Document used by www.euxtra.com as information to its users. Document on the behalf of the European Commission

1. Youth in Action
mobilising
the potential
of young
Europeans
Youth Volunteering:
personal challenges,
social objectives
T he European Voluntary Service
enables young people to go abroad to
provide unpaid service for a maximum
of one year. This is a true learning
process in which young people face challenges
in an unknown environment, and learn to
exploit their own potential and abilities,
developing self-confidence and independence
that is useful at any stage of their subsequent
lives.
It is for young people who want to express
solidarity by engaging in culture, youth, sport,
social care, civil protection, environment, post-
APGQGQȩQGRS?RGMLQ
ȩCRA

2. ȩ2FCWȩBCPGTCȩRFCȩ@CLCȏȩRȩ
of new experience by acquiring new skills, and
RFCWȩ@CLCȏ ȩRȩJMA?JȩAMKKSLGRGCQȩ@WȩFCJNGLE
ȩ
among others, disabled, elderly or homeless
people, young prisoners, people addicted to
alcohol and drugs, children or youth, and
cultural institutions.
ͷ
Youth in Action
Programme

3. ͷȧ 2FPMSEFȩȏȩPQRF?LBȩCVNCPGCLACȩMDȩMRFCPȩASJRSPCQȩ to form decisions on their own next steps —
right around the world, the young people including in professional terms — in a more
involved broaden their perspectives, develop informed fashion, and employers value the
tolerance, understanding, and a sense of skills and maturity that participants acquire.
a common identity and responsibility. The This fact sheet presents some examples of the
awareness of diversity also helps young people thousands of projects completed so far.
Some of the many
Youth Volunteering projects
completed so far
The volunteer 1. New experience giving new the activities. She played games and sports with
RMMI–?–ĺ–PQR– @LKȎABK@B the children, socialised with them and increased
their interest in art and culture, helped them in
QRCN–?JMLE–FCP– A volunteer from Mauritius, who had spent some the canteen and during lunch time, and developed
workshops.
N?RFU?W–RMU?PBQ– years in care homes in Italy, went for two months to
Portugal in 2010 as part of a tailor-made inclusion Thanks to the cooperation between Italy and
BGQAMTCPGLE–FCP– project, mentored by Cemea del Mezzogiorno .MPRSE?J
ȩRFCȩTMJSLRCCPȩRMMIȩ?ȩȏȩPQRȩQRCNȩ?JMLEȩFCPȩ
MUL–GBCLRGRW
– Onlus. This is an organisation that cooperates with pathway towards discovering her own identity,
RMU?PBQ–EPC?RCP– the Italian juvenile court system and with social
QCPTGACQȩRMȩQSNNMPRȩRFCȩGLAJSQGMLȩMDȩWMSLEȩMȎ ȩCLBCPQȩ
RMU?PBQȩEPC?RCPȩQCJDAMLȏ ȩBCLAC
ȩ?LBȩRMU?PBQȩ?ȩ
positive relationship with society. She subsequently
QCJDAMLĺ –BCLAC
– in society. It runs centres with activities focused DCJRȩAMLȏȩBCLRȩCLMSEFȩRMȩPCRSPLȩRMȩ+?SPGRGSQ

4. ?LB–RMU?PBQ– on the personal development of youngsters,
QRGKSJ?RGLEȩAPC?RGTGRWȩ?LBȩN?PRGAGN?RGMLȩ?LBȩMȎ ȩCPGLEȩ
?–NMQGRGTC– RFCȩMNNMPRSLGRWȩRMȩ?AOSGPCȩ?@GJGRGCQȩ?LBȩQNCAGȏȩAȩ Project funded by
PCJ?RGMLQFGN–UGRF– competencies. the Youth in Action national agency in Italy
The volunteer took care of young children in a Hosting organisation:
QMAGCRW centre. She supervised them, and helped the ͬ CEMEA del Mezzogiorno onlus, Italy.
Sending organisation:
educators in the development and planning of ͬ Associação Juvenil de Peniche, Portugal.

5. Y O U T H V O L U N T E E R I N G 3
2. Helping young people into the RFCȩWMSLEȩNCMNJCȩGLȩNPMHCARQȩRF?RȩRFCWȩȏLBȩ@MRFȩ
TLOIA LC BJMILVJBKQ meaningful and manageable. 2FC–NPMHCAR–MĶCPQ–
Over the course of two years, ITER is giving the
Participation has developed skills that improve LCU–CVNCPGCLACQ–
job prospects, but the most striking achievement
chance to do voluntary service to some 40 young GQȩRFCȩBGȎCPCLACȩGLȩRFCȩU?WȩRFCȩWMSLEȩNCMNJCȩQCCȩ GL–?–UGBCP–AMLRCVR
–
people with few opportunities and from widely RFCKQCJTCQ
ȩP?RFCPȩRF?LȩRFCȩ?AOSGQGRGMLȩMDȩQNCAGȏAȩ ?R–RFC–Q?KC–
BGȎCPGLEȩ@?AIEPMSLBQ

6. ȩ2FCQCȩ?PCȩ?JJȩNCMNJCȩUFMȩ practical skills. The non-formal learning methods
did not complete secondary education and had no bring added value at European level by developing RGKC–NPMKMRGLE–
natural pathways into employment, thus exposing their cultural awareness and expression. ITER has CKNJMWKCLR–?LB–
received coverage in the media and distributes
them to the risk of permanent exclusion.
information in youth centres and social service GLAJSQGML–GL–QMAGCRW
Recent participants were six Swedish-born young MȑACQ

7. people of Arabic or South American extraction,
HM@JCQQȩ?LBȩMLȩ@CLCȏRQ
ȩ?LBȩUGRFȩFGQRMPGCQȩGLAJSBGLEȩ The organisations involved in this project are
DPMKȩ#QRMLG?
ȩ$P?LACȩ?LBȩ1UCBCL
ȩ?LBȩRFCȩNPMHCARȩ
criminal records, drug abuse, mental illness, and
combines funding from the European Voluntary
troubled family relations — a target group which
1CPTGACȩ?LBȩDPMKȩRFCȩ#SPMNC?Lȩ1MAG?Jȩ$SLBȩ˜ȩ
GQȩBGȑASJRȩRMȩPC?AFȩ?LBȩRMȩKMRGT?RC

8. ȩ$MPȩNCPGMBQȩ
?JJMUGLEȩCȎCARGTCȩNPCN?P?RGMLȩMDȩWMSLEȩNCMNJC
ȩ?LBȩ
ranging from a few weeks to a couple of months providing for extensive follow-up and evaluation.
GLȩz
ȩRFCȩNPMHCARȩMȎCPQȩN?PRGAGN?LRQȩLCUȩ
experiences in a wider context, at the same time Project funded by
promoting employment and inclusion in society. The the Youth in Action national agency in Sweden
project prepares and motivates the young people Hosting organisations:
ͬ Continuous Action MTÜ, Estonia;
in advance, then captures their experiences when ͬ Estonian Unesco Youth Association, Estonia;
they return home by including them in activities and ͬȩ QQMAG?RGMLȩ!GRPSQ
ȩ$P?LAC
ͬ Maison des Bateleurs — Solidarites-jeunesses Poitou-Charentes,
coaching, and opening up new gateways to training
$P?LAC
and education. The activities — focusing on art, ͬȩ 1MJGB?PGRĸQȩ(CSLCQQC
4GJJ?ECQȩBCQȩHCSLCQȩ 4?SLGķPCQ
ȩ$P?LAC

9. RFC?RPCȩ?LBȩCLTGPMLKCLRȩ˜ȩPCȐCARȩRFCȩBGȎCPCLRȩ
Sending organisation:
interests and needs of the individual participants. ͬ The Committee for Allocation of Social Welfare, Gothenburg,
Cooperating partner organisations aim to engage Sweden.
3. Promoting volunteering and with guidance for the web page for networking The volunteer
UGRFȩGLRCPL?RGML?JȩTMJSLRCCPQȩR?IGLEȩN?PRȩGLȩRFCȩȏL?Jȩ
event. She also developed a photo exhibition of
BCTCJMNCB–FCP–
The youth council of Slovakia hosted a volunteer
from Portugal for eight months in 2010 in a project volunteers’ views of Slovakia, ‘The others’ Slovakia’, DMPCGEL–J?LES?EC–
aimed at promoting volunteering and its value for as a personal project. The volunteer developed her
?@GJGRGCQ–?LB–FCP–
an individual as well as for the life of a community. foreign language abilities and her skills in project
Through 50 local community projects across the management and communication, and improved her QIGJJQ–GL–NPMHCAR–
country, more than 5 000 children and young awareness of other cultures. K?L?ECKCLR–?LB–
people in Slovakia had the opportunity to become
involved in a nationwide campaign entitled ‘72
Project funded by AMKKSLGA?RGML–
the Youth in Action national agency in Slovakia
hours without compromise’. ?LB–GKNPMTCB–
Hosting organisation:
The volunteer promoted this event, and provided ͬȩ 0?B?ȩKJıBCēCȩ1JMTCLQI?ȩ 0+1
ȩ1JMT?IG?

10. FCP–GLRCPASJRSP?J–
Sending organisation:
the organisations involved in it with logistical ͬ AAUM Rádio Universitária do Minho, Seccao Cultural de ?U?PCLCQQ
support and assistance in the media campaign, Radiodifusao e Comunicacao, Portugal.
3

11. 4 Y O U T H I N A C T I O N
4. An Estonian goes to a The project aimed to raise the level of cultural
-IBPQFKFK OBCRDBB @JM and social awareness among local young people,
to help them realise their own ambitions. The
An Estonian NGO worked with the Jafra TMJSLRCCPQȩNPMEP?KKCQȩFCJNCBȩȏ ȩJJȩE?NQȩGLȩRFCȩ
Palestinian youth centre from Syria on youngsters’ knowledge of culture and arts and
a project entitled ‘Euromed mosaic of gave them a greater sense of their
art and culture’. It involved a 12-month
2FCPC–U?Q–?L– own powers. The volunteer gained too
individual voluntary service in 2010 GLAPC?QC–GL– through working with refugees and
developing communication and social
and 2011 at the heart of the Yarmouk
ASJRSP?J–?LB–QMAG?J– skills and increased tolerance to people
camp, near Damascus, containing
130 000 Palestinian residents — one ?U?PCLCQQ–?KMLE– DPMKȩBGȎ ȩCPCLRȩ@?AIEPMSLBQ

12. ȩ1FCȩ?JQMȩ
GKNPMTCBȩFCPȩILMUJCBECȩMDȩP?@GA

13. ȩȓ ȩCPȩ
of the biggest Palestinian refugee JMA?J–WMSRF
–?LB– witnessing the beginning of the popular
camps in the Middle East. The youth
centre arranges activities that allow ?–EPC?RCP–QCLQC– unrest there in March 2011, she took a
young people in the camp to spend ?KMLE–RFCK–MD– one-month break, but then returned to
their free time usefully, and to learn Syria. She said that the longer she lives
more about their cultural origins. A RFCGP–MUL–NMUCPQ in the region the better she understands
volunteer from Estonia chose to go to the people there.
Syria to work with Palestinian children because Project funded by
of her interest in Arabic culture and language. the Youth in Action national agency in Estonia
She organised and ran camps, workshops and
Hosting organisation:
exhibitions of arts and culture, using games, Jafra Youth Center, Syria.
ͬ
puppet shows, discussions and sports, and taught Sending organisation:
English. Explore NGO, Estonia.
ͬ
4 T E ST I MO N I A L S
‘ 5GRF–RFC–#SPMNC?L
4MJSLR?PW–1CPTGAC
–'–A?L
‘ #TCPW–UCCI–'–MPE?LGQCB–
J?LES?EC–AMSPQCQ–
‘ #TCPW–B?W–RFCPC–GQ–QMKCRFGLE–UMLBCPDSJ–
?LB–CVRP?MPBGL?PW

14. –'–FMNC–RM–JC?PL–K?LW–
?QQSPC–WMS–RF?R–WMS–UGJJ– DMP–QK?JJ–EPMSNQ–MD– KMPC–GLRCPCQRGLE–RFGLEQ–?@MSR–RFGQ–AMSLRPW–
LMR–@C–@MPCBÄ–7MS–E?GL AFGJBPCL–GL–?L–GLDMPK?J– ?LB–?AOSGPC–QIGJJQ
–CVNCPGCLACQ–?LB–
LCU–CVNCPGCLAC
–?LB–
JC?PL–?@MSR–RFC–ASJRSPC
CLTGPMLKCLR–̧–UC
JMMICB–?R–A?PRMMLQ
–Q?LE
SLDMPECRR?@JC–CKMRGMLQ

15. ’
?LB–RP?BGRGMLQ–MD–MRFCP– PC?B–AFGJBPCL|Q–@MMIQ–?LB–
’
L?RGMLQ

16. NJ?WCB–MSRQGBC

17. ’
-OLJLQFKD RKABOPQKAFKD FK It was part of ‘Europe in the hands of young
LPKF KA %BOWBDLSFK people’, which aims to bring together young people
DPMKȩBGȎ ȩCPCLRȩ@?AIEPMSLBQȩRMȩNPMKMRCȩRFCGPȩQCLQCȩ
A 25-year-old volunteer from Limousin went to of European citizenship, particularly by involving
Bosnia and Herzegovina to promote dialogue them in projects at local or international level that
@CRUCCLȩNCMNJCȩMDȩBGȎ ȩCPCLRȩPCJGEGMLQȩGLȩ(?HAC
ȩ stimulate inclusion of young people.
UFGAFȩQRGJJ
ȩ?ȓ
ȩCPȩȩWC?PQ
ȩ@C?PQȩRFCȩQA?PQȩMDȩCRFLGAȩ
cleansing in the region. In Omladinski Centar Jajce, Project funded by
an association aimed at countering racism, she the Youth in Action national agency in France
worked at overcoming all forms of discrimination Hosting organisation:
among young people. She worked with them on ͬȩ !0'(ȩ*GKMSQGL
ȩ$P?LAC

18. contributing to its local magazine, ‘Senzor|, and Sending organisation:
ͬ UG Omladinski Centar Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
gave classes in languages and computer use.

19. Y O U T H V O L U N T E E R I N G 5
6. Disability is no bar to helping But the experience proved valuable to everyone. The -TCPAMKGLE–FGQ–
others volunteer worked in the animal park with its rabbits,
NFWQGA?J–@?PPGCPQ–
a donkey and a deer. He cleaned the enclosure,
A 30-year-old from Rome spent three months JMMICBȩ?ȓ ȩCPȩ?LGK?JQ
ȩ?LBȩUCJAMKCBȩTGQGRGLEȩEPMSNQȩ ?LB–BGQAMTCPGLE–
and allowed them to pet the animals. With the
in Malta as a European volunteer with the NGO
inmates at the centre, he helped during swimming
FGQ–?@GJGRGCQ–
0?XCRRȩR?JG@@CPGH?
ȩLMUȩN?PRȩMDȩRFCȩ$MSLB?RGMLȩDMPȩ
Inclusion — Inspire, which helps children and adults sessions, and even went shopping to buy food for QRPCLERFCLCB–FGQ–
the centre. Overcoming his physical barriers and
with learning and physical disabilities to develop
discovering his abilities strengthened his self-
QCJDAMLĺ –BCLAC–
RFCGPȩNMRCLRG?J

20. ȩ'RȩMȎ
ȩCPQȩ?Lȩ?PP?WȩMDȩRFCP?NCSRGA
ȩ
educational and leisure services to children and AMLȏȩBCLACȩ?LBȩGLBCNCLBCLAC

21. ȩLBȩFGQȩAMKKGRKCLRȩ ?LB–GLBCNCLBCLAC
adults with physical and/or learning disabilities, to perform the work assigned to him impressed
free of charge. People with disabilities regularly everyone he worked with. He became an inspiration
use the facilities and participate in events. The himself, and on his return home he resumed
NGO initially hesitated, because the young Italian university studies.
FGKQCJDȩF?QȩQSȎ ȩCPCBȩDPMKȩ?ȩNFWQGA?JȩBGQ?@GJGRWȩQGLACȩ Project funded by
birth. Working with a foreign volunteer who has a the Youth in Action national agency in Malta
BGQ?@GJGRWȩU?Qȩ?ȩLCUȩAMLACNRȩDMPȩRFCȩACLRPCQȩQR?Ȏ ȩȩ Hosting organisation:
and volunteers. ͬ Razzett tal-Hbiberija, Malta.
Sending organisation:
ͬȩ 1CXGMLCȩ*?XG?JCȩBCJJ?ȩ3'*+ȩ 3LGMLCȩ'R?JG?L?ȩ*MRR?ȩ?JJ?ȩGQRPMDG?ȩ
+SQAMJ?PC ȩ-,*31
ȩ'R?JW

22. 6 T ES T I M ON I AL S
‘ 2FGQ–CVNCPGCLAC–F?Q–@CCL–?–@CLAFK?PI–@MRF–DMP–KW–
NFWQGA?J–GLBCNCLBCLAC–?LB–?Q–?–AF?JJCLEC–DMP–KC

24. 6 Y O U T H I N A C T I O N
RFIAFKD IF?OOV FK KDLI The results in terms of skills were improved
communication capacities among the young
The project ‘Teach in order to learn’ in Luau, a volunteers. They also gained a clearer sense of
provincial town in Angola, focused on development, what European identity means — something that
cooperation and non-formal education. Twelve they continued to display on their return home,
volunteers from Portugal — along with Angolan in a series of meetings with and presentations to
young people — took part in this month-long group their peers. But a deeper understanding was also
project in 2010, which started with an exploration attained among Portuguese and Angolan young
of the education and training needs among local people of their respective cultures — with enhanced
children and young people. They visited local openness and tolerance and a greater sense of
schools and hospitals to get to know the context civic participation. The project also promoted
they were operating in. On that basis, the volunteers international youth work and the concept and
built a library from scratch. Three hundred cases practice of volunteering, and brought some new
of books were delivered during the project, and ideas to local teachers. Its visibility was reinforced
RFCȩTMJSLRCCPQȩAJ?QQGȏCBȩ?LBȩA?R?JMESCBȩRFCKȩ by coverage in local newspapers, newsletters and
and organised their incorporation into the new the radio, and by videos that the volunteers made
library, along with materials that young people with their partners during the project, and that they
from Luau could use there. The library became a distributed widely on their return.
cultural centre for extra-school activities, led by the Project funded by
volunteers — with plenty of outdoor activities too. the Education, Audiovisual and Culture
They also worked with local teachers in developing Executive Agency in Brussels
cultural and artistic activities and providing teaching Hosting organisation:
ͬ Missão Católica de Luau, Angola.
materials ranging from health to information
Sending organisations:
technology. ͬȩ $#!ȩ˜ȩ$SLB?ĶijMȩ#T?LECJGX?ĶijMȩCȩ!SJRSP?Q
ȩ.MPRSE?J
ͬ Associação Leigos Volontários Dehonianos — ALVD, Portugal.
7
–BCCNCP–
SLBCPQR?LBGLE–
U?Q–?RR?GLCB–
?KMLE–.MPRSESCQC–
?LB–LEMJ?L–
WMSLE–NCMNJC–MD–
RFCGP–PCQNCARGTC–
ASJRSPCQ

25. Youth Volunteering Youth Youth Youth Youth Youth
is part of the Youth Exchanges Initiatives Democracy Volunteering Support
in Action programme
of the European
Union
Youth in Action
mobilising the potential of
young Europeans
Youth in Action is the European Union programme ȧQGELGȏ
ȧA?LRȧGKN?AR A survey in March 2011
that has helped young people since 2007, through among a representative
Youth in Action has had a demonstrable impact sample of participants
non-formal learning and wider mobility, to boost
on the hundreds of thousands of young people it revealed that:
their skills as well as giving them new opportunities
has involved. The programme has enabled many
to develop their personal capacities. It is open to
all young people, regardless of their educational,
MDȩRFCKȩRMȩCVNCPGCLACȩMRFCPȩAMSLRPGCQȩȏ ȩPQRȩF?LB
ȩ 91 %
thus developing a greater sense of openness and of young people
social and cultural backgrounds. It encourages
understanding of other cultures. And it has provided considered participation
intercultural dialogue and the inclusion of all young
the young people who have taken part with new increased their
people, particularly those with fewer opportunities.
QIGJJQȩ?LBȩAMLȏȩBCLAC

26. ȩ competences in foreign
It strengthens European values everywhere it languages;
operates — in the EU and in 140 countries beyond.
This is all the more important since for many
It funds a wide variety of youth activities, including
exchanges, initiatives, democracy projects, and a
of the projects, the participants are deliberately 75 %
selected from communities and social groups with said they improved
voluntary service. It also supports youth workers their abilities to identify
fewer opportunities. The whole programme has a
and civil society organisations through training and opportunities for their
QRPMLEȩQMAG?JȩBGKCLQGML

27. ȩ'RȩK?ICQȩQNCAGȏ ȩAȩNPMTGQGMLȩ
networking, and promotes European cooperation in personal or professional
for involving young people from disadvantaged
RFCȩWMSRFȩȏ ȩCJB

28. future;
EPMSNQȩ UGRFȩBGQ?@GJGRGCQ
ȩFC?JRFȩNPM@JCKQ
ȩMPȩQMAG?J
ȩ
Noticeable results
economic or geographic obstacles, unemployed,
UGRFȩCBSA?RGML?JȩBGȑ ȩȩASJRGCQ
ȩQSAFȩ?QȩC?PJWȩQAFMMJȩ
73 %
declared they felt more
Youth in Action has a global budget of EUR JC?TCPQ
ȩMPȩDPMKȩBGȎ ȩCPCLRȩASJRSP?Jȩ@?AIEPMSLBQ

29. ȩ
European;
885 million for the 2007–13 period, and by 2FCȩCLE?ECKCLRȩMDȩK?LWȩBGȎ ȩCPCLRȩQMAG?JȩEPMSNQȩGQȩ
the end of 2010 it had fully used the EUR 549
million allocated so far. Its basic premise is that
important in ensuring that the European integration
project is not restricted only to elites in European
92 %
of youth workers
investment in young people is the best business society.
considered they gained
case for the European Union and it is also the way skills and knowledge they
to make a success of the European integration Attractive learning would not have otherwise
project. Over the four years 2007–10, more than acquired;
Youth in Action makes extensive use of non-formal
ȩ ȩNCPQMLQȩRMMIȩN?PRȩ ȩȩWMSLEȩNCMNJCȩ
?LBȩȩ ȩWMSRFȩUMPICPQ ȩȩȩNPMHCARȩ
JC?PLGLE
ȩRFPMSEFȩ?RRP?ARGTCȩKCRFMBQȩ QSAFȩ?Qȩ
UMPIQFMNQ
ȩGLRCPTGCUQȩMPȩQGKSJ?RGMLQ
ȩ?LBȩ@?QCBȩMLȩ 73 %
applications were submitted and 30 100 projects of youth organisations
personal experience outside schools. This promotes
were approved for grants; and Youth in Action said they were doing
individual-based teaching, with the emphasis on
involved around 20 000 youth organisations, more international
talents and strengths. Professional facilitators
informal groups of young people, or public bodies projects.
ensure the learning process is conducted mainly by
every year as promoters of projects. The intense
young people themselves, through participation and
involvement of non-governmental organisations K AAFQFLK
peer learning. The non-formal learning experience
and social enterprises is a stimulating example
that Youth in Action provides is recognised through the 2010 survey showed
for young people of what it means to be an active
?ȩQNCAGȏȩAȩACPRGȏ
ȩA?RCȩA?JJCBȩ?ȩ7MSRFN?QQ

30. that participants in
player in society, and many participants in projects
the programme have
later become involved themselves in social work. ?ȧQGELGȏȧA?LRJWȧFGEFCPȧ
'LȩRFCȩBGȎ ȩCPCLRȩCLTGPMLKCLRȩMȎȩCPCBȩ@WȩNPMHCARQ
ȩ
young people discover their own potential and voting record in European
The projects supported range widely across youth elections than their peers.
abilities, and exercise new levels of independence
?ARGTGRGCQȩ˜ȩCTCPWRFGLEȩDPMKȩP?GQGLEȩRFCȩNPMȏ ȩJCȩMDȩ For instance in 2009,
and decision-making. The experience boosts their
young people in the media and giving them more 60 % of participants
personal development and widens their horizons,
of a say, to organising environmental protection voted, compared to an
helping them make choices about their further average of 29 % for
projects at local level, creating documentaries on
personal and professional life. And they acquire all young people across
social issues such as young people with HIV or
competencies that are increasingly valuable in an Europe.
exclusion of minorities, or helping inmates in young
60
evolving labour market.ͬ
%
MȎȩCLBCPQȩGLQRGRSRGMLQȩRMȩ@MMQRȩRFCGPȩMULȩQCJD
CQRCCKȩ?LBȩRMȩK?ICȩCȎ ȩMPRQȩRFCKQCJTCQȩRMȩGLRCEP?RCȩ
into their community and into wider society.
29 %

31. NC-30-11-277-EN-C
Who can take part
in European Voluntary Service projects,
and how do they work?
The scheme is open to young people 18–30 years values and quality standards are laid down in a
MJBȩ ?LBȩRMȩBGQ?BT?LR?ECBȩWMSLEȩNCMNJCȩz

32. ȩLȩ charter to which organisations must be accredited.
individual activity involves one volunteer. A group
Mobility takes place mainly within the 33
activity involves from 2 to 30 volunteers. Volunteers
programme countries: the 27 Member States of
@CLCȏ ȩRȩDPMKȩQNCAGȏ ȩAȩRP?GLGLEȩRFPMSEFMSRȩRFCȩ?ARGTGRWȩ
the European Union, as well as Croatia, Iceland,
and agree in advance on their expected learning
Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and Turkey, but
outcomes, processes and methods. Participation
?JQMȩUGRFGLȩRFCȩȩLCGEF@MSPGLEȩAMSLRPGCQȩ C?QRCPLȩ
GQȩDPCCȩDMPȩRFCȩTMJSLRCCPQȩ CVACNRȩDMPȩ?ȩNMQQG@JCȩ
Europe and the Caucasus, the Mediterranean region,
contribution of a maximum of 10 % of the travel
?LBȩQMSRFC?QRCPLȩ#SPMNC ȩ?LBȩȩMRFCPȩAMSLRPGCQȩ
AMQRQ
ȩUFMȩPCACGTCȩ@M?PBȩ?LBȩJMBEGLE
ȩGLQSP?LACȩ
of the world. Projects receive grants via Youth in
cover and an allowance for the duration of the
Action national agencies in programme countries, or
project. Special conditions apply to encourage
via the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive
the participation of young people with fewer
Agency in Brussels.
opportunities.
NNJGA?RGMLQȩA?Lȩ@CȩK?BCȩ@WȩLMLNPMȏ ȩRȩMPȩLML 7MSRFȧ4MJSLRCCPGLEȧGLȧȏ
ȧESPCQ
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plays a coordinating role in the grant process. Core Number of participants 4 287 5 836 6 368 6 907
Youth in Action: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/index_en.htm
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doi:10.2766/17978