The European Voluntary Service - EVS

What is EVS?

The European Voluntary Service (EVS) forms part of ERASMUS+, a European Union programme that promotes the mobility of young people through international activities with a non-formal education dimension such as youth exchanges, voluntary services, youth initiatives and training of youth workers. EVS offers young people the opportunity to volunteer up to twelve months in another country. A wide variety of placements can be found in the social, cultural, environmental, and sports sector. EVS provides the funding to cover the volunteer's costs.

Voluntary activities should:

  • take place in another country, be non-profit making, unpaid and not involve job-substitution
  • last for a specified period of time (between two and twelve months)
  • be planned, implemented and followed up as a partnership between a volunteer, their sending and their host organisation

What costs does EVS cover for you as a volunteer?

  • Your international travel - EVS covers reasonable travel costs from your home to the host organization
  • Exceptional volunteer costs - any reasonable and justifiable costs related to the special needs of the volunteer (medical attendance, additional preparation, etc)
  • A volunteer's allowance, fixed per host country, and paid in full to the host organisation to be given to the volunteer weekly or monthly
  • Your accommodation and food costs

Insurance - all volunteers are insured against sickness, accidents, permanent invalidity, and repatriation in case of serious illness, accident, and death. The insurance also covers civil liability.

How to become an EVS volunteer?

There are two ways to apply for an EVS abroad (which of course can also be combined)

Option 1: We will invite you to take part in our regular EVS Meetings and let you know about our Open Calls for EVS placements and about all further details of the application process.

  • Advantages: You will only get information about already approved projects
  • Disadvantages: You will have to wait for open calls and the project might not suit your interests completely. You will also compete with other applicants about the approved projects

Option 2: You can search for projects online for yourself in the EVS Database and contact hosting organisations about the possibility to do your EVS there. In case you reach an agreement with a host organisation, ICIRLD can act as your sending organization.

  • Advantages: You can search for projects which really suits your needs and interests. If you reach an agreement with a host organization there won't be further competition about the placement
  • Disadvantages: more effort :)

Volunteer in Albania

If you live in Europe and want to volunteer in Albania, we can discuss potential projects with you. For more information you can contact us by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

EVS Grant application deadlines 

Important! There are 3 deadlines for EVS grant applications annually, and the deadline when we submit the application determines your possible placement start date. If you want to start volunteering on any particular date, you need to contact us at least one month before the deadline. For more information about the approaching deadline, please contact us by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..