Around 92 million adults in the EU volunteer (European Parliament , 2016) and a vast amount of knowledge, skill and competence are acquired in voluntary settings. In 2023, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (United Nations , 2023). In Ireland in 2022, 711,379 or 14% of the population engaged in voluntary work in one or more activity (CSO, 2024). Of this figure almost 290,000 volunteered in a sporting organisation, 226,822 volunteered in the community and 198,274 in a social or charity related activity (CSO, 2024). In comparing the Census 2006 and Census 2022 data, the number of people aged 15 years and over volunteering in at least one activity has increased by 23%. In terms of Recognition of Prior Learning this presents a significant opportunity to individuals, voluntary organisations, employers and formal education.

Since 2016, MTU Extended Campus has been engaged in a number of Erasmus+ funded projects focused on unlocking the learning gained through volunteering, enabling greater recognition in education and the workplace. The projects have been with National and European volunteering associations who have knowledge of the breadth and depth of learning gained in informal and non-formal settings.  Each of the projects have addressed different but interrelated aspects of valuing learning gained through volunteering and bridging the gap between the context and where the learning could be valued. In essence between the voluntary organisations/associations , the workplace and formal education.