European Voluntary Service

The European Voluntary Service is a project of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Education and Culture, aimed at young people between 18 and 30 years old who are legal residents of one of the European Union countries. It offers the possibility to develop a volunteer service activity for a period of two to 12 months, in one of the 27 member states of the EU, in the three non-EU states of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein) or in the partner states. The European Voluntary Service aims to develop solidarity and promote tolerance among young people, most importantly in order to strengthen the social cohesion of the European Union. It promotes active citizenship and improves mutual comprehension among European young people.

The project, financed by the European Commission and the partner organizations, includes:

• travel costs (90%);
• food and lodging;
• linguistic preparation;
• training specific to the project and the volunteers' individual activities;
• insurance;
• a mentor in the project;
• monthly volunteer's allowance.

The activities of the European Voluntary Service might range across several areas, including the environment, art, culture, social services, youth, civil protection, developmental cooperation, cultural heritage, sports, etc. Each project presages a partnership among the volunteers, sending organizations, hosting organizations (and possibly the coordinating organization).

Organization database: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_en.cfm

Contacts

If you are a foreign volunteer or a foreign association:

IBO Italia
Via Montebello 46/A
44121 Ferrara
tel. +39 (0)532 243279 - fax. +39 (0)532 245689
Responsible Party: Elisa Squarzoni
Email:  Esta dirección electrónica esta protegida contra spambots. Es necesario activar Javascript para visualizarla

Projects

Name: Arché
Ref: 2008-IT-111
Location: Milan
Description: Archè is among the first Italian associations taking care of children suffering from HIV. The facility in Milan, where the volunteer will be hosted, supports children suffering from HIV infection, psychiatric distress or different chronic illnesses. We generally host Italian and foreign ill children and their mothers in order to protect the continuity of mother-children relationship. Hosting is our main activity, but the association has also developed other related activities: hospital assistance to ill children, a project of HIV prevention in local schools to raise awareness and to educate youth about social commitment, psychological and humane support to families of ill children, specific HIV prevention programs in some African countries and thematic meetings at our Study Centre in Milan.
More information can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=42000524701

Name: Caritas diocesana Ferrara-Comacchio
Ref: 2008-IT-74
Location: Ferrara
Description: Caritas cares for underprivileged people, offering several services to help alleviate various hardships. We divide our services into three groups: basic needs services (a canteen that offers hot meals every day, collection and distribution of non-perishable foodstuffs, of second-hand clothes, of products for personal hygiene, and a shower service); consulting services (the Listening Centre, legal and medical service); and economic aid (help to find a job, to obtain proper documents, to find medical assistance).
More information can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=42000489639

Ref: 2007-IT-16
Location: Rosate (Milan)
Description: The community was born to host those who come from several marginalized groups in society, with special attention given to drug-addicts, HIV-positive people and to minors coming from correctional institutions or from situations of abuse. The spirit of Contina is the idea of sharing life with other people in difficulty, who are all hosted in a large family where they can work while recovering lost values, traditions and cultural roots. We think that the work acts as a type of rehabilitation, essential for the guests to regain their autonomy and responsibility.
For more information on Contina, visit http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=42000407401

Name: Associazione Dolce Acqua
Ref: 2008-IT-73
Location: San Giorgio di Piano (Bologna)
Description: The Family House is the pilot project of the association, and hosts minors and mothers with children. Most of them have family problems or an history of abuse. Dolce Acqua coordinates other activities like a Youth Centre, training activities for underprivileged teenagers, and projects with schools in order to combat juvenile deviancy.
For information can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=42000489618

Name: IBO Italia
Ref: 2009-IT-6
Location: Ferrara
Description: IBO Italia is a Non-Governmental Organization for international volunteer service that is part of the European network of volunteerism. Our main goal is the promotion of cooperation and solidarity among people coming from different countries and cultures. In particular, the organization believes that non-formal learning experiences are very important to sensitize new generations to differences and to foster their personal, professional and educational growth. Our activities include work camps, international cooperation, the European Voluntary Service, community service, and the sponsorship of disadvantaged Indian children. For more information, browse the rest of this website or visit: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=42000561428

Name: Oklahoma onlus
Ref: 2009-IT-137
Location: Milan
Description: Comunità Oklahoma onlus deals with raising disadvantaged youth. It is a non-profit association whose goal is the social integration of Italian and foreign minors with serious personal and social problems. Primarily, the association hosts male minors from 12 to 18 coming from poor countries, countries with political unrest, and minors without family in Italy and Italian minors with serious family problems; moreover we host minors with criminal pasts providing a different and hopefully more constructive rehabilitation compared to prison. We have three residential communities that are independent in terms of space and staff but complementary in their educational offerings. Each minor can use one, two, or all of them depending on his age and needs.
To find out more, visit: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=42000623101