Youth Services and Training Initiative is promoting EVS and encouraging its members to go for volunteering! EVS is a once in a lifetime opportunity to interact with European society in another country. Look in the database and find the project that suits you...European Union YOUTH programme offers European Voluntary Service (a.k.a. Action2).
Why have European Voluntary Service?
The European Union supports non-formal education opportunities for young people through transnational voluntary service which directly and actively involves young people in activities designed to meet the needs of society in a wide range of fields.
The aim of the European Voluntary Service action is based on three fundamental principles:
- To provide a non-formal intercultural learning experience for young people, encouraging their social integration and active participation, improving their employability and giving them opportunities to show solidarity with other people.
- To support the development of local communities.
- To encourage the establishing of new partnerships and the exchange of experience and good practice between the partners.
The YOUTH programme also recognises the value of existing partnerships that have been built up between organisations over the years and have made crucial contributions to the success of voluntary activities.
What is a European Voluntary Service project?
An EVS project allows a young person to be a volunteer in another country for a specified period, normally between 6 and 12 months. Voluntary service activities can take place, for example, in the field of the environment, arts and culture, activities with children, young people or the elderly, heritage, or sports and leisure.
Volunteers will participate in activities that comply with the following general principles. Activities must:
* take place in a country other than where the volunteer lives,
* be non-profit-making and unpaid,
* bring an added value to the local community,
* not involve job substitution,
* last for a limited period (maximum 12 months).
The vast majority of voluntary service projects are on a one-to-one basis, i.e. a volunteer goes from one country to another. These projects involving two countries are dealt with directly by the National Agencies in the Programme countries...
