Joins fellow NGOs in Brookings Initiative to double American volunteers abroad
Earthwatch Institute, Maynard, MA, 4 December 2006 - The culture of volunteerism, so deeply ingrained in the United States, is an important foundation for increasing international dialogue and cooperation. This is the assertion of leading volunteer organizations celebrating International Day of the Volunteer, December 5, in a leadership forum at the Brookings Institution.
The leadership forum is the culmination of a year of planning, involving a working group of nearly 30 non-governmental service and education organizations, to implement the Brookings Initiative on International Volunteering and Service. The initiative's goal is to double the number of American volunteers in six years, to 100,000, by raising the capacity of NGOs with corporate assistance.
"Earthwatch recognizes the deep benefits of volunteering overseas, in the form of multicultural understanding on all sides," said Laurie Belton, director of field management at Earthwatch Institute. Belton is a member of the steering committee for the Brookings Initiative and a participant at the leadership forum, along with Ed Wilson, Earthwatch president and CEO.
Earthwatch Institute has been a pioneer in volunteerism, with 35 years of experience sending volunteers around the world. It is the only environmental volunteer organization among the Brookings Initiative working group, and the second largest in numbers of volunteers. Each year, Earthwatch recruits more than 4,000 volunteers to support field research on some of the most pressing environmental issues. Through this process, a diversity of people is inspired to actively contribute to conserving our planet.
"At a time when so much of the U.S. profile abroad is essentially military, this initiative offers to put a more humane face on our country," continued Belton. "It's a development that's long overdue, and one that could go a long way toward increasing international security and well-being."
Earthwatch plans to expand its capacity for volunteers partly by reaching out to new audiences, for instance with family and teen programs launched this year. The profound impact of Earthwatch on young volunteers is documented in the film, A Year on Earth, airing on Discovery Kids and Discovery HD in December.
In addition to engaging NGOs, the Brookings Initiative on International Volunteering and Service has already involved several corporations as well as key federal agencies and policy makers. The effort was spearheaded by Senator Harris Wofford, former senator of Pennsylvania and one of the founders of the Peace Corps in 1961.
In the coming years, the Brookings Initiative will develop a public service campaign to encourage volunteerism and expand corporate participation on volunteer service programs. It also plans to establish a dynamic research consortium, hosted by Washington Universities Center for Social Development, to develop standards for impact assessment and best practices identification.
A Year on Earth chronicles the adventures of three American teens who volunteer on several Earthwatch research projects around the world. Together, they discover how ordinary people can make a difference and how volunteering increases multicultural understanding. The film airs on Discovery Kids Channel on December 3 and 10 and on Discover HD December 17. For more information, go to http://www.earthwatch.org/film. A music video based on footage from the film can be viewed athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYzXjxlZOZ0
Earthwatch Institute is a global volunteer organization that supports scientific field research by offering members of the public unique opportunities to work alongside leading field scientists and researchers. Earthwatch's mission is to engage people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. The year 2006 marks Earthwatch's 35th anniversary.
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