Conference on Volunteering and Migration mapped out volunteer activities for refugees in Central Europe

The main aim of the conference was sharing the experience and good practice of working volunteers to provide assistance to refugees and migrants coming to Europe. The participants shared methods of work with volunteers (mentoring, field work) as well as its limits. The parcitipants focused on the period of so-called refugee crisis, which showed that more systemic approach is neccessary to prepare volunteers for the difficult work in the field as well as for possible stressful situations. 

The conference was opened with a note of Anica Mikuš Kos, president of the Slovene Philantrophy. Nataša Sip from the Representation of the European Commission introduced a European database of volunteers and introduced a concept how to work with registered volunteers in the European countries. Initiatives from Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary then showed good practices and shared challenges of organizing volunteer work in their countries. A summary of good practices will be an outcome of the conference.