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Recommendation 894 (1980)
7th Seminar on International Voluntary Service (Strasbourg, 29-31 October 1979)
The Assembly,
1. Having taken note of the proceedings and conclusions of the 7th Seminar on International Voluntary Service, held in Strasbourg from 29 to 31 October 1979 ;
2. Convinced that, in spite of the negative results of the 2nd Development Decade, voluntary service has a role to play in improving living conditions of the less privileged people in the developing countries ;
3. Considering that Council of Europe member states bear a special responsibility in the field of development co-operation and the contribution which voluntary service is likely to provide in this field ;
4. Convinced that particular emphasis should be given to promoting and supporting domestic development service (local voluntary service) ;
5. Considering the need for the reassessment of the notion of volunteer ;
6. Considering the need for improvement of the education, protection and reintegration of volunteers in industrialised and developing countries ;
7. Noting the need for a better co-ordination of initiatives from public authorities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs),
8. Commends to the consideration of all interested bodies the conclusions of the 7th Seminar ;
9. Decides to transmit the conclusions of the 7th Seminar to the appropriate UN specialised agencies, to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, to the European Economic Community and to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ;
10. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers :
a. transmit the results of the 7th Seminar to the Council for Cultural Co-operation for opinion, as well as to the Standing Conference of European Ministers of Education for information ;
b. ask the competent steering committee to examine the possibility of either studying the question of the protection of the interests of volunteers and creating a European status for the volunteer, or of promoting the study of these problems at national level ;
c. invite member governments of the Council of Europe to take account of the principles contained in the three resolutions elaborated by the 7th Seminar in their policies concerning international and national voluntary service, and in particular :10.3.1. that voluntary service should be recognised as an important factor in improving living conditions of the less privileged people in the developing countries, and should, as such, deserve support and promotion at governmental level ;10.3.2. that suitable action should be taken to improve domestic development services, and that the assignment of volunteers from developing countries in other developing countries should be encouraged ;10.3.3. that an effort should be made to improve the education, protection and reintegration of volunteers in industrialised and developing countries ;10.3.4. that there should be a better co-ordination of initiatives between public authorities and non-governmental organisations ;10.3.5. that voluntary work in development cooperation should be directed to helping people in developing countries through programmes organised jointly by the organisations of industrialised and developing countries ;10.3.6. that particular care should be taken in order to co-ordinate and improve the methods and procedures of selection and preparation of volunteers ;10.3.7. that an effort should be made at governmental level in order to review and improve the resettlement of volunteers and to facilitate their reinsertion into the home country