It is summertime in Europe. If you wonder what to do with your holidays, have little money but nonetheless would like to travel abroad, take a serious look at the European Voluntary Service (EVS). Have you ever thought about volunteering to work in a foreign country while others might be just lying under the Sun?
The European Voluntary Service, part of the Youth in Action programme, offers young Europeans aged 18-30 years the chance to participate from 2 to 12 months in unpaid non-profit voluntary activities worldwide. Participants get return trip (including paid visas when needed), board and lodging, local transport, insurance cover and an allowance for the duration of the project.
You can choose within a myriad of host organisations spanning from “art and culture” activities to “heritage and environmental protection” and “media and communications”, just to mention few themes. Would you consider trying your luck as an archaeologist for Setúbal Museum by the Portuguese blue Atlantic coast? What about contributing to the audiovisual education mission of a media centre in old town Vilnius up in the Baltic? Or playing the role of a jazz producer in Salzburg? Not yet convinced? Check the database of accredited organisations to find your own way.
Trans Europe Halles (TEH), the European network for independent cultural centres, participates in the EVS programme by putting forward a wide range of placements within its members, including Stanica/Slovakia, The Junction/Cambridge and Melkweg/Amsterdam, among many others. Check their website for the full list of possibilities. TEH has also available background information on the EVS and has just published a handbook coloured with experiences of these youth exchanges.
Be aware that the EVS is not just simply about having fun while working. Language classes and training sessions specific to each placement are offered to participants so they can consolidate their informal leanings. This programme is meant to provide valuable learning experiences and a true sense of what the European project is all about. European citizenship, intercultural dialogue, tolerance and solidarity are in the essence of it all.
Volunteering in Europe has been growing though it might not yet be as common as in the USA, for example. Yet don’t get away from your commitment in case your friends misunderstand your holiday’s decision. The European Commission is proposing 2011 to be the European Year of Volunteering: the European Parliament and the Council are expected to endorse it by the beginning of next year. Soon volunteering might become more fashionable, so go ahead first and enjoy your holidays!
For organisations this is also a great opportunity to receive supported contributions from youngsters from other countries and cultures possibly with fresh new ideas and energy. For more details on how to participate as a host, please consult the website of the European Commission – Youth, your respective National Agency as well as Salto – Youth resource centres.
Con etiqueta:
2011 European Year of Volunteering, citizenship, European Commission, intercultural dialogue, mobility, placements, voluntary, youth, youth exchanges
LabforCulture es una iniciativa de la European Cultural Foundation. LabforCulture agradece el apoyo de sus financiadores.
