VOLUNTEERING INFRASTRUCTURE

11. RecommendationsRecommendations at national levelTo facilitate the creation of an enabling volunteering infrastructure in Malta, it is recommendedthat:• legal provisions which specifically provides for the status, rights and obligations ofvolunteers should be introduced• a national volunteer centre promoting and supporting volunteering is established• a national volunteering fund aimed at supporting the promotion, research and developmentof new opportunities for volunteering in Malta should be established• systematic and regular research on volunteering, including focused data collation andanalysis, should be conducted by a public body purposely appointed to do so• a national mechanism accounting for the contribution which volunteering makes to thecountry’s national economy should be developed• new training programmes for volunteers and volunteer managers are introduced and theaccreditation of such training programmes should be promoted• national efforts currently being undertaken at establishing a system for the validation andrecognition of informal and non-formal learning experiences should be accelerated, thusalso facilitating the process for volunteers• multi-stakeholder networking platforms should be established, with the aim of promotingvolunteering structures, schemes, and initiatives within the community, the corporatesector and the educational sector, among others.It is recommended that these measures are incorporated within a national strategy onvolunteering.Recommendations for measures at European levelIn order to enhance the recognition and support for volunteering at European level, it isrecommended that that the EU institutions consider:• introducing legislation aimed at promoting and safeguarding the rights and obligations ofvolunteers within Member States• establishing funding programmes at European Commission level which are aimed atpromoting and developing sustainable volunteering structures• promoting the recognition of unpaid voluntary work by all managing authorities as eligiblein-kind contributions for co-financing purposes related to structural funds.268 Volunteering infrastructure in Europe 18 Malta