Volunteering in Europe is a good experience for young people. If you do not have the means to travel, or do not have work experience in one area or another, you can still become a member of a special volunteer program.
What are the benefits of volunteering?
The main point that attracts many young people is the free participation in the program. You do not need to make any fees. Also, tickets and visa costs are often paid. The organization will provide you with accommodation, meals, and minimum health insurance.
Such a program allows not only to visit new countries but also to gain the most diverse and valuable experience in various fields of activity. You can also learn the language, master new professions. There are a lot of options to learn something new.
Another undoubted advantage is that the European Volunteer Service does not impose any special requirements for program participants. The only condition is the age limit – persons not older than 30 years. Knowledge of the language is certainly a plus, especially for some special projects. But in general, minimum basic ownership is sufficient.
Higher education is generally not required. The exception is professional development programs. So, for example, if you graduated from university with a degree in journalism, you can go to work on radio, in print media, or on television, and so on.
How can I get into the EVS program?
First, you need to decide on the direction of the program and the activities that you will be engaged in. It is better to choose several projects. You need to start looking for a few months before the expected date of the trip. You can find all the information on the programs on the official website of the European Volunteer Service.
Then you need to write a resume and translate it into English. The document must be sent to all organizations that interest you.
You need to choose one of the volunteer organizations in your country and inform them about the intention to go as a volunteer and indicate this organization on your resume. When your application is approved abroad, you will need to report this to the organization in your country. There you will be told what documents you need to fill out and how the visa processing will take place.
Consideration of projects takes about two months on average. All requests are approved, but there are also refusals. That is why you need to send out as many letters to companies as possible.
You will also need to sign a contract that states the number of hours of work. Typically, volunteers work about 30 hours a week. In addition to work, you can attend a language course, which will also be provided free of charge.
Popular volunteer programs
Today, a large number of all kinds of programs are functioning. Here are the most common ones:
Appalachian Helpers
In this program, landscaping is carried out in the Appalachian mountains. Any young people from all over the world can take part. The professions of engineers, ecologists are welcome.
Sudan Volunteers
To get into this team, you need to be fluent in English, as the participants teach the children of Sudan.
Turtle Teams
The participants of this program are located in different parts of the world and are united by a common cause – the rescue of sea turtles and other animals.
Peace Corps universal assistants
Volunteers assist in a wide variety of areas. It touches upon education, health care, assistance to nature and animals, and so on.
UN
Volunteers of this organization assist people in emergencies and emergencies. This program is not suitable for all people, since you need to have a strong fortitude to do this kind of work. Participants restore houses and territories after natural disasters, save people.
Travel for free:
Study and work programs
The curriculum is a good opportunity to visit new cities and countries without spending a lot of money. There are language courses for which a group of applicants is recruited for a certain time and travels abroad.
Such a trip allows you to gain cultural experience and improve your level of knowledge of a particular language.
Internship
If you have higher education and your age is not more than 30 years old, then there is another opportunity to travel abroad for free. Many large companies are looking for young specialists abroad. To get an internship, you need to find such companies and send out your resume.
The internship conditions are very attractive: you are paid for housing, travel expenses, visa processing. Also, after completing an internship, there is a chance that you will be invited to stay on a permanent job.
Training
Not such a common way of traveling as the previous ones, because it all depends on your work organization. The company in which you work can send its employees abroad for all kinds of training, seminars, conferences. As a rule, such trips are designed for a short period from several days to a couple of weeks.
Are there any downsides to volunteering?
As with any activity, there can be pitfalls here. It is very important to choose a reliable volunteer organization. Study the information, read reviews, and do not settle for the first offer that comes across.
The fact is that there are fraudulent organizations that, under the guise of official companies, lure young people abroad. Then such people use volunteers as free labor, take away documents, and do not leave the opportunity to return to their homeland.
Read the contract carefully before signing. There should be no additional monetary fees or penalties. You must know where you are going, what kind of work you have to do, in what conditions everything will take place, and what risks may accompany your activity.
For many people, volunteering is a vocation that responds to a person with spiritual development. Also, all kinds of volunteer programs allow young people around the world to travel for free, unite in teams, and find new friends. Volunteering abroad is an opportunity to gain invaluable cultural and professional experience.
