The multiplier sport event was organised over a two day period alongside Pannonian Challenge, an international urban sport festival in Osijek, Croatia. Project partners joined the event together with their volunteers who helped organise it. ‘USCVol Panelica’ was held on June 16th 2023. and served as an official opening of a two day multiplier event. The panel discussion was planned in order to present project results to both public bodies representatives and local and regional media who were invited to attend.
Participants at the panel were USCVol project lead Nenad Borković, project coordinator Tamara Kujavić, volunteer in the project Evelyn Keri, assistant head of the Administrative Department for Youth of Osijek- Baranja County Bojan Tojagić, general secretary of the Osijek Sports Association Andrej Beck and it was moderated by Pannonian communication team manager Mirna Šmit.
The topic was volunteering in sports (and cultural events) from different perspectives; how volunteering at sports events is perceived by the organisers and by volunteers who are involved in major sports events, how can public policies influence the improvement of volunteerism at the local and national level.
Introduction to USCVol project was made and project results were presented by project coordinator. A short introduction to an informal training module for volunteers that was created and implemented at 3 levels 'NOOB to GOD of events' was done and volunteer Evelyn shared her experience through the last 3 years. Over 130 volunteers at the EU level participated at NFE training and more than 200 volunteers volunteered at numerous sports and culture events within the project.
Volunteering handbook for volunteer managers, which contains useful information about laws on volunteering, support and challenges in partner countries, examples of good practices, but also useful tools and a developed module of informal training for volunteers was distributed to all participants and a Volunteer application, modular web platform for efficient search of volunteering opportunities and coordination of volunteers that enables communication between volunteer organisers and volunteers was presented as well.
Volunteers can and should play an important role in the organisation of sports events was the conclusion with which we ended the panel discussion. Representatives of City of Osijek and Osijek-Baranja-County emphasised the importance of promoting volunteering in sports and provided substantial information on how sport organisations are closely intertwined with volunteering in particular. A new National strategy for Youth is being drafted and the Administrative Department for Youth of Osijek-Baranja-County are working on creating the program and the panel was an opportunity for Pannonian Association members who work with volunteers to be invited to the program creation as well.
After the panel participants gave statements for media representatives while volunteers prepared everything for USCVol multiplier info point that would be presenting project results to Pannonian Challenge visitors and athletes throughout the rest of the day as well as the following day, June 17th 2023. More than 400 people got to learn about the project.
