The program allows young people to travel, learn about other countries and cultures, and try out new professions and independent living. In return, the volunteer supports the work of the non-profit organization that accepts him or her and implements a socially significant project.
We get a lot of questions about participation in this program, so we selected the 10 most common questions and answered them briefly.
What is the registration fee for enrolling in the program?
Volunteers do not incur any organizational costs, there is no registration fee to join the program.
Here is a complete list of the countries, whose citizens may participate in the program: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and United Kingdom. These are also the countries to which a volunteer can go.
I would like to take part in a project in Germany. What do I need to do?
In order to take part in the programme in Germany, you will have to find a host organisation in Germany and be selected. You can find out more about the program steps on our website. The volunteer looks for a project and a host organization on his/her own while acts as the sending organization and provides consulting support.
What costs will I incur by participating in the program?
Each project is financed by the European Commission. Volunteer’s expenses are covered for:
- Travel to and from the host country;
- Visa;
- money for food and pocket money.
Also, the volunteer is provided with lodging and medical insurance, which covers all medical expenses. In addition, there is a language course in the country where the volunteer will live and work.
What is a CV, and in what language should a letter of motivation be written?
A CV is a resume. You can write your CV and letter of motivation both in English and in the language of the country you are applying to.
I would like to know what kind of letter of motivation should be. I don’t have any experience in writing, unfortunately.
In your motivation letter, explain why you are interested in the project and how you will be useful to the organization. You can find tons of tips on writing a motivational letter online, as well as articles in which volunteers share their motivational letter writing skills for finding a project.
I want to start a project in the summer, when should I start looking for a host organization and project?
The process of getting into the program is quite lengthy. It can take six months from the time a host organization is found to the actual start of the project. First the volunteer searches for a host organization, for example in Italy, then the selection process takes place. After that, the sending and receiving organizations start working: they prepare an application for funding.
Approximately 3 months after the deadline, which exists in the program, the answer will come whether your project has received financial support (in 80 out of 100 cases, the project is approved). Transportation and visa issues take about one month.
So plan your time wisely and take the nuances of the program into account. Begin your search for your dream project at least six months in advance of your anticipated start date.