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;
• food and lodging;
• linguistic preparation;
• training specific to the project and the volunteers' individual activities;
• insurance;
• a mentor in the project;
• pocket money.

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
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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: Coop CAPS - Artemisia
Ref: 2008-IT-82
Location: Bari
Description: Co.op C.A.P.S. fights against ostracism and exclusion of people with drug addiction. It runs a shelter for women and children, coming from drug addiction (Artemisia - where volunteers will be hosted). It also manages a Day Center for homeless and addicted people; a Night Center where up to 40 homeless people a night are housed; a residential structure designed for people in situations of dire need and an educational community for needy children.
More information can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=42000496285

Name: Casa di riposo Betlem
Ref: 2008-IT-124
Location: Ferrara
Description: Betlem was founded in 1956 to give support and assistance to the elderly, who, for various reasons, do not have the warmth and attention of a family. Our guests are principally lonely elderly people, though all of them are self-sufficient. We would like to host eager volunteers who are able to connect well with our guests, and make them feel welcomed and cared for in this lonely time in their lives.
More information can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=42000526101

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

Name: Cooperativa L'Accoglienza - Casa Betania
Ref: 2007-IT-9
Location: Rome
Description: Casa Betania is a Hosting Family that has worked for over 15 years in the service of mothers and children, who, because of family and social problems, need special aid. In a family environment, we offer food and lodging, help to find a job and a place to live, psychological, social and spiritual support until our guests are independent. The House hosts also children, from birth to 8 years, indicated by social services or Minor Court, who sometimes suffer from chronic.
For more information, visit http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=42000407216

Name: Centesimus Annus
Ref: 2008-IT-131
Location: Milan
Description: Centesimus Annus hosts male non-European workers with proper work permits. The Association intervenes on their behalf to foster better social inclusion of these often-marginalized and excluded elements of society. Centesimus Annus has two roles: we are a "facilitator" supporting the social inclusion of the hosts and promoting linguistic and cultural learning activities; we also "orient" the workers, giving value to their personal skills and advising them in choices for their personal development. After some years in Italy some of our beneficiaries decide to return to their own countries; we help others to become independent in our town.
More information can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=42000528714

Name: Contina
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: Fondazione Città Solidale
Ref: 2007-IT-148
Location: Catanzaro
Description: This EVS activity takes place at the S. Domenico Community, managed by the Città Solidale association. It is a community for minors coming from families with difficult social and economic situations. The juvenile court system informs the community of needy minors, who are hosted in the community for anywhere from a few months to a few years depending on their family situations and/or on their educational progress. During their stay in the house, the minors are assisted by a trained staff and each of them follow an individually-designed programme in order to reach specific goals and targets.
For more information, visit: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=42000436085

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: Casa Madonna della Tenerezza
Ref: 2008-IT-52
Location: Catania
Description: Madonna della Tenerezza House hosts needy children, some of whom have mobility problems. In the House a husband and wife team organize daily the domestic affairs, trying to make the children feel as though they are part of a real family. To encourage their growth and self-esteem we introduce them to several activities outside the house: bee-keeping, organic agriculture, a joinery workshop where we work with wood, and the Day Center that is an meeting place for adults with physical and psychological difficulties.
More information can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=42000470217

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

Name: Centro di accoglienza L'Ulivo
Ref: 2008-IT-98
Location: Tortora (Cosenza)
Description: The "Olive Tree" Center hosts men with drug addiction problems, helping them in their rehabilitation. The Olive Tree takes individual care of each patient, putting their interests first. The final goal of every patient is their re-introduction to society and the working world. We therefore put great emphasis on work, which is considered a fundamental instrument for training and the acquisition of professional skills.
For more information, visit: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=42000508701