Each year, the European Association for the Education of Adults celebrates innovation and excellence in adult education. The Grundtvig Award highlights project results that produce new ideas, new partnerships, new methodologies and a new understanding how we can work in adult learning. In 2011, EAEA is looking for projects that tackle Learning Experiences through Volunteering.

The EU has designated 2011 as the 'European Year of Volunteering´: In the European Union, almost 100 million citizens of all ages invest their time, talents and money to make a positive contribution to their community by volunteering in civil society organisations, youth clubs, hospitals, schools, in sport clubs, etc. For the Commission, volunteering is an active expression of civic participation which strengthens common European values such as solidarity and social cohesion. Volunteering also provides important learning opportunities, because involvement in voluntary activities can provide people with new skills and competences that can even improve their employability. This is especially important at this time of economic crisis. Volunteering plays an important role in sectors as varied and diverse as education, youth, culture, sport, environment, health, social care, consumer protection, humanitarian aid, development policy, research, equal opportunities and external relations. (http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/focus/focus840_en.htm)
 

EAEA also sees volunteering as essential for non- and informal learning. The learning can be for active citizenship, social inclusion, employability and / or personal development. We particularly appreciate volunteering in and for civil society organizations and associations, which are part of participatory democracy. We are looking for projects that either have volunteering as their main topic or projects that enhance their learning potential by a volunteering period.