Working together for a

warmer society

Empowering local organisations• 3 years of survey on local organisations in Flanders

(Belgium)• A few insights possibly relevant for this Forum:

– Situation:• groups are growing old, • no new volunteers, • age: over 60 years

– Insights can help our groups in Flanders:• hopefully also useful for your Romanian organisations• select the insights that seam fit for your Romanian organization

Empowering local organisationsPeople are still willing to volunteer but …

Empowering local organisations

Group-dynamics : each group has a cycle (cyclus):• Starting group• Independent group• Routine group• ‘frozen’ group

Every group tries to reach the comfort zone:• Stable structure• Clear tasks• Strong activities and rituals• Open group closes after certain time

Empowering local organisationsIdeas for the future:

– Future based thinking : where do we want to be in 2020-2025?– Cut your plan in slices : what can we do now. What are the

obstacles in our way?– Groups can exist next to each other– Work together for bigger projects : bridging– Become a group that matters for the members : bonding– Choose your project and go for it– You can take a Sabbath– To recruit new members you have to ask them– Internet is a useful tool to keep informed

Empowering local organisationsIdeas for the future:•Be clear in your targets : elevator pitch•There is a need for debate : facilitate debate and dialogue•Global change always starts at the bottom : experiment local to change global•Local initiatives of care are successful :

– Sharing is ‘in’: buying things together, co-gardening, ‘give-away-closets’ (in other words: common use, collective goods)

– Think global, act local– Care– Play Street, Eating together, Every child a Santa, Etappas-journey

Empowering local organisationsResearch teaches us :

– People who are active in society are:• More optimistic• Are more social• Are happier• Are feeling connected to society• Live longer (up to 7.5 years)