It is a great time to introduce youngsters to EVS (European Voluntary Service). This activity, currently under Erasmus + Programme, celebrates 20 years in 2016. Through this time, close to 100,000 young people took part in international volunteering through EVS. EUSA is already a recognised receiving organisation among volunteers, hosting long-term volunteers. Many more short-term volunteers take part in the European Universities Championships and European Universities Games.

Last year, the Organising Committee of the upcoming Games, to be held in Zagreb and Rijeka in 2016, also decided to host three volunteers for the duration of 12 months within this project.

The opportunity comes once in a lifetime. After graduating, before University, or during studies? It is a great chance to enrich your CV, test yourself and live an adventure. I decided to make this step before enrolling to my Master’s.



Together with two girls from Hungary: Annamaria Szecsi and Reka Ulbert, we live together, we spend our free time together, we work together, but most of all: we are a part of amazing project. We help in different areas: Annamaria is working with International Relations team, Reka in PR and Marketing, and finally me – with volunteers, without whom no huge event would happen. The areas of possible volunteering as EVS are wide, you can easily find a placement that corresponds with your field of study or interests.

The three of us are already in half-way of our project. Finding yourself in a completely new society teaches you a lot. Many of our friends, also EVS’ers, admit they decided for this step to discover themselves. Through EVS, you are given the opportunity for personal development along with practical experience. While doing your EVS service, you get a chance to make your own project, influencing and activating society you currently live in. For that purpose, and to prepare you for EVS, you will take part in on-arrival training.

For participants of long-term volunteer program, schedule includes as well mid-term training, preparing for life after EVS and how to avoid the so-called post-EVS syndrome.



The project is financed by Erasmus+; the volunteers receive accommodation, insurance cover and a grant for the duration of the project. Make the first step – go to the page below and choose your adventure. This is your time!

In EUSA the EVS opportunity for 2016-17 has been closed in January and will be reopened next January for the 2017-18 period. There are, however, plenty of opportunities to choose from!

For more details about the EVS programme, please see
http://ec.europa.eu/youth/programme/mobility/european-voluntary-service_en.htm
http://europa.eu/youth/

The author Katarzyna Czalej is a student of the Poznan University of Economics.
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