Action 2 - European Voluntary Service

EVS supports young people's participation in various forms of voluntary activities within and outside European Union. It involves young volunteers in a non-profit, unpaid activity for the benefit of the general public in a country other than his or her country of residence.

Aims:

* Personal, educational and proffesional development of young people throughout non-formal learning;

* Promoting partnership links between countries;

* Promoting tolerance among young people and active citizenship.

Types of EVS activities:

* An Individual EVS Activity involves only one volunteer, one Sending Organisation and one Host Organisation (promoters).

* A group EVS Activity allows volunteers to take part collectively in a voluntary activity at local, regional, national and international level and to benefit from individual and group learning experiences. Up to 100 volunteers can participate in the same Host Organisation or - split up in smaller sub-groups - in different Host Organisations.

Participants:

* EVS is open to all young people, aged between 18 and 30 ("inclusion" activities are open to 16-17-years-olds);

* The number of volunteers in the project coming from Partner Countries cannot exceed the number of volunteers coming from Programme Countries (exception: EVS projects involving only one volunteer coming from a Partner Country).

Duration:

* The EVS activity should be between 2-12 months (excluding preparation and evaluation);

* The EVS project must not exceed 24 months, including preparation and evaluation/follow up.

* Short-term activities (2 weeks to 2 months) are eligible only for young people with fewer opportunities.

Place:

* Project takes place in a Programme or EECA Partner Country;

* Young people from a Programme Country can do EVS both in any EECA Partner Country or in any Programme Country;

* Young people from an EECA Partner Country can do EVS in a Programme Country but cannot do EVS in another EECA Partner Country.

Partners:

* At least one EU Member State must be involved;

* The number of project partner organisations located in Neighbouring Partner Countries, cannot exceed the number of partner organisations in Programme Countries in the same project;

* Young people from EEA/EFTA or candidate country cannot participate in bilateral (one-to-one) projects with EECA Partner Countries.

Trainings:

* EVS volunteers have the right and obligation to participate in the EVS training cycle which consists of pre-departure training, on-arrival training, mid-term meeting and final evaluation.

EVS is not:

* occasional, unstructured, part-time volunteering;

* an internship in an enterprise;

* a paid job and must not substitute paid jobs;

* a recreation or tourist activity;

* a language course;

* exploitation of cheap work force;

* a period of study or vocational training abroad.

Financing:

* Youth in Action projects are co-funded, i.e. besides grants from the Youth in Action Programme, at least one additional source of funding to cover total costs of the project is required (cash/in kind);

* The volunteer receives full board and lodging, complete insurance cover;

* The travel costs are reimbursed at the rate of 100%.