Understand why European Voluntary Service

European Voluntary Service (EVS) has proved itself to be a wonderful opportunity for all parties involved: volunteer, hosting and sending organisation, and the person and community served. In each EVS there is cooperation between 3 parties, and each has a lot to gain.

The volunteer has a chance to:

1. Learn by doing
2. Enjoy new and unique experiences, which come with living and volunteering abroad
3. Learn a language
4. Meet new and interesting people
5. Try out new things in a safe and supportive environment
6. and much, much more

The sending organisation has a chance to:

• Create new opportunities for the young people it works with
• Welcome back a volunteer who has had valuable new experiences and can contribute to the activities of the organisation
• Use the ‘volunteer abroad’ experience to motivate other young people
• Create partnerships with similar organisations all over Europe
• Get financial support for costs linked to the preparation of the volunteer
• and much more

The hosting organisation has a chance to:

1. Receive motivated volunteers from all over Europe
2. Enrich its activities with people from other countries
3. Motivate its young people to think about taking part in EVS
4. Get the volunteers’ views and perspectives on the way it works
5. Create partnerships with organizations all over Europe
6. Get financial support for all the costs involved
7. and much more

But if you are thinking about getting involved with EVS, you need at all times to remember that EVS IS NOT:

1. An internship of study period abroad
2. The replacement of an employee
3. A paid job
4. A holiday or leisure activity
5. A language course
6. Cheap labour
7. Part-time or occasional volunteering