European Voluntary Service (EVS)

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Deadline: 1st February, 1st April, 1st June, 1st September and 1st November
Open to: young people between 18 and 30 years
Duration: up to 12 months

What is it?

European Voluntary Service (EVS) is part of the Youth in Action Programm. Its main aim is to develop solidarity and to promote active citizenship and mutual understanding among young people.

The European Voluntary Service enables young people to carry out voluntary service for up to 12 months in a country other than their country of residence. It fosters solidarity among young people and is a true ‘learning service’. Beyond benefiting local communities, volunteers learn new skills and languages, and discover other cultures.

An EVS project can focus on a variety of themes and areas of intervention, such as culture, youth, sports, social care, cultural heritage, arts, civil protection, environment, development cooperation, etc. High-risk interventions in immediate post-crisis situations (e.g. humanitarian aid, immediate disaster relief, etc.) are excluded.

Who can apply?

The EVS is open to young people between 18 and 30 years. This means that volunteers have to be between 18 and 30 years old at the beginning of their voluntary activity. Flexibility can be applied to the lower age limit – young people with fewer opportunities may participate as from the age of 16.
To be eligible you have to have legal resident permit in your sending organization country.

Duration?

Up to 12 months.

Where can I go?

Programme Countries

Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France		 Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta		 Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom
Iceland Liechtenstein Norway
Turkey


Neighbouring Partner countries:

South East Europe Eastern Europe and Caucasus Mediterranean Partner Countries
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia
Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia
(FYROM)
Montenegro
Serbia**		 Armenia
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Georgia
Moldova
Russian Federation
Ukraine		 Algeria
Egypt
Israel
Jordan
Lebanon
Morocco
Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and Gaza Strip
Syria
Tunisi

The European Voluntary Service concerns almost all countries of the world. But there are some rules and conventions as to who can go where. For more information, consult the EVS Guide.

Deadlines

Each year there are five deadlines:
* 1st February
* 1st April
* 1st June
* 1st September
* 1st November

The activity should be timed to begin three months after the application deadline. As previously mentioned these deadlines are not applicable for short term EVS.

Procedure

EVS is made up of a three way partnership: the hosting organisation, where the young person spends the voluntary service working, the volunteer themselves and the sending organisation, which is an organisation which helps the volunteer to prepare before leaving the country.

The sending organisation should be non-profit making and have accreditation with the National Agency.

1st step:
Find a sending organization. The national agencies, and the different SALTO support centers can provide you with the list of sending organisations from your region.

2nd step:
Based on your competencies and wishes you’ll found –with the support of your sending organization – out which theme would be good for an EVS project for you, which place, when it would be good to start a project, and how long the activity can last.  You will look together to find a hosting organization. You can find all all projects in the European Database on EVS.

From this moment, you’ll work in a trio: your sending organization, the host organization and you as volunteer.

Within this partnership, you’ll make agreements about:
• Accommodation, meals
• Tasks, responsabilities in the volunteer work, free time possibilities,…
• Pocket money
• Language learning and on-arrival training
• Integration in the local community
• Coaching and guidance during the project
• Possibilities for a follow up project after your EVS

From the side of the volunteer, no financial input is expected. Your contribution to EVS is your energy, your motivation, enthusiasm, and creativity.

One of the organisations involved (mostly the host organisation), with compile the application form to get the funding. This organisation will coordinate the complete EVS project, and prepare together with you and your sending organisation, your application form.

3rd step:
Your application is sent to the National Agency by one of the deadlines. And now you just have to wait for the final decision: if your project is approved or not. If it is not, your sending and hosting organization can rewrite it and send it again in the next deadline. It it is, you will be informed and all the preparation to your project will begin.

Volunteers rights

  • expenses of the international trip and the accommodation expenses and food for as long as the activities of the project last
  • pocket money, according to the value stipulated for his hosting country
  • health insurance that covers all the period of the volunteer activities
  • after finishing the EVS project (or at least a half) has the right to receive a EVS certificate, usually signed by the responsible of the National Agency in name of the European Commission
  • during his volunteer service, has to participate in all the formation workshops organized by the sending and the hosting national agencies

If you have more questions please visit this page.

23 thoughts on “European Voluntary Service (EVS)”

  3. Hello,

    I am writing a brief paper on Eastern Partnership issues and trying to find out No. of EU volunteers who came to work in Georgia (country) in 2009, 2010 and vice versa; also Conditions for their work (visa regime etc)for both, EU and Georgian volunteers. If anyone has any credible information (based on a credible source for reference)or if anyone can advice where to get this info, please, let me know. I appreciate your assistance. Thanks. Nino

    1. Hi Nino,

      the only source that comes to my mind is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Georgia or some other similar institutions such as Alien Police etc.
      Or, you will have to contact all the sending and hosting organisations in Georgia, asking them about the statistics.
      That is what my common sense is telling you.

      Best,

      Kristina,
      Mladiinfo

  4. Can you please tell me whether Macedonia has a sending organization and does this volunteering experience provides education for the students in the country they will volunteer
    Thank you

    1. Hi Tina,

      you can look for sending (as well as hosting) organisations in Macedonia here: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_en.cfm (Mladiinfo is also a sending organisation – feel free to contact our EVS coordinator Ilija – ilija@mladiinfo.com

      The only thing that your hosting organisation is obliged to provide you with in terms of education is language courses, the rest is your own responsibility (because when you become a volunteer, your student status is not really important).

      Best,

      Kristina,
      Mladiinfo

  6. Dear Mladiinfo,

    I've seen you help so many people and have read their questions and your replies hoping it would help me. I am currently looking for an EVS project in the Middle East – preferably in Lebanon – and can't find anything.
    So far, I've written to my NA (Netherlands) and to one ENGO which works as a SO, but neither of them have written back yet. I don't know any HO in Lebanon either.
    Only Programme Countries are listed in the EVS Database..
    As I'd like to start on 1 October 2012, I know my deadline is 1 February and am starting to get worried, as I can't find anything and no help is offered to me. I've no experience in EVS, though I've read websites about it and the EVS Guide.
    Is there anything you can advise me? And if not, do you know a similar university in the Middle East that offers scholarships? – if I can't go on EVS, I'd like to take a Masters next year. I checked out your link to the Masdar Institute, but they only offer engineering and similar sciences, whereas I study International Relations. Could you please advise me or help me out in any way?

    Thank you so much in advance and wish you a very happy NewYear!

    Kindest regards,
    Kaya

    1. Dear Kaya,

      Regarding your question about the EVS placement in the Middle East, I would say that you contact a sending organization in your country. Some of them should have experience with partners from the countries of your interest. Or, look for some hosting organization on the internet, that might be of your interest.

      About the master studies, I would advise to search our portal for some scholarships, or check the web.

      Good luck and Happy New Year to you, too!

      Kind regards,
      Marija
      Mladiinfo

    2. Hello Kaya,
      I would like to go to Lebanon too, starting september 2012.
      I will therefore really appreciate if you could enlight me on the process and the outcome you've achieved since your last message on this forum (15 weeks ago).
      Best!

  7. i would love to apply as a volunteer..am from Uganda east Africa,am 22 years old..i would love to volunteer,i hope to hear from you soon and i hope am put under your consideration..my email is carolinenamae@yahoo.co.uk

    how can i find a hosting and sending organization that can help?its so hard to find the organizations..
    yours faithfully.
    caroline namae

  8. hello, i`m olsiana from Albania and now i`m finishing the master for environmental management and two years ago i have finished the university for Agro-environmental engineering and ecology .
    i am lookin for an evs ,from 1-3 months in Europe,Balcans, or Asia 🙂 my e-mail is : olsi_totaj@hotmail.com,best regards and thank you

  11. Quick question– what kind of oppurtunities does an American have in this program. As long as I have a non-profit sending organization from The US and a host organization in the country of volunteering, then is everything ok? Would I still be eligible to receive the benefits such as pocket money and travel expenses paid?
    Thanks,
    Richard H.

    1. Dear Richard,

      Yes, but remember, that according to the rules, one of the organizations has to be from European Union, so if you are from America you can apply only for projects in the countries of EU.

      Best regards,
      Mladiinfo team

  12. Both the sending organization and hosting organization need to be in The EU or can the sending be in The US? I participated in two different workcamps last summer (with De Amicitia in Spain and Solidarites Jeunesses in France) with the sending oragnization in The US (Volunteers for Peace). This time, I am trying to become a campleader instead of a participant.
    Thanks again,
    Richard

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