Brussels, 20/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 19 May, EU youth ministers held a policy debate about volunteering by young people and how this can help build local communities as part of the “European Year of Voluntary Action - promoting European citizenship” (2011). Overall, the ministers consider that volunteering “an active expression of civic participation which strengthens common European values such as solidarity and social cohesion. It also provides important learning opportunities, because involvement in voluntary action can provide people with new skills and competences and can even improve their employability.” Several ministers stressed the importance of getting old people involved in volunteering in order to bridge the generation gap and foster the transmission of knowledge. Most voluntary work is organised locally by non-government organisations and the minsters said they should be supported at political level. Several delegations called for a regular exchange of best practice. (I.L./transl.fl)