What is European Voluntary Service (EVS)?
EVS offers young people the opportunity to volunteer in another country, for a period of two to twelve months. A wide variety of placements can be found in the social, cultural, environmental and sports sector.Most placements last from six to twelve months and priority is given to longer term placements Shorter placements of two weeks to twelve months are available to young people with fewer opportunities.

General Principles

			Voluntary activities should take place in another country, be non-profit making, unpaid and not involve job-substitution
			Last for a specified period of time (maximum twelve months)
			Each project should be planned, implemented and followed up as a partnership between a volunteer, their Sending and Host Organisations

What are the benefits?
Non-formal learning. Volunteering trough EVS provides young people with a real-life international learning experience, encouraging social integration, increasing employability and offering opportunities to show solidarity with other people.

Organisations and local communities are strengthened by the experience of European partnerships - exchanging cultural knowledge and good practice, increasing awareness and understanding of international youth work.

Getting involved - Young People
If you are interested in taking part in EVS, you should be between 18 and 30, live in an eligible programme country and be willing to commit your time, energy and enthusiasm to volunteering for a specific period of time.

For more information on how to apply, please read the step by step guidelines: How to become an EVS volunteer (MS Word 28KB). You can also access an up to date list of Approved UK Sending Organisations. (MS Excel 38.5KB) or consult a list of Frequently Asked Questions (MS Word 38.5KB).

Getting involved - Organisations
If your organisation is involved in non-profit-making activities and has an interest in supporting young people and communities across Europe, you can become involved through either providing voluntary activities for incoming volunteers - Host Organisations (MS Word 24KB) or recruiting and finding European placements for young people in the UK Application forms need to be completed and forwarded to British Council Connect Youth.

Additional support
Meeting new partners and developing activities in a new field can be difficult. Through Action 4.3 (Support Measures) funding, we can for example support feasibility visits where Sending and Host Organisations can meet to discuss project ideas. Equally we can fund contact-making seminars with other European partners. For more information please see Support Systems

European Voluntary Service Training Courses

Where can I get more information about European Voluntary Service?
We recomend you visit www.youthnetworks.eu, sign up as a free member and search for current projects .Alternatively you can log on in the European Commission list of projects Europa SOS Volunteer Helpdesk but please remember that some of the projects there listed might no longer be available.