EVS

European Voluntary service

Firefly is a sending and co-ordinating body in the UK for the European Voluntary Service (EVS). This means that if you’re under 30, and live in Europe, we can apply for funding for you to volunteer with us, or with any other European or partner country host organisation.

What is European Voluntary Service (EVS)?

The European Voluntary Service (EVS) is part of the YOUTH programme , a European Union programme that promotes the mobility of young people through international activities with a non-formal education dimension such as youth exchanges, voluntary services, youth initiatives and training of youth workers. EVS offers young people the opportunity to volunteer in another country, normally for a period of six to twelve months. A wide variety of placements can be found in the social, cultural, environmental, and sports sector. Shorter placements of three weeks to six months are available to young people with fewer opportunities or special needs. Each project has three partners: a volunteer, a sending organisation and a host organisation. EVS provides the funding to cover the volunteer’s costs.

Voluntary activities should:

  • Take place in another country, be non-profit making, unpaid and not involve job-substitution
  • Last for a specified period of time (normally between six and twelve months)
  • Be planned, implemented and followed up as a partnership between a volunteer, their Sending and their Host Organisation

Where can you volunteer under EVS?

EVS projects can take place in both Programme Countries and Partner Countries. Programme Countries include the Member States of the European Union, the EFTA/EEA countries and pre-accession countries. Some EVS projects can take place in partner regions of the European Union. These are Mediterranean partner countries, Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region, South Eastern Europea (SEE), and Latin America. At least one of the countries involved in a project (either the sending country, where the volunteer is from, or the host country, where the volunteer is going) must be a programme country.

The Programme Countries are:

  • The 27 EU Member States, the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and Turkey.

The Neighbouring Partner Countries are:

  • South East Europe: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Former Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia.
  • Eastern Europe and Caucasus: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russian Federation, Ukraine.
  • Mediterranean Partner Countries: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Syria, Tunisia.

Other Partner Countries, under the ‘Countries of the World’ programme, include:

  • Latin America, Africa and the Pacific and Caribbean countries and Asia.

There is more funding available to volunteer within a programme country.

What costs does EVS cover for you as a volunteer?

  • Your international travel – covers reasonable travel costs from your home to the host organisation. Available only when you use the cheapest available form of travel. Usually this is by plane; however since we at Firefly are trying to encourage greener travel, we’ll try to work out an overland alterative if you’re up for it! A copy of the ticket(s) must be attached to the final report.
  • Exceptional volunteer costs – any reasonable and justifiable costs related to the special needs of the volunteer (medical attendance, additional preparation, etc).
  • A volunteer’s allowance, fixed per host country, and paid in full to the host organisation to be given to the volunteer weekly or monthly; usually around £50 per month.
  • Your accommodation and food costs.
  • Insurance – all volunteers are insured against sickness, accidents, permanent invalidity, and repatriation in case of serious illness, accident, and death. The insurance also covers civil liability.

What should you do to become an EVS volunteer?

  • Firefly can help you, by acting as your hosting or sending organisation:
    - if you live anywhere in Europe and want to volunteer in the UK or Bosnia, or
    - if you live in the UK and want to volunteer anywhere abroad.
    Click here to email us for more information or to apply to become an EVS volunteer, if you fit into either of these categories.
  • If you live in the UK, and want to volunteer abroad, we can act as your sending organisation. Together we can consult the database of approved host placements to find something that suits you, or suggest partner organisations that we’ve worked with before, and apply for the funding you’ll need.
  • If you live anywhere in Europe, and want to volunteer with us in the UK or in Bosnia, we can discuss potential projects with you and if you decide you want to volunteer with us, we can apply for funding on your behalf.
  • If you don’t live in the UK, and you want to volunteer with an organisation other than Firefly or in a country other than the UK, then click here to visit the EVS website for more information, click here to see a list of the National Agencies; the National Agency for your country can suggest a sending organisation for you. If you’re having trouble finding the information you need, click here to email the Europe SOS Volunteer Helpdesk.

    • EVS Grant application deadlines
    There are 5 deadlines for EVS grant applications annually, and the deadline when we submit the application determines your possible placement start date. If you want to start volunteering on any particular date, you need to contact us at least one month before the deadline for that date. So, if you want to apply for a project starting on September 1st, then you need to contact us by May 1st at the latest, so we can complete and submit your application on June 1st.

    Deadline For activities starting between:
    1st February 1st May and 30th September
    1st April 1st July and 30th November
    1st June 1st September and 31st January
    1st September 1st December and 30th April
    1st November 1st February and 31st July

    N.B. For long-term projects in Bosnia Herzegovina, Albania, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Montenegro or Serbia, the following deadlines apply:

    Deadline For activities starting between:
    1st February 1 August and 31 December
    1st June 1st December and 30th April
    1st September 1st March and 31st July

    So, for a project starting on September 1st, you’d need to contact us eight months before, by January 1st, so we can complete and submit your application on February 1st. These longer deadlines only apply to these South East European countries. For short term projects in those countries, or short or long term projects anywhere else, the normal deadlines still apply.

    Useful links:

  • Youth Networks – A Europe-wide online network of EVS volunteers, sending and hosting organisations. You can search for youth projects and EVS vacancies, and apply online for EVS projects. You have to be invited to join by your sending organisation, so write to us at evs@ fireflyinternational.org and we’ll add you to our list. We can then help you find and apply for EVS projects, and support you during your volunteer period, through the site.
  • The EVS page of the European Commission Youth site – find out more about EVS and how to find a project and apply if you’re not based in the UK or Bosnia (if you are based in the UK or Bosnia, you can also just get in touch with us).
  • The European database on EVS accredited organisations – search for hosting or sending organisations across Europe, and find projects.
  • Information on the EVS Inclusion policy – The EVS Programme encourages the full involvement of young people with fewer opportunities. You can download their inclusion strategy here, and find out if it applies for you. When funding decisions are made, priority is given to young people with fewer opportunities.
  • FAQ – Frequently asked questions on the European Voluntary Service
  • Youth in Action Priorities and Main Objectives – a description of the main objectives of the Youth in Action Programme (including EVS); taken from the SALTO website, it includes the aims of co-operating with South East Europe.
  • EVS Actually – a site for people who want to carry out their EVS placement in Greece, or are already there; it lists available projects, information about EVS and Youth in Action, lots of resources to do with Greece, downloadable resources to do with EVS, and more.

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