Action 2 - European Voluntary Service

European Voluntary Service (EVS) is to support young people's participation in various forms of voluntary activities both within and outside the European Union.What is more, EVS 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.

The aim of The European Voluntary System is to develop solidarity and promote active citizenship and mutual understanding among young people.

The European Voluntary System enables young people to carry out voluntary service for uo tp 12 months in a country other than their country of residence, fostering solidarity among young people and is a true 'learning service', as volunteer learn new skills and languages, discovering simultanously other cultures.

Three phases of each EVS project:

• planning and preparation;
• implementation;
• evaluation

Types of EVS activities:

• an Individual EVS Activity involves only one volunteer, one Sending Organisation (SO) and one Host Organisation (HO).
• 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 30 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, legally resident in the country of the Sending Organisation;
• Volunteers with fewer opportunities can participate from the age of 16;
• 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:

• pre-departure training- the responsibility of the EVS promoters (usually the Sending Organisation or the Coordinating Organisation) and gives volunteers an opportunity to talk about their expectations, develop their motivation and learning objectives, and obtain information on their host country and on the Youth in Action Programme.
• annual EVS event- all current and former EVS volunteers are strongly encouraged to take part in the annual EVS event organised by the National Agencies in the sending country (or SALTO SEE and EECA in the respective regions). This event serves as an evaluation meeting, "alumni" meeting and promotion event. Duration is 1-2 days.

Accreditation:

According to the new Programme Guide, SALTO EECA will be responsible for the EVS accreditation system and EVS training cycle in EECA countries, it means that all EVS promotors from EECA countries have to pass EVS accreditation. SALTO EECA encourages you to read more regarding EVS accreditation procedure at the link below: http://www.salto-youth.net//eeca/evs-eeca/accreditations/ or contact us directly in case of more detailed questions.

Who can apply for the EVS accreditation in EECA region?

• 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 90%.

More information regarding European Voluntary System is available in the New 2012 Programme Guide.

The EVS Charter

The EVS Charter included in this Programme Guide describes the role of EVS promoters acting as Sending, Host or Coordinating Organisation and defines the main principles of EVS and the minimum quality standards that must be respected within an EVS project, please look at EVS Charter.

Read the "Frequently Asked Questions" here!