Relevance of Active Citizenship in Europe - Essay Example

Student Name Lecturer’s Name Course Name and Number Date Submitted Active citizenship Active citizenship is defined as a person who dedicated himself to public service by giving out private resources and time on a charitable basis. The definition of active citizenship varies from one country to another because different countries have different understandings of the responsibilities in active citizens. The general definition of active citizenship, however, involves volunteerism in all countries. Active citizenship is positively correlated with civic engagement where an individual works to make an impact in the civic life of communities and to promote community’s quality of life by participating in both political and non-political processes (Packham, Carol). An active citizen holds himself responsible and considers the social problems as his own. Various indicators have been used to measure Europe’s active citizenship, and these include participation in the peaceful demonstration, being actively engaged in a political party convention, values and involvement in community activities such as charity, volunteering, sports and cultural activities among others. It involves problem-solving and informed decision making while focusing on community’s attitudes and values (Packham, Carol). According to research conducted by various scholars, social capital and trust are the two critical dimensions of active leadership. Active citizenship must be therefore tailored towards social development and democracy of a nation’s citizens. An active citizen must also win the trust between both the individuals and the institution. Relevance of active citizenship in Europe Active citizenship has been of primary importance to Europe and it accounts for the region’s prosperity. Through active citizenship, people have managed to come together from the different parts of Europe to promote a mutual understanding that has facilitated economic development in Europe (Schimmelfennig, Frank, & Ulrich, p.670). Active citizenship has seen the number of visionaries grow and expand as they attempt to establish peace. Unity brought about by the visionaries has helped has contributed to solving conflicts between states that have been enemies or rivals for a very long time. For this reason, Europe has felt it necessary to promote active citizenship through education by making citizenship an integral part of the school curriculum. Active citizenship has facilitated political and economic unity in Europe. Active citizenship has taken Europe by a new wave of civilization and nationalism thereby creating new legal relationships. Political wrangles are no longer evident in Europe, and its member states have been unified. Regional trade blocks have been formed in Europe, for instance, the European Union. EU and other trade blocks have facilitated trade in the region by eliminating or reducing trade barriers thereby resulting in economic development in the region. Democracy has become the order of Europe as a result of active citizenship. Active citizenship promotes democratic engagement of the citizens and also allows the opinions of other people to be expressed by the democratic government elected by the people. The European government has been rated as one of the largest democratic assemblies in the world. The European Commission, which is also attributed to a product of active citizenship, represents and upholds the interests of the European Union. The commission upholds democracy by observing human rights, which is one of the goals for active citizenship. Europe has now become stronger than before following the strong relationships that have been developed by active citizenship. The relationships between nations have become stronger, and nations have found better ways to solve disputes and prevent conflicts (Schimmelfennig, Frank, & Ulrich). Europe has therefore become very stable in all aspects of life. For instance, after the 2007/2008 global financial crisis, members of the European Union devised new ways to help curb such challenges in future and for this reason, Europe has since experienced a stable economic and political system. Active citizenship has significantly contributed to policy reforms in Europe. For instance, education reforms are evident in Europe where parents are no longer involved in administrative matters only but also in the activities taking part in class and school. The content of the school curricula was also reshaped to allow for what is only relevant to children. Methods that promote cooperation have been given emphasis in the school curricula, and this has facilitated unity among the European member states. A change in the school curricula has facilitated competencies of the school going children. Comparison of citizenship in the different regions of Europe Similarities The education reforms in all the regions are almost similar and therefore their school curricula are equally the same in some aspects. Their approaches to teaching religion and secular views are the same. For instance, religious education was made to be an optional subject in school for its role has always been debated and challenged. Despite the many debates associated with RE, the three regions still respect RE and teach it in a fair and respectful way. The structure of business in western, eastern and central Europe is the same. This is facilitated by the decision to form similar trade agreements such as the elimination of tariffs, reduction of taxes, and reduction of quotas (Claeys, Sophie, & Rudi, p.197). Countries from whichever part of Europe can, therefore, engage in the free movement of goods and services without facing any trade limitations. Trade policies are the same in the three regions. Active citizenship has resulted in the transfer of cultures, and therefore eastern, western and central Europe share some of the cultures (Baker, Danial). They have similar taboos and etiquette in conducting businesses. Their norms of conducting businesses are the same and therefore the rules that guide the conduct of business in the three regions are the same, for instance, the rules that guide corruption and bribery. Business etiquette is the same across countries. In all the regions, citizenship involves collective responsibility, and this is supported by the fact that Europe is a collectivist society. Countries in the European Union have been stressing on communism in their governments, and the social structures have unified the community. In as much as there has been changes in the system of governance, some aspects of collectivism are still shared across Europe. Collectivism is evident in Europe’s institutions such as religious organizations. Europe comprises of the Roman Catholic, the Orthodox among other religions yet all the religions are treated with the same respect. No single religion is considered superior over the others. Differences The regions differ regarding culture. Countries in the eastern part of Europe are considered Slavic because their cultures are more preserved and have not gotten the influence from the West. The eastern part of Europe believes that citizenship means remaining true to one’s culture and therefore they are more reserved. Their families are still intact, and they hardly allow any external cultural influences. On the other hand, the Western Europe have has more influence of the West culture4 because active citizenship has been more prevalent in the region. So many aspects of the Western culture have been imitated by the Western Europe as evidenced by their food, type of music and mode of dressing. Central Europe lies between eastern and western Europe and therefore shares aspects of culture from both eastern and western Europe. Central and Eastern Europe are growing rapidly economically because lately, they have been actively involving their members from other continents to trade with them (Claeys, Sophie, & Rudi, p.201). However, they are not ahead of Western Europe regarding technological advancements. Western Europe has more countries than the Eastern Europe, and this has made them be a notch higher regarding technological innovations. The eastern and central Europe experienced the effects of cultural change during early 2000 and had been experiencing significant population growth for the past decade. Their perceptions in active citizenship have changed, and they have become more involved in active citizenship, and this has resulted in its rapid economic growth. The Eastern, Western and Central Europe have had the different forms of government, and this means that they have different understandings of active citizenship. Unlike the Eastern and Central Europe, the Western Europe has a more understanding of active citizenship and knows its significance in gaining social capital. It has therefore engaged in more volunteering and even considers leaving the European Union. The U.K has been considering the decision of quitting the European Union but faces the challenge of finances for volunteering activities in the event that it makes the decision. The European Union funds a significant number of projects for the U.K. Voluntary/community organization for countries in the EU The countries to be featured on, in this case, includes France, Italy, and Netherlands France Volunteering initiatives and what the organization intends to do France’s National Volunteer Center was established in 1974 and comprises of a network of 71 local volunteer center, and its primary aim was to promote volunteerism in the media and state, to train volunteers and support a network of volunteer centers across France, and to encourage volunteerism for the greatest benefit of the community. The center was also purposed to organize information campaign on active citizenship and to establish a library and documentation center. The National Volunteer Center also aimed at enhancing the creativity of the associations by participating in national actions. The initiatives that have been made by the organization include training of volunteers where the new volunteer is equipped with knowledge about the association and how it is run. Once the volunteers have gained knowledge, they engage in a broad range of community activities such as sports and culture. They participate in helping the disadvantaged groups in the society and prevent anti-social behavior thereby promoting peace and cohesion in the region. The volunteers are not only offering their services within France, but they have also been given an opportunity to work abroad, particularly in developing countries which are more disadvantaged in all aspects of life (Larner, Monica). The volunteers are not limited to specific activities since they possess a number of skills which include marketing, finance, and disaster management and information technology among others. The number of volunteers on international placement has been increasing over the years. Significance and social impact of National Volunteer Center within France Volunteering has changed the perception of the government concerning active citizenship and therefore the government has become more active in engaging its citizens in the country’s affairs. France has become a more democratic nation than before. Sending international volunteers to France has facilitated the understanding of diverse cultures, and this has considerably helped in handling national differences (Larner, Monica, p.46). There are better ways to conflict resolution instead of engaging in conflicts. The center has helped in assisting persons who are disadvantaged in the community such as those living in poverty and persons who have been affected by natural calamities. Volunteerism has broken the social barriers that have been seeing the country engage in conflicts now and then. It has also resulted in cohesion and integration which has consequently resulted in economic and political unity. France has become more open, and this has facilitated trade in the region. Volunteering image for France Volunteering in community development is a very crucial activity in France and the country, therefore, recognizes the work performed by its volunteers. All volunteers are celebrated every year on 5th December, and this clearly shows how the country appreciates them. The law of social modernization has made it necessary for the country to validate volunteer experience by offering a diploma or certificate based on the assessment of the experience. France’s traditional culture of formally thanking volunteers has made the country more attractive to a number of volunteer organizations, and this has made volunteerism in France to become more competitive (Larner, Monica). The government also recognizes France’s volunteering by setting aside the national fund for the development of the non-profit sector. The funds are used to support volunteering activities. Italy Volunteering initiatives and what the organization intends to do International Volunteer HQ is Italy’s volunteer organization that aims at providing assistance in Italy and abroad. This center was formed with the aim of fostering active citizenship and to facilitate solidarity among different groups of persons both in Italy and abroad. The organization manages to place over 5000 volunteers annually in over 30 destinations worldwide. The organization engages its volunteers in a number of community programs such as teaching and construction. The primary purpose for the establishment of International Volunteer HQ is to impact positive change in the communities they are working with. Volunteers are sent to countries that are deficient of human resources. For instance, India has been having a constant need for teachers and thus IVHQ places its volunteers to work in India. Teacher volunteers not only benefit the community by offering the teaching services but also engage them in other activities such as empowerment of the most vulnerable groups. The volunteers are given inter-cultural training and therefore use the skills to facilitate the integration of diverse cultures. The purpose of IVHQ is to promote economic development and to facilitate self-reliance in various nations, particularly third world countries (IVHQ, 2015). By sending volunteers to work in countries that are in so much need of teachers, the organization helps to meet the needs of the hungry populations. IVWQ works with the governments in individual countries to facilitate volunteerism. Significance and social impact of International Volunteer HQ within Italy International Volunteer HQ has had significant impacts in Italy since its transformation impacts are greatly felt. The changes for the organization have been notable through empowerment of societies. The organization has taken the responsibility of committing itself to the development of people so as to enhance the nation’s prosperity. IVHQ has used the school to empower members of the society to become active members who can initiate change (IVHQ, 2015). They have provided opportunities to explore and further develop the skills of the citizens. Italy has benefited from IVHQ through the positive image created by the organization. Volunteers who have been placed on international assignments have done exemplary work, and the country gets the credit. Italy has therefore managed to develop and foster strong and lasting relationships with other countries through the organization. These relationships have been very beneficial especially to Italy's economy. Italy has formed friendly policies with other nations, and this has opened up greater opportunities for Italy. Volunteering image for Italy The Italian government recognizes the efforts made by the volunteers and therefore offers the best working conditions for the volunteers. Volunteers are given superior support right from planning to actual volunteering, and this has made it very easy for international volunteers to cope up with the country without experiencing significant difficulties. The government ensures that the volunteers get appropriate training, and their skills match their placements. Volunteers’ safety is given the priority, and therefore, volunteers are equipped with risk management skills. The government has taken this responsibility of managing risks for the volunteers. For this reasons, volunteers are confident that they are placed in trustworthy institutions, families and communities. Weekend adventures are part of volunteerism in Italy, and therefore, volunteers get some time off their busy schedules. The adventures also provide new opportunities for the volunteers to learn other cultures and to acquire new knowledge and skills. Netherlands Volunteering initiatives and what the organization intends to do AIESEC is a volunteer NGO based in Netherlands. The aim of the organization is to transform the world through youth leadership. AIESEC targets students from institutions of higher learning and provides them with tools necessary to transform the world. The organization aims at facilitating economic growth by connecting companies and organizations with highly gifted-talented students. Once the students have been placed in the companies, they are trained on how to help the companies reach new markets. The organization has made it life easy for organizations and job seekers during these tough economic times. Besides providing organizations with a ready market for trained students, AIESEC also offers a chance for students for personal growth. Interns get the opportunity to interact with the outside world and therefore gain new knowledge concerning the possibilities and the challenges that the outside world present. AIESEC has trained its volunteers in several community activities. Students engage in corporate social responsibility, and this provides them with a cultural experience. Through corporate social responsibility, students transform the communities they serve. They also promote peace and encourage cultural diversity in the workplace. Significance and social impact of AIESEC within Netherlands AIESEC has facilitated the transfer of knowledge and skills in Netherlands. In this wake of globalization, firms are striving to go abroad and are therefore looking for a highly competent workforce that will help them align their goals with strategies so as to attain competitive advantage. AIESEC volunteers have played significant roles in Netherlands by helping firms develop global orientation. Netherlands has therefore managed to keep abreast with the changing job market with the help of AIESEC volunteers. The volunteers have contributed to raising education levels in Netherlands. They have brought about competition in the workplace and for this reason; individuals are striving to advance their levels of education so as to enhance professionalism in the workplace and also to increase their competence. Volunteerism has also increased multiculturalism, which is a paramount aspect of the development of a nation (Baker, Danial). Organizations expect an influx of diverse ethnicities in future and Netherlands has helped prepare itself through volunteerism. Volunteering image for Netherlands Volunteering in Netherlands seems to be focusing on the job market since the nation is struggling to initiate professionalism on the workplace. By focusing on education, Netherlands aims at increasing the knowledge and skills of its populations who will consequently impact the social welfare of the entire population. Netherlands is also keeping the pace of the new technology and thus aims at attracting competent volunteers who will initiate technological innovations. Conclusion Different countries have different perceptions on active citizenship but what is common in all of them is volunteerism. Volunteerism has become the new order for countries since this is the most appropriate way of fostering business relationships and settling disputes. Volunteerism has also helped in facilitating democracy in nations, and it is expected that volunteerism will continue to improve in future. Other nations are bound to follow the footsteps of the European Union, which have been successful as a result of volunteer work. For countries to realize social capital, they must, therefore, invest capital in creating awareness on volunteerism and supporting the civil society organizations that train volunteers. Works Cited Baker, Danial E. "Volunteerism and Professional Development." Hospital Pharmacy 50.8 (2015): 655-656. Claeys, Sophie, & Rudi Vander Vennet. "Determinants of bank interest margins in Central and Eastern Europe: A comparison with the West." Economic Systems 32.2 (2008): 197-216. Disdier, A. C., & Mayer, T. (2004). How different is Eastern Europe? Structure and determinants of location choices by French firms in Eastern and Western Europe. Journal of Comparative Economics, 32(2), 280-296. Einhorn, Barbara. Citizenship in an Enlarging Europe: From Dream to Awakening. Basingstoke [England: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. Web. Harper, Sarah, and Kate Hamblin. International Handbook on Ageing and Public Policy. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2014. Web. Huntington, Samuel P. 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