The Europass project team met with a representative from the European Volunteer Centre (CEV) as part of a broader stakeholder outreach on 2 May 2019. The aim of the meeting was to consult the volunteering sector on the vision and development of the new Europass platform and to discuss how the platform can best support volunteers and volunteering across Europe.

CEV pointed out that national, regional and local volunteer organisations often know little about Europass and the added value the platform can bring to their work. They proposed to have National Europass Centres organise information sessions that are specifically targeted towards these organisations and how they can act as multipliers of the new Europass. In addition, volunteering should be included in the general communications toolkit that the project team is currently working on.

The representative of CEV stressed the need to use the correct terminology when referring to volunteering activities and to emphasise the different types of volunteering, in particular, that volunteering is not only full-time and for young people. The new Europass should also aim to support volunteers that are 30+ years old in their career management. CEV volunteered to proofread the content parts on volunteering of the new platform. To best support volunteers of all types and ages, it is important that the new Europass supports validation of non-formal and informal learning, particularly soft and transversal skills, and provides information that is relevant for the volunteering sector.

CEV further signalled support for the user testing by connecting the project team to volunteer managers and volunteers.