Resources: Funding focus - European Voluntary Service

What will it fund? It supports non-formal learning experiences for young volunteers. The volunteer is supported by a "sending organisation" and carries out voluntary activity to benefit the community with a hosting organisation in another country for a period of up to 12 months. The activity can involve matters such as culture, youth, sports, social care, heritage, arts and the environment, and can be individual placements or part of groups of up to 100. The activity must have a theme linked to the priorities of the Youth in Action programme and must not consist of routine activities.

Who can apply? The programme is for volunteers aged 18 to 30. Rather than the individual volunteer applying, the process is run by a co-ordinating organisation that may or may not be the sending or hosting organisation. There are various restrictions on who the hosting, sending and co-ordinating bodies can be - basically they should be legally established non-profit organisations from one of the programme countries or partner nations (which means most of Europe).