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| bohinj, slovenia |
If you read my blog beforehand, you’ve probably wondering what EVS is.
European Voluntary Service is the Programme the European Union has set up for young people. It aims to inspire a sense of active European citizenship, solidarity and tolerance among young Europeans and to involve them in shaping the Union's future. It promotes mobility within and beyond the EU's borders, non-formal learning and intercultural dialogue.
The Youth Programme makes an important contribution to the acquisition of competences and is therefore a key instrument in providing young people with opportunities for non-formal and informal learning with a European dimension. It contributes to the fulfillment of the aims set out in the revised Lisbon Strategy and the European Youth Pact. Furthermore, it is an important instrument to support the EU Youth Strategy – Investing and Empowering.
Within the European Voluntary Service (EVS) programme, young people can spend up to 12 represents Action 2 of Youth in Action Programme.
Volunteers in EVS projects participate in activities in different fields (like: environment, arts, and culture, activities with children, young people or elderly, heritage, sports, etc.) which comply with following general principles:
Activities Must:
-Take place in a country other than where the volunteer lives;
-Be non-profit-making and unpaid;
-Bring an added value to the host organization and the local community;
-Not involve job substitution, not be a substitute for military service or alternative service formulas;
-Last for a limited period, normally between 2 and 12 months.
Activities Should:
-Promote universal peace, dialogue, tolerance and solidarity;
-Contribute to building long-lasting and solid partnerships;
-Give participants a better understanding of their own situations and cultures and help them explore their identities;
-Contribute to developing the voluntary sector and civil society.
Evs is not…
-Evs is not occasional, unstructured, part-time volunteering.
-Evs is not an internship in an enterprise.
-Evs is not a paid job and must not substitute paid jobs.
-Evs is not recreation or tourist activity.
-Evs is not a language course.
-Evs is not exploitation of cheap work force.
-Evs is not a period of study or vocational training abroad.
-Evs is not simply a funding scheme, but a quality model of transnational voluntary service.
Who can participate?
-Young people aged between 18 and 30
Which Countries?
EVS, as the Youth in Action Programme in general, is aimed mainly at the Programme countries, but young people from the Neighbouring Partner countries can also participate in EVS projects
What does it cost?
As volunteer, Evs does not cost you anything! (At least, no money!)
More technical information about this you can find here: www.action2.eu
How to become an EVS volunteer?
Step by Step Guidelines