PRESS RELEASE (Agence du Bénévolat / Ministère de la Famille de l'Intégration et à la Grande Région)

On 5 December 2022, the Agence du bénévolat organised the Journée du bénévolat and celebrated its 20th anniversary in the presence of many volunteers and associative actors. During the official awards ceremony, it awarded the "Bénévolat" Quality Label to four associations and the "Volunteer Merit Prize" to a particularly deserving volunteer. In order to support the commitment of volunteers in associations, the Agency presented its new platform benevolat.lu for putting volunteers and associations in touch with each other.

Developing volunteer involvement thanks to the "Bénévolat" Quality Label 

Following the launch of the "Bénévolat" Quality Label project in 2018, the first associations to receive the distinction, Daachverband vun de Lëtzebuerger Jugendstrukturen (DLJ), Le Tricentenaire, Médecins du monde Luxembourg and Omega 90, were awarded. The "Bénévolat" Quality Label was launched in order to guarantee volunteers an enriching and recognised experience. The focus of the label is on improving the organisation of associations and on a high level of reception, supervision and support of volunteers. By making volunteering more attractive, the Label, awarded for 5 years, enables associations to distinguish themselves and thus to develop and increase the loyalty of their volunteer resources to support their actions.

Valuing civic commitment through the "Volunteer Award of Merit"

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the presentation of the 2019 "Volunteer Award of Merit" had to be postponed several times. This year, the prize was finally awarded to Mireille Cuénot of the association Omega 90 for her commitment as a woman in the field of palliative care. This honorary prize pays tribute to all the committed, devoted and inspiring volunteers in Luxembourg who contribute to strengthening social links and supporting the associative fabric.

Benevolat.lu: promoting and encouraging the commitment of all

The new platform, benevolat.lu, connects associations mobilising volunteers with interested people and raises awareness of active citizenship. People interested in volunteering can search for a mission near their home, according to their availability and their wishes. Associations can introduce themselves to volunteers, share their news and their offers of missions and manage volunteers' offers of help. Supporting volunteering means building a living together with all the associative actors. Benevolat.lu is committed to actively listening to their needs and to continuously improving the platform.

"Volunteering is essential for living together and cohesion in society", Corinne Cahen, Minister for Family Affairs and Integration.

20 years of the Agency: new identity and new actions in support of voluntary work

The Agence du Bénévolat has presented its new identity and its new projects in support of voluntary work. A multilingual awareness campaign with the slogan "Give your time" to volunteering was launched in early December to invite the general public to give their time and actively contribute to the development of our country.  

"Volunteers are the driving force of community life, and thanks to benevolat.lu, we are facilitating the connection between volunteers and associations by centralising volunteering opportunities and promoting community initiatives", Martine Mergen, President of the Agence du bénévolat.

About the Agence du bénévolat

Created in 2002, the Agence du bénévolat, with the support of the Ministry of Family Affairs, Integration and the Greater Region, has the following objectives:

• Raise awareness about volunteering among society's actors;
• Putting volunteers and associations in touch with each other;
• Helping associations to strengthen the management, recognition and development of their volunteers;
• Supporting commitment through training courses and the organisation of meetings and events.