Action 2 - European Voluntary Service

EVS supports young people's participation in various forms of voluntary activities within and outside European Union. It involves young volunteers in a non-profit, unpaid activity for the benefit of the general public in a country other than his or her country of residence.

Aims:

• Personal, educational and proffesional development of young people throughout non-formal learning;
• Promoting partnership links between countries;
• Promoting tolerance among young people and active citizenship.

Types of EVS activities:

• An Individual EVS Activity involves only one volunteer, one Sending Organisation and one Host Organisation (promoters).
• A group EVS Activity allows volunteers to take part collectively in a voluntary activity at local, regional, national and international level and to benefit from individual and group learning experiences. Up to 100 volunteers can participate in the same Host Organisation or - split up in smaller sub-groups - in different Host Organisations.

Formal criteria:

Participants:

• EVS is open to all young people, aged between 18 and 30 ("inclusion" activities are open to 16-17-years-olds);
• The number of volunteers in the project coming from Partner Countries cannot exceed the number of volunteers coming from Programme Countries (exception: EVS projects involving only one volunteer coming from a Partner Country).

Duration:

• The EVS activity should be between 2-12 months (excluding preparation and evaluation);
• The EVS project must not exceed 24 months, including preparation and evaluation/follow up.
• Short-term activities (2 weeks to 2 months) are eligible only for young people with fewer opportunities.

Place:

• Project takes place in a Programme or EECA Partner Country;
• Young people from a Programme Country can do EVS both in any EECA Partner Country or in any Programme Country;
• Young people from an EECA Partner Country can do EVS in a Programme Country but cannot do EVS in another EECA Partner Country.

Partners:

• At least one EU Member State must be involved;
• The number of project partner organisations located in Neighbouring Partner Countries, cannot exceed the number of partner organisations in Programme Countries in the same project;
• Young people from EEA/EFTA or candidate country cannot participate in bilateral (one-to-one) projects with EECA Partner Countries.

Trainings:

• EVS volunteers have the right and obligation to participate in the EVS training cycle which consists of pre-departure training, on-arrival training, mid-term meeting and final evaluation.

Accreditation:

• Any organisation in a Programme Country or in South East Europe wishing to send or host EVS volunteers or coordinate an EVS project must be accredited;
• Organisations outside the Programme Countries and South East Europe can participate as project partners in EVS without accreditation.

How to apply?

Regardless the number of Sending/Host Organisations and volunteers involved, or the number and duration of the activities, there is only one application, one financing decision and one grant agreement per project.

The Coordinating Organisation applies on behalf of the partnership.

A National Agency supports only those projects, respecting the EVS criteria, which have a clear link to the country where the NA is based: The Coordinating Organisation (applicant) is based in the NA's country and in addition:

• either all Sending Organisations in the project are based in the NA's country, or
• all Host Organisations in the project are based in the NA's country.

EVS is not:

• occasional, unstructured, part-time volunteering;
• an internship in an enterprise;
• a paid job and must not substitute paid jobs;
• a recreation or tourist activity;
• a language course;
• exploitation of cheap work force;
• a period of study or vocational training abroad.

• Youth in Action projects are co-funded, i.e. besides grants from the Youth in Action Programme, at least one additional source of funding to cover total costs of the project is required (cash/in kind);
• The volunteer receives full board and lodging, complete insurance cover;
• The travel costs are reimbursed at the rate of 100%.

The EVS Charter:

• The general principles, definition of roles of EVS promoters and the main quality standards of EVS are laid down in the EVS Charter.

 

Read the "Frequently Asked Questions" here!