EurodeskAi??took part in theAi??YO!FestAi??Inclusion zone,Ai??and presented the concept of the European Voluntary Service for aAi??largeAi??group of young people interested in international opportunities. What did the EVS workshop offer these young people?Ai??If you missed it, I hope this article gives you an idea of what could be ahead of you if you long for some amazing time abroad!
European Voluntary Service,Ai??alsoAi??known as EVS,Ai??is a volunteering program for young people between 17 and 30 years of age andAi??can be done short- or long-term.Ai??Short-termAi??isAi??a project lasting fromAi??2 weeks to 2 months andAi??long-term a project lasting from 2 months to 12 months.Ai??EurodeskAi??emphasized that you shouldAi??chooseAi??the project you attendAi??carefullyAi??since you can only doAi??one EVS project in your life. However, if you do a short-term project you are allowed to apply again for a long-term project.
OneAi??of the amazing things about EVS is that it isAi??totally freeAi??for theAi??volunteer!
Your socio-economicAi??background doesnai??i??t matter,Ai??and the only thingAi??you need to do is to send theAi??organisationAi??your CV andAi??aAi??motivational letter.Ai??TheAi??programmeAi??is funded by the European Commission,Ai??and allAi??ofAi??the costsAi??(includingAi??the planeAi??tickets, accommodation,Ai??food, local transportation,Ai??health insurance and language lessons)Ai??are covered. Also,Ai??a small amount of pocket money is handed to the volunteer.
So, where should you begin?
You should think of what is important to you. Is it a specific country, a language, the type of the project, the cuisine or maybe the culture?
You should think of what is important to you. Is it a specific country, a language, the type of the project, the cuisine or maybe the culture? Choosing which projects you apply for is totally up to you.Ai??European Youth PortalAi??has a website for allAi??ofAi??the receivingAi??organisationsAi??and projects and by filling in your information it finds the available projects for you.The opportunities areendless: youAi??can volunteer with disadvantagedAi??people, forestry and agriculture, sports activities,Ai??tackling racism, cultural awareness, EU activities, you name it! Be active and ask theAi??organisationsAi??listed on the website if they will take volunteers if they havenai??i??t already opened a call for volunteers for their projects.
You can find the website below:
https://europa.eu/youth/volunteering_en
Before applying you need to find a sponsor organisation for yourself. It could be an organisation you work in, your local youth department, a national youth agency or any organisation that sends EVS volunteers abroad.
Once you have found an organisation or a project you are interested in, you should contact the person whose information you can find on the European Youth Portal. You can also attach your CV and a motivational letter to the first email to show your full interest towards the project! After applying to the project that interest you, allow some time to wait for the answers from the organisations.
There are some things everyone interested in taking part in EVS should know:
* EVS is not occasional volunteering, but is an opportunity to take part in a longer project abroad
* EVS is not an internship in an enterprise, in a humanitarian organisation or an NGO
* EVS is not a recreational, a tourist activity, a language course abroad or a paid job
EVS is based on increasing your own skills through practical experience of volunteering abroad, encouraging the learning of another language, communicating with a new culture, spreading tolerance among young people of the European Union, promoting active citizenship and developing local communities.
The European Voluntary ServiceAi??can offer fantastic opportunities to spend time abroad, learn a new language, make new friends, and learn about yourself.Ai??It can help you to discoverAi??what you want to do in your life and become more independent. VolunteeringAi??isAi??a great way to spend your gap year,Ai??and figure out where you would like to study in the future.Ai??You can find outAi??more practical information and stories about volunteeringAi??with EVS clicking here.
A video about EVS onAi??Youtube
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