Welcome to ICON Project: Empowering IVS Organizations for Positive Change with Impactful Strategies

Get ready for a journey of transformation and impact! We’re thrilled to introduce Project ICON, an initiative set to revolutionise the International Voluntary Service (IVS) movement. ICON is all about elevating the quality, reach, and inclusivity of volunteering activities. 

The team: Meet the Organizations

Co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union,  ICON brings together some incredible players in the field:

– INEX-Association for Voluntary Activities

– The Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS)

– Projekte Vullnetare Ndërkombëtare (PVN Albania)

– GAIA Kosovo

What’s ICON All About?

At its core, ICON is on a mission to equip IVS organisations with the skills they need for greater impact. This means boosting their capabilities in impact assessment, external communication, and community building. But the benefits don’t stop there – ICON is all about long-term sustainability and fostering collaboration among organisations involved in international volunteering.

Our Goals and Objectives

1. Skills for Impact: We’re assetting employees within these organisations with the tools they need for impact assessment, communication, and community building.

2. Quality Matters* Our aim is to enhance the quality and impact of IVS activities, focusing on areas like active citizenship, competence development, inclusivity, and environmental sustainability.

3. Reaching New Volunteers: We’re revamping our promotional game to attract a fresh wave of young volunteers, with a special emphasis on those with fewer opportunities.

4. Sustainability: ICON is all about developing new, sustainable strategies to ensure that IVS activities thrive.

5. Inspiration for Change: We want to inspire other IVS organisations to join the movement and adopt best practices in impact assessment, communication, and community building.

Why This Matters?

Our partners identified some crucial challenges that ICON aims to tackle head-on:

1. Impact Monitoring and Evaluation: We need a unified system to continuously monitor and assess the impact of IVS activities. This data will help us fine-tune our initiatives and demonstrate their worth to potential supporters.

2. Community Engagement: We want to keep the volunteer community buzzing with activity. We’re building systems to stay in touch, understand their needs, and keep them motivated.

3. Inclusivity: Everyone deserves the chance to volunteer. We’re focused on promoting and supporting individuals with fewer opportunities or special needs.

The Bigger Picture

Our overarching goals are clear:

– Elevate IVS activities, making them more impactful and inclusive.

– Establish sustainable practices for the wise use of resources.

– Share knowledge and cooperate with organisations affected by global conflicts.

ICON is ready to lead a new era of impactful and sustainable volunteering. Keep following for updates as we embark on this exciting journey toward a brighter future for international voluntary service!