the Agreement The Swedish agreement arranges the undertakings and measures under the common principles: § Autonomy and Independence § Dialogue § Quality § Continuity § Transparency § Diversity

Regional strategies and working applications (1) • Europa Direkt – localised in the city of Åmål. ü Aim: General information and spreading good practise. ü A link to Ungdomsstyrelsen ”The Youth Board of Sweden” , who administrate volunteering in our country.

Regional strategies and working applications (2) • PUFF - Umbrella organization for development of Volunteering in the region (Fyrbodal). üIdea: Since 1998 supporting municipalities, associations and individuals who work/would lika to work with volunteering. Act as a volunteer pilot. üActivities: Information and support to associations and self-helping groups, education, coordination of volunteering.

Regional strategies and working applications (3) • Volunteering Centres in Uddevalla and Sotenäs (neighbouring cities). üIntention: Break isolation mainly for groups such as ”relatives in need” (drug abuse, illness, crime), single parents and divorced. üActivities: Support to associations and self-helping groups, education, coordination of volunteering

Our local ongoing processes related to the EU-project • Continuous implementation within the Municipality administration • KPR- The Municipality Council for Eldely people (implementation) • KHR- The municipality Council for Disabled (implementation) • Associations meetings • Meetings with individual representatives • Survey sampling • Survey result summary • SWOT-analysis

Strategies and working applications Cooperation with volunteering actors in the Elderly Care in Trollhättan • The activities are coordinated by Activity Leaders, working at our largest senior service center • Examples of partner organizations/associations: Churches, senior, patient/disease and social associations.

Activities in Trollhättan – Elderly people • Examples of activities volunteers and voluntary organizations are engaged in: ”coffee interaction”, parties, outings, card games and other games, dancing, singing and music, ”conversation groups”, study groups. • KPR – The Municipality Council for Eldely people (meeting/discussion)

Activities in Trollhättan – Impaired people • A voluntary organization (Anti-drug) is represented in SPT (Coop Psychiatry Trollhättan) - a collaboration group. • A voluntary organization is represented in the management team connected to Trollhättans ”Personal representative/ ombudsman”. • Social Enterprise (Verdandi), offer labour opportunities within removal firm, second-hand-shop, cleaning company. • FUB and DUF (org. for physically and mentally impaired/retarded) and Syskonringen (choir). • KHR – The Municipality Council for Disabled (meetings/discussions)

Volontary cooperation in Trollhättan a SWOT-analysis Strenghts • Elderly Care – Much going on§, we’ve got a good spirit • Political aims are set and decisions are taken • Stimulating and health bringing • Possibilities to build national and international network Opportunities • Mutual benefit • Focus on increasing needs of activities and labour among our target groups • The economy • Quality assurance can be constructed • Networking – learning from best practises • Spin-off-effects Weaknesses • Unclear roles • As professionals – we are worried about letting unprofessionals in • Not yet implemented clear idea • Not yet prepared organization • Hard to get continuity – no obvious arena • Swedens history – as a so called ”wellfare state” and strong regulations • No insurance system Threats • Competition aspects • Our local economy • Risk of beeing seen as too demanding

Idea-based organizations in the social sphere in Trollhättan (incl the region) • Total number of organizations in the “social sphere” registered in Trollhättan 2011 is: 125 • Hence: - 45 patient/disease associations - 44 cultural associations - 16 pensioners associations - 12 educational associations - 8 anti-drug (temperence) associations • Many of these gets education, information and economic support from the Municipality, partly financing localities and activities in relation to the number of members.

Survey Report – Trollhättan The volunteering sheet • A selection of idea-based organisations in the social sphere • 25 mailings – 15 replies • 5 pensioner, 4 patient/disease and 6 other associations

Area of business The volunteering sheet • 11 Health • 6 Health and Wellfare • 7 Prevention • 6 Counselling • 1 Care

Target groups The volunteering sheet • 7 to Youth • 13 to Elderly • 4 to Socially disadvantaged • 6 to Disabled/Impaired • 5 to Immigrants/People with foreign background • 3 to Other (no one exemplifies)

Number of members (in org. who answered the survey) The volunteering sheet • Rotary International with 58 members to The Swedish Church with 29 800. • The others: ü Verdandi: 839 ü SKPF (Union pensioners): 2 490 ü BOJ (Crime Victims Support): 150 ü Active Seniors: 1 300 ü RPG (Mission Church): 80 ü The Red Cross: 900 ü Finnish Pensioners (Ketterät): 83 ü Heart- and Lungdisease assoc: 520 ü Rheumatism assoc: 450 ü Visually Impaired assoc: 125 ü Hearing Impaired assoc: 150 ü SPF Flundre (Union pensioners): 180

Volunteers age The volunteering sheet The current age structure: • The majority of the members are 60+. • 6 out of 15 says they have members in the group up to 35 years of age.

Examples of ongoing activities in cooperation between Volunteers and the Elderly Care Choir singing/music Wellness activities Discussion groups Cooking circles (Study groups) Reading circles Dancing Boule ”Consumers circles” and support • Groups for home visits • Social support • Church services • • • • • Social gatherings, parties Support för relatives Jobs in Social Companies Trips and journeys Educational circles Support for disabled Contacts with authorities ”Open House” - information Advocacy operations

What is the current relation with the Public administration? (with who do we have contact? ) The volunteering sheet • • • Social and Labour Service Social- and Health Care Police Prosecutors The Court Youth Forum ”Crisis Centre” Crisis Centre for Women Childrens House • The Municipality Council for Eldely people (KPR) • The Municipality Council for Disabled (KHR) • The Health Service • The Culture and Leisure Administration • The Educational Administration

Which aspects could be improved? The volunteering sheet • • Need no improvement, some says Five leave no answer Continue the fruitful dialouge in different forums Economic support Community center/ association house Better access to a Community center/ local sports center More and improved information

How do you recruit volunteers? • • • The volunteering sheet Personal knowledge and recommendations Information at schools/ to companies Advertising/marketing Letters and personal contacts (information) Self- growing! ”Open House” (information) Outreaching activities Lectures In cooperation with the University By baptizing!

Do you have specific recruitning actions for young people? The volunteering sheet • • • Create space/arenas for questions concerning young people The University as a base (Swedish Church) Web based recruiting tool (Swedish Church) Tematic days at school Started Youth sections 10 no or no answer

Recruiting actions for immigrants The volunteering sheet • • • Special invitation to the target group (people with foreign background) ”Open House” directed to the target group Directed activities to the Finnish group Yes, through Red Cross at national level 8 of the answering associations have no such actions

Voluntary actions The volunteering sheet • • • Special invitation to the target group (people with foreign background) ”Open House” directed to the target group Directed activities to the Finnish group Yes, through Red Cross at national level 8 of the answering associations have no such actions

With regard to the water theme in our project; ”A drop in the river in town, has no power to float on it´s own. Instead there is a claim for every drop - please give help to keep the others op!” (free transl. after Tage Danielsson, a Swedish poet)