Smart Solutions
Municipal Council of Volunteering
A participatory governance structure led by the municipality that helps coordinate the activities of local volunteers in providing targeted services to vulnerable members of the local community.
Implemented in : Athienou
Country : Cyprus
How do you rate this example?
- What’s the solution?
- What makes it smart?
- How is the solution implemented?
- In what local context has it been applied?
- Who was behind the implementation?
- What was the local journey?
- What have been the main outputs & results?
- What does it bring the village/community?
- What’s needed
- What to do…
- and not to do.
Where and when
Implemented in : Athienou
Country : Cyprus
Population : 7000
Date : 1970 – Ongoing
Find out more
Contact person : Kyriakos Kareklas
E-mail : kkareklas@athienou.org.cy
Link(s) :
Last updated : 13/06/22
What’s the solution?
The Municipal Council of Volunteers (MCV) is a membership organisation, coordinated by an elected body, that provides different tailored services to offer critical support to members of the community through volunteering. Funding comes from private donations and government subsidies. However, the essence of the MCV is the time and resources spent by volunteers.
The MCV has a particular focus on delivering social services for the most vulnerable members of the community, for example through elder care services, daycare services or early years care and education support. It can also coordinate volunteer interventions in other areas such as energy efficiency, nature management and climate change. In this way, the MCV provides crucial additional support that goes beyond the typical capacity of the municipality to provide much needed social and environmental services and beyond the existing public welfare and social systems.
A crucial aspect of its work is to identify and understand the different support needs within the community – particularly the most vulnerable and isolated members. On that basis, it can better target the intervention of volunteers within the community.
The MCV is open to everyone in the community and particular emphasis is placed on intergenerational cooperation – bringing together volunteers of all ages and supporting members of the community of all ages. It is a powerful approach not only to maximise social support, but also foster community spirit and engagement and enhance quality of life, especially in small municipalities.
A crucial innovative element of the MCV is the close collaboration of the volunteers and the (local and national) authorities. The services are offered under a unified approach to mobilising and organising volunteers, following strict standards that are set and audited by the authorities. The services are operated by professionals that are employed on a full-time basis, thus creating job opportunities.
In terms of governance, the MCV is comprised of local members, consisting of representatives of the organised groups of the Municipality and authorities of various services, such as political parties, the church and parents’ associations. The Steering Committee, which is elected by the members every 3 years, with the Mayor as Chairman, has responsibility for the administration, supervision, operation and promotion of the purposes of the Council.
What makes it smart?
The solution is smart because
- It mobilises the social potential of the local community to address local needs – harnessing the energy and capacity of local volunteers. Through effective coordination of their activities, it aims to maximise the positive impact of volunteers, creating synergies among them and enhancing the overall capacity to support the community – particularly the most vulnerable and at-risk members.
How is the solution implemented?
- Ensure the engagement of the local municipality/mayor with the concept of a Municipal Volunteering Council as a way to promote volunteering as a solution to local social problems
- Engage local stakeholders and community organisations with the concept
- Seek to elect a Steering Committee or similar body to coordinate the activities and strategy of the Volunteering Council
- Map priority needs within the community together with local stakeholder organisations
- Map existing volunteering activities and publicly funded initiatives already taking place, to identify areas of weakness and gaps in existing service provision
- Identify funding opportunities and/or potential sponsors and donors to cover the cost of the personnel running the services (not the volunteers) and the physical infrastructure needs.
- Select priority areas of intervention
- Develop an action plan to develop the buildings or other physical infrastructure needed as well as a pool of volunteers
- Promote and encourage volunteering within the community – aim to offer training for interested volunteers
In what local context has it been applied?
Athienou is a village of around 7 000 people in the Larnaca District in western Cyprus. Since the Turkish invasion in 1974, Athienou has been surrounded by Turkish troops, with about 65% of its land occupied. Indeed, it is one of only four villages located within the United Nations Buffer Zone created between the territory controlled by the Republic of Cyprus and the territory controlled by the Turkish troops.
Even before the Turkish invasion, Athienou was relatively isolated from the major cities on the island and many people looked to local providers to solve their social service needs, including the Municipality, the Church and other local carriers. A culture of volunteerism emerged, in order to overcome local problems and give assistance to people in need. The spirit of volunteerism exists in most families in Athienou, passed from generation to generation.
MCV was established in 1970 to help coordinate interventions aimed at people in need. The following years were a difficult period for Cyprus and Athienou. Social problems were exacerbated by the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Ever since, Athienou has lain within the buffer zone isolated from the rest of the island and with most of its rural land occupied by the Turkish troops. Many people were in need to restart their lives and volunteerism was one of the main tools that help the community to grow again during difficult years.
Athienou, although a highly functioning society, still suffers from isolation and seeks to find solutions in the volunteering collaboration between its citizens.
Who was behind the implementation?
- Larnaca District Welfare Office
- The Municipality of Athienou.
- The Church of Athienou.
- The Cooperation Bank of Athienou.
- The local parties.
- Others.
What was the local journey?
- The Larnaca District Welfare Office, the Local Authority and many other people, realised the need of creating synergies to reach out people who need additional support, beyond the existed public welfare and social system.
- The MCV was established on the initiative of the Larnaca District Welfare Office and the founding assembly in 1970 was attended by all organisations, unions and organisations of Athienou, Churches, Local Authority and local Government Offices and the Mayor.
- The main steps of the implementation process have been the creation of four specific services of the MCV in 1983, 1991, 2001 and 2012, and the construction of buildings for the provision of services in 1991 and 2012.
- In 1983, the MCV established the Kleanthios Elder House, which is a care service for older people that goes beyond a typical old people’s home, combining volunteerism and high-quality standards and facilities.
- In 1991, the MCV established a Municipal Nursery School which provides high-quality care and education services for the young children of families in the local community. This involved the construction of a new modern building to serve these needs, that was achieved in September 1991 with support from the state and Mr. Nikos Mougiaris, an Athienou expatriate and a successful businessman in the USA.
- In 2001, the MCV established the Constantineleneion Centre for Adults, which offers – based in large part on volunteer work - high-quality services to meet the needs of vulnerable adults (over eighteen years old) in terms of social and daily living needs, daily entertaining activities, healthy food, and reduced social exclusion.
- In 2012, the MCV oversaw the construction of a new modern building to house the Elder House and the the Constantineleneion Centre for Adults.
- Each of the above services is overseen by a committee, constituted by volunteers and elected people, which have responsibility for the social policy management for each service. The Mayor of Atheniou is the President of the two committees overseeing the Elder House and the Centre of Adults, but not for the Community Nursery Committee.
- In 2012, the MCV also created a Social Welfare Council which has the goal to provide economic and any other kind of help to struggling individuals and families, based on evaluation of need in collaboration with governmental authorities. Volunteers also govern the Social Welfare Council and the President is always the Mayor of Athienou.
- The MCV ensures a very close collaboration between the different services and with other local organisations (Municipality, schools, Church, etc.), which achieves a strong integration of the different generations and helps achieving the set goals beyond the standards.
- The MCV also organises ad hoc interventions to help people in specific need – for example with appeals for donations to cover the costs of required surgeries abroad.
- The MCV is continually seeking ways to improve and strengthen its services, including where possible through the use of new technologies
What have been the main outputs & results?
- The MCV is comprised of around 50 members, consisting of representatives of the organised groups of the Municipality and authorities of various services, such as political parties, the church and parents’ associations.
- The MCV has successfully delivered four crucial services which together cover the social service needs of almost all the generations within the community: an older people’s care home; a municipal nursery school, a daycare service for vulnerable adults; and a social welfare council providing targeted financial and other support services.
- The MCV services have succeeded in gaining the recognition of the authorities and have become part of the national mechanisms for Social Welfare.
- The MCV services have created at least 40 jobs in the different services provided. The Kleanthios Elder House employees an average of 28 people, the Nursery School employees an average of 9 people and the Constantineleneion Centre for Adults employees an average of 3 people.
- The MCV has successfully addressed specific ad hoc needs emerging within the community, for example in providing financial and logistical support for surgeries abroad Every Christmas and Easter period the MCV provides food, clothes and toys for people and children in need, so that no people pass those days without the necessary food etc.
- In general, the MCV has managed to educate and raise local public awareness with regards to local social needs and social policies
- The MCV has helped to strengthen the social ties and create a healthier and better functioning local society.
- During the Covid-19 crisis many actions were taken, with the help of volunteers, to help people in need – particularly with food, either through shopping from supermarkets for those unable to do so safely themselves or distributing items of food donated to the MCV by the local community.
What does it bring the village/community?
- The Municipal Council of Volunteering directly tackles poverty and social exclusion in the local community, improving the quality of life for the most vulnerable members of the community
- The work of the MCV makes Athienou a more attractive place to live and work, encouraging people to stay living in the area and even encouraging new arrivals.
- The MCV also encourages and fosters community spirit more generally, engaging the local public in the development of the quality of life in the community.
- The MCV educates and raises the public awareness in regards with the social policies of the MCV and the local social needs.
What’s needed
Financial resources
Main types of cost:
Financial needs:
Setting up the MCV, back in 1970, had no initial investment requirements. It was based on voluntary participation and expertise offered by the governmental organisations.
There aren’t any ongoing financial costs for running the MCV itself. All the time involved and needs for meeting rooms etc are provided at zero cost by coordinating partners, including the municipality.
In terms of running the four main services that the MCV delivers and the two buildings that house them, the costs amount to around EUR 400 000 per year for service provision and EUR 50 000 per year for administrative and financial coordination and management.
Funding received:
| Source | Amount | Funded |
|---|---|---|
| Government | 200,000 € | Subsidies for the running of the services |
| Donors | 200,000 € | Subsidies for the running the services, including food and other materials needed |
| Municipality | 50,000 € | Personnel for accounting and auditing and other office help, buildings maintenance and others |
Human resources
The needs are:
i) Volunteers to deliver the services and to help with volunteering actions.
ii) Trained and professional personnel to run the various services
iii) Financial and administrative coordinators (within the municipality).
Physical resources
• Meeting rooms (physical or online) to coordinate activities
• Appropriate buildings to implement MCV-led services.
What to do…
- Mobilise volunteers.
- Give initiatives and find donors.
- Elect members to coordinate the MCV activities
and not to do
- Don’t give salaries to volunteers.
- Don’t allow contrasts of political parties to intervene in the volunteering process.
- Don’t try to solve all social challenges at once – but identify priorities and build the capacity of the council over time.
