North West MEP Marian Harkin is calling for a mechanism to be introduced to measure the contribution that volunteers make to the economy.
At the weekend, Ms Harkin was in Hungary to speak at a conference launching 2011 as the European Year of Volunteering. She told delegates that the International Labour Organisation has a mechanism to measure the contribution of volunteers as a percentage of GDP, and member states should adopt that mechanism as a matter of urgency.
She believes that only when figures are available will government realise the extent of the contribution volunteers make to society and the economy...............
[podcast]http://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/volunt.mp3[/podcast]
