Volunteering in Europe
During a Volunteering in Europe, young adults engage in non-profit projects. They can expect a wide range of activities in areas such as environmental protection, health or social services. Additionally, they get to know interesting people and improve their language skills.
Overview
For whom
- Individuals aged 18 to 30 residing in Switzerland
Duration of the volunteer assignment
- 2 to 12 months
- Starting from 14 days for individuals with special needs
Where
- In certified host organisations in Europe and neighbouring partner countries
What we fund
- Financial support for travel, accommodation, pocket money and language courses
What to do
- Interested individuals apply through our matching platform. The host organisations select the volunteers.
Deadlines
- Applications for vacant positions can be submitted at any time
In detail
European Volunteering enables young adults from Switzerland to volunteer in a non-profit project in Europe or a neighbouring partner country. This enriching experience allows you to acquire new skills, get to know a different culture and actively support the host organisations. European Volunteering is funded by the Swiss Programme for Erasmus+ and is the Swiss equivalent of the European Solidarity Corps (ESC).
Requirements
- You must be between 18 and 30 years old at the start of your volunteering.
- You live in Switzerland.
- The volunteer placement can take place in one of the following countries: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom.
- The European overseas countries and territories are also possible host countries.
- You may only participate in one volunteering opportunity under this funding offer. An exception is made if you have only completed one volunteer placement of a maximum of two months. Please note the individual criteria of each host organisation.
Funding amounts
- For travel: 400 CHF to 1'000 CHF per person (depending on the destination country)
- For accommodation: 20 CHF to 29 CHF per person per day (depending on destination country)
- Pocket money: 6 CHF to 8 CHF per person per day (depending on destination country)
- Language course: 250 CHF
- For the specific needs of individuals with disabilities or those suffering from physical, mental, or chronic illnesses: Max. 12'000 CHF (actual costs based on the note of requirements). Insurance and any visa fees are at your expense.
Details of the programme and the various lump sums can be found in the programme guide:
Procedure
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1. Finding a volunteering opportunity
- Find a project that you would like to support on our match&move volunteering platform. The vacancies are published on an ongoing basis.
- All host organisations are vetted by us and meet the quality standards of the European Volunteering programme.
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2. Submit application
- Do you meet the participation criteria? Then you can set up an account on match&move Volunteering and submit your application.
- An application includes a letter of motivation, a written CV and a list of language skills.
- If you have any questions about a project, please contact the respective host organisation directly.
- You may apply for several projects at the same time.
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3. Selection procedure
- The host organisations receive your application and select the volunteers themselves.
- If interested, the host organisation will invite you to participate in a video interview.
- Make sure that you are easily reachable during the application process.
- The host organisation will inform you of its decision. If the decision is favourable, you will receive a contract with all the terms and conditions of engagement.
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4. Planning your stay
- Organise your travel and stay. Accommodation is arranged by the host organisation.
- The host organisation or Movetia will inform you which documents are needed from you in order to organise your stay. This may include a signed contract, visa, travel tickets, etc. Help the host organisation by organising the documents in advance and sending them promptly to the host organisation or Movetia.
- We will help you plan your stay and will be happy to contact you for this purpose.
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5. Volunteering
- We wish you a rewarding experience during your stay!
- In most countries, volunteers participate in one or two on-site training sessions. Participation in these training courses is compulsory and is financed by Movetia. The on-arrival training takes place in the first few months of the volunteer placement. Volunteers who stay longer than 6 months also take part in the mid-term evaluation. An invitation to the training sessions will be sent to the volunteers in due course by Movetia.
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6. Payment of financial support
The funding for the volunteer assignment is paid out at various times.
- Your outward journey to the destination country will be reimbursed as soon as you have purchased a ticket or at the latest upon arrival in the destination country.
- Pocket money is paid monthly during the stay, as is the allowance for meals if this is not covered directly by the host organisation.
- The funding for the language course will be paid once you have organised a language course, unless this is organised directly by your host organisation.
- The return journey will be reimbursed at the end of the volunteering period once you have completed the feedback form regarding your volunteering experience.
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7. Evaluation and feedback form
- In the last month of your volunteering, you will conduct an evaluation meeting with your host organisation. You will complete the certificate of participation together, detailing the newly acquired skills and tasks performed. You can use this certificate for future job applications.
- Additionally, you will also fill in a feedback form for us to provide feedback on your experience as a volunteer. This helps us to maintain the quality of our funding offers.
Q & A
How much does it cost to participate in a European volunteering programme?
The majority of the costs are covered by funding from Movetia and the host organisations. Only insurance costs (health, accident) and any visa fees (only in certain countries) are at the responsibility of the participants. You will even receive pocket money each month to cover some of your personal expenses.
What kind of language course is funded by the programme?
Movetia pays a lump sum of CHF 250 for language support. The format of the language course, its duration, etc. is not defined. The language course can take place online or in a language school or be run by individuals from the host organisation. The language course takes place in the language of the host organisation.
What is the difference between the European Volunteering and the European Solidarity Corps (ESC)?
European Volunteering is a Swiss programme funded by the Swiss Confederation, while the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) is funded by the EU. The two programmes are similar but operate separately.
How much time must I dedicate for the training sessions?
The pre-departure training takes place online before the mobility. One part is asynchronous (via a Moodle) and one part via Teams, often in one evening (2 hours).
The Duration of the On Arrival and Midterm Evaluation training depends on the host country. Usually between 2 and 4 days on site. Not all countries offer these two training programmes for Swiss volunteers.