European Voluntary Service - ASPIRE Programme
New Art Exchange are proud to be a part of the European Voluntary Service, and as part of this are hosting volunteers - Patrice Puchaux from France, Shaden Meleas from Egypt, Erica Melloni from Italy and María Jesus Oporto Brieva from Spain for the ASPIRE + project.
As a designated and accredited EVS Centre for the East Midlands, NAE has been directly involved in implementing the European Voluntary Service (EVS) throughout the East Midlands, as part of the YOUTH IN ACTION PROGRAMME set up and funded by the European Commission (EC) to promote youth mobility and international voluntary service.
Their role will be to learn new skills and work on designated projects including: Nottingham Mela Fest 2012, World Young Biennale, YARD Theatre and other projects. You can follow their experiences in their blogs here.
Shaden : http://shaden-meleas.tumblr.com/ and Patrice : http://bonventsblog.blogspot.co.uk/
What is European Voluntary Service?
European Voluntary Service (EVS) is a ‘Youth in Action’ Scheme which encourages 18-30 year olds to undertake long or short term volunteering in Europe. The scheme is fully funded in order to make the projects as accessible as possible. The projects are voluntary, unpaid and importantly, volunteers do not replace paid workers or financially profit the hosting organisation.
What are the benefits of EVS volunteering?
Volunteering through EVS provides young people with a real-life international learning experience, encouraging social integration, increasing employability and offers opportunities to show solidarity with other people. Among many benefits, organisations and local communities are strengthened by the experience of European partnerships who exchange cultural knowledge and good practice, increasing awareness and understanding of international youth work.
EVS aspires to develop solidarity and promote tolerance among young people, primarily to reinforce social cohesion in the European Union. It promotes active citizenship and enhances mutual understanding among young people.
Essential Criteria
18 and 30 years old(must be accepted on a project before the EVS deadline prior to your 31stbirthday)
UK resident(for a project overseas)
EU citizen or rights to live and work long term in Europe
How much does EVS cost?
It’s FREE! EVS is a fully funded scheme therefore the project costs and volunteer expenses are covered by the EVS grant. The grant covers costs such as: Travel, Medical insurance, Food and accommodation, Training, Pocket money (the amount varies depending on the project and destination)
Where can you go?
The European Voluntary Service has a presence in most countries around the world. Most countries in the EU have EVS projects; occasionally there are opportunities to volunteer outside the EU (please note that non EU projects take longer to apply for and the grant is more difficult to be awarded).
What types of projects are there?
Social (children, adults, older people, special needs, learning difficulty, physical difficulty)
Health (drugs/alcohol, HIV education, care work)
Conservation (wildlife, environment, renovation, gardening, agriculture)
Minority groups (refugees, homeless, disaffected youth)
Arts/cultural (arts/crafts, theatre, media, festival)
The two types of EVS programme
Long-term programme
Long-term projects are between 6 to 12 months. The young person is encouraged to play an active role in finding and organising their project. This applies during the project itself with emphasis on the volunteer working with the host to build a mutually beneficial work experience. The projects last for a specified period of time, which is usually 6, 9, or 12 months. The long-term programme is open to any young person aged 18-30 who is resident in the UK and who has EU citizenship.
Short-term programme
Short-term projects are from 2 weeks to 6 months and are aimed specifically at young people with fewer opportunities who require additional support/mentoring. It offers a first step to longer term volunteering.
