29 - 31 October, 2009: Training Seminar: European Voluntary Service (EVS)
AYF Voluntary Exchange Programme:
The AYF aims to support community development through volunteering and educational exchange. Most volunteers involved with AYF Voluntary Exchange Programme can join short term (3 weeks to a maximum of 6 months ) or long term (6 to 12 months) European Volunteer Projects in other countries.
European Voluntary Service
EVS – European Voluntary Service- is open to anyone aged 18-25 who is resident within the European Union or one of the pre-accession countries. It offers the chance to volunteer in another European country for between 3 to 6 months. It is supported by the European YOUTH Programme as a way to help any young person have an intercultural experience.
The main aims of EVS are to help young people become more integrated into society, to develop a service that will benefit the community in humanitarian, social and cultural ways, and to link and strengthen organisations working for the public good throughout Europe.
The EVS projects offered through the AYF are on a one-to-one basis (i.e. one volunteer goes from one country to another) and involves a partnership between a volunteer, a sending organisation, a host organisation and a coordinating organisation (in some cases). Host countries are the 15 European Union countries, the South Eastern European countries.; the pre-accession countries and the Latin American countries.
Only youth NGOs are eligible (not youth service organisations) and they have to be democratic youth structures. Sending and host organisations should submit a list of activities over the last 12 months and there has to be a clear planning and understanding between hosting and sending organisation. Projects have to be relevant for the AYF and should involve young people with less opportunities.
^TopInternational Voluntary Service
The International Voluntary Service is open to anyone aged 18-25. It offers the chance to volunteer in other countries for between six and twelve months. It is supported by sending organisations and International organisations, as a way to help any young person have an intercultural experience.
The overall objective is to create links between different organisations and volunteers to spend between 6 to 12 months in another country, working as volunteer. It also offers a learning experience which develops new skills, and encourages participation in society.
^TopOur Projects
We send volunteers from Germany on EVS, and train volunteers participating in the programme in Germany.
The projects offered by AYF Voluntary Exchange Programme are organised in partnership with different organisations. Each organisation hosts one or two EVS volunteers to work together with their staff and local volunteers. AYF Voluntary Exchange Programme works to support the volunteers and organisations where they work, helping with hosting and sending arrangements.
This way of working offers the best support to the volunteer and the organisation. Although volunteers work on different projects, they come together for common projects, training and evaluations. Implying that, as well as meeting lots of people from their home countries, volunteers also have contact with people from many other countries.
AYF organises the recruitment of volunteers, on arrival training, administration, support of volunteers and host organisation, common work between volunteers and most importantly, evaluation. Each volunteer has a supervisor from his/her host organisation, and can also come to AYF for help, advice and support.
^TopHow to apply
- Please read all the information written here carefully. Also think carefully about which project you are interested in and why.
- To be eligible to apply, you need to have a hosting organisation in your home country. If you do not have one, please visit: www.sosforevs.org
- We request volunteers to fill out our application form instead of sending a letter or CV, to enable us have the same information about everyone as well as, make a fair decision.
- Forms could be sent to AYF Voluntary Exchange Programme by fax or email.
- Together with the staff from the host project, we will decide which volunteers are suitable for the project.
Send applications or enquiries to the Secretariat at: Info@ayf.de
Phone: +49 (0) 228 910 8833
Fax: +49 (0) 92 66 991
AYF Internship Placement Programme
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Internship in AYF Offices: Download Document