EVS – A Bridge to Employability?!

Witch is the real impact of EVS on ex-volunteers, hosted and sent? Which is the opinion and conclusions of partners (hosting and sending organisations)? What tell us the studies made by national and european organisations? Given the actual economic climate, unemployment is very high and the young incessantly seek answers for integration and inclusion, it is urgent to understand how the European Voluntary Service can be a bridge for employability, a way of acquiring skills, trial professionals rhythms, acquisition of know-how, awareness for a particular function / profession etc. Its crucial to understand in what extent Euroepan Voluntary Service projects lead to a better and faster employability by gathering users, organisations, youth workers/project managers, tutors, National Agencies staff and experts, to assess the outcomes. EVS - a bridge to employability?! is an evaluation & exchange of practices seminar with the main goal of being a meeting point to debate, reflect and understand the role of European Voluntary Service on the life of young man and women, in what concerns the acquisition and development of personal, social and professional competences, first professional work experiences, vocational orientation, etc... The central issue is to know if EVS is, in a effective way, a bridge towards employability, helping the youth to define their professional itinerary and helping on their vocational choice and later professional inclusion, after a non formal learning experience. The objectives • To offer a space for former EVS participants to share experiences on the "1st person" • To share organisations long term EVS experiences • To debate on the effective potentialities of EVS in the youth professional life/impact • To share European and national experts and studies made on EVS • To register the conclusions/information and print out a final booklet to dessiminate them and aloud a multypliying effect at national and international level • To give visibility to european participative and inclusive past and actual youth programmes Methodology Based on participative and active non formal learning approach, enabling active participation and involvement of each participant. Sessions will combine theoretical input and practical learning, using the methods of non-formal education such as working groups, exchange of experiences, discussions, presentations/lectures, etc. The trainers role will be to bring together the experience and expertise of participants and facilitate the learning process and the production of an outcome.