International volunteering activities between programme and partner countries directly develops solidarity and promote active citizenship and mutual understanding among young people. It 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.
When developing international volunteering in cooperation between programme and partner countries it is advice to take into consideration wide geographical as well as cultural range of volunteering projects especially. Before starting, you may want to deepen your understanding of international volunteering in a such broad context. Thus, many of the important aspects of good quality volunteering projects are also important when cooperating only between organisations from programme countries.
To begin with sending, hosting or coordinating international volunteering activities your organisation will require getting accreditation. For organisations from programme countries you need to contact your National Agency and follow guidance to complete accreditation. For organisations based in partner countries the accreditation is managed through SALTO regional resource centres.
Finding a good project partner is another key for quality and success of international volunteering projects. Even though most of the volunteering time young people spend in the hosting community, the advantage of cooperation between sending and hosting partners is not to be underestimated. In case of cooperation with partner countries, the role of organisation coming from programme country is often even more important, as quite regularly programme country organisations applies for project funding to its National Agencies.
In such a situation, organisations from partner counties, even when they are hosting a volunteer and thus spending most of project’s budget, are dependent on the programme country organisation that plays a role of coordinator – the applicant and dispatcher of grant. This rises the issues of mutual trust and transparent partnership. Moreover, it is very important the technical knowledge how to create a proper agreement between organisations or how to transfer the money to organisation in a county, where financial sector may be underdeveloped and organisations’ bank accounts may be a tough topic.
Some tips for you on how to overcome possible barriers when implementing long-term volunteering activities with partner countries:
Let’s say your partnership works well and volunteering project is granted and the volunteer is getting ready to come to the hosting place. Now comes the practical preparation phase. All the logistics will get in motion - preparing accommodation and board of volunteer, mentor, preparation of the hosting organisation’s members and raising awareness of the local community.
This is especially important period of the volunteering project for everyone who needs to deal with the visa procedures and resident permits. Volunteers from the partner countries will need visa to practically every programme country. Volunteers from programme countries may have visa-free entrance to some of the partner countries. In many countries obtaining a resident permit for long-term stay may become a burden. Make sure that you and your partners have necessary knowledge for visa requirements and procedures. You will need to include extra costs related to obtaining visa for entering hosting country and legal residency after arrival.
International volunteering creates for young people a chance to make their service in the foreign country, allows at the same time for intercultural experience. This is not only an opportunity for the volunteer, but also for the hosting organisation and local community. Direct contact of representatives of different cultures can create conflicts, but well supported and facilitated becomes a possibility for learning.
Intercultural experience during the volunteering period is even more intense in case of cooperation with partner countries due to cultural differences and geopolitical issues. Everyday life and volunteering may put young people in a very contrast environment and realities compered to their home communities. This may spark confrontation of values and beliefs. Sending partner should well prepare young person for long-term living abroad. Both, sending and hosting organisations should provide quality mentoring and support for volunteers during their stay in the hosting country.
Additionally, to this support, there is a regular cycle of training activities offered for young people. They are entitled for on arrival and mid-term training activities that a carried out by the regional SALTO support centres in partner countries and coordinating organisations in the programme countries.
2. Hopscotch to Quality in EVS 2.0 A practical handbook for enhancing quality in European Voluntary Service by SALTO South East Europe Resource Centre .
3. Euromed practical guides on how to develop an EVS project in the EuroMed Region by SALTO EuroMed Resource Centre.
When developing international volunteering in cooperation between programme and partner countries it is advice to take into consideration wide geographical as well as cultural range of volunteering projects especially. Before starting, you may want to deepen your understanding of international volunteering in a such broad context. Thus, many of the important aspects of good quality volunteering projects are also important when cooperating only between organisations from programme countries.
To begin with sending, hosting or coordinating international volunteering activities your organisation will require getting accreditation. For organisations from programme countries you need to contact your National Agency and follow guidance to complete accreditation. For organisations based in partner countries the accreditation is managed through SALTO regional resource centres.
Finding a good project partner is another key for quality and success of international volunteering projects. Even though most of the volunteering time young people spend in the hosting community, the advantage of cooperation between sending and hosting partners is not to be underestimated. In case of cooperation with partner countries, the role of organisation coming from programme country is often even more important, as quite regularly programme country organisations applies for project funding to its National Agencies.
In such a situation, organisations from partner counties, even when they are hosting a volunteer and thus spending most of project’s budget, are dependent on the programme country organisation that plays a role of coordinator – the applicant and dispatcher of grant. This rises the issues of mutual trust and transparent partnership. Moreover, it is very important the technical knowledge how to create a proper agreement between organisations or how to transfer the money to organisation in a county, where financial sector may be underdeveloped and organisations’ bank accounts may be a tough topic.
Some tips for you on how to overcome possible barriers when implementing long-term volunteering activities with partner countries:
- Good partnership is very important and should be based on equal treatment and quality written agreements.
- Partnership is impossible without trust. The basis of trust is transparency, organisations should understand the responsibilities and the risks of its partners.
- Involved organisations should be open and transparent on how they administrate and spend the grant, what kind of environment they are working in which may cause need for special expenses and support.
- Regular communication and close cooperation are necessary help solving problems and overcoming difficulties by cooperating and supporting each other.
Let’s say your partnership works well and volunteering project is granted and the volunteer is getting ready to come to the hosting place. Now comes the practical preparation phase. All the logistics will get in motion - preparing accommodation and board of volunteer, mentor, preparation of the hosting organisation’s members and raising awareness of the local community.
This is especially important period of the volunteering project for everyone who needs to deal with the visa procedures and resident permits. Volunteers from the partner countries will need visa to practically every programme country. Volunteers from programme countries may have visa-free entrance to some of the partner countries. In many countries obtaining a resident permit for long-term stay may become a burden. Make sure that you and your partners have necessary knowledge for visa requirements and procedures. You will need to include extra costs related to obtaining visa for entering hosting country and legal residency after arrival.
International volunteering creates for young people a chance to make their service in the foreign country, allows at the same time for intercultural experience. This is not only an opportunity for the volunteer, but also for the hosting organisation and local community. Direct contact of representatives of different cultures can create conflicts, but well supported and facilitated becomes a possibility for learning.
Intercultural experience during the volunteering period is even more intense in case of cooperation with partner countries due to cultural differences and geopolitical issues. Everyday life and volunteering may put young people in a very contrast environment and realities compered to their home communities. This may spark confrontation of values and beliefs. Sending partner should well prepare young person for long-term living abroad. Both, sending and hosting organisations should provide quality mentoring and support for volunteers during their stay in the hosting country.
Additionally, to this support, there is a regular cycle of training activities offered for young people. They are entitled for on arrival and mid-term training activities that a carried out by the regional SALTO support centres in partner countries and coordinating organisations in the programme countries.
Sources:
1. “East West EVS” – guidebook for those interested in European Voluntary Service between the East and the West by SALTO Eastern Europe and Caucasus resource centre2. Hopscotch to Quality in EVS 2.0 A practical handbook for enhancing quality in European Voluntary Service by SALTO South East Europe Resource Centre .
3. Euromed practical guides on how to develop an EVS project in the EuroMed Region by SALTO EuroMed Resource Centre.
International volunteering activities with neighbouring countries - Erasmus+
Reviewed by sdfdr
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March 22, 2018
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Reviewed by sdfdr
on
March 22, 2018
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