The European Commission designated 2011 as the European Year of Volunteering. Both a celebration and a challenge, the Year set out to recognise and thank the millions of people in Europe who make a difference by working in their communities during their free time without being paid.

Hundreds of innovative, informative and enlightening activities, discussions and workshops enabled visitors to get up close and personal with volunteers and the organisations behind them.

It also aimed to raise awareness about volunteering and encourage new volunteers to sign up, by showing them the multiple avenues and advantages to becoming a volunteer — both for society as a whole and for each and every individual who volunteers.

The EYV Tour represented one of the main arteries of the Year. Visiting all 27 EU Member States, over the 12-month period it brought Europe closer to volunteers and volunteers closer to society.

Each 3-14 day Tour stop provided volunteers with the chance to exhibit their work, meet one another, engage with policy-makers and the general public, convey their energy and enthusiasm and discuss key issues of their work.

Extraordinary stories from ordinary people inspired members of the public to consider how they too could volunteer and improve their communities at local, national and European levels.

Important policy makers and stakeholders joined debates on how to support and improve life for volunteers around the world and to encourage new volunteers to sign up. Thanks to the EYV Relay and the presence of media, many of these events were publicised and reached a wide audience.

The EYV Tour could not have existed without the help of countless volunteers across Europe. This book is dedicated to each and every one of them, and to every volunteer that gives their time, devotion and energy to making a difference to society as a whole.

Millions of thank you’s…