Volunteering, internship, or work?
Volunteering, internship, or a job?
Is it hard to decide? Together, we will definitely figure it out! For my loyal readers, as I have already mentioned in previous articles, projects within the European Solidarity Corps do not only include volunteering.
Today, we will look together at the opportunities available within this program and also reveal tips on where to find suitable offers.
The first essential step before starting to search for offers is to answer the question that begins this article. If you want to gain a truly unique experience that will be tailor-made for you, then you must first sit down and think about what you expect from the project, how long you would like to pull up stakes and change your place of residence, whether you need to spice up your CV with some first work experience because you are a fresh graduate, or if you are just tempted to come out of your shell and embark on a new adventure. Of course, during the process of answering these and many other questions yourself, you will find that in some cases, two or even all three options would suit you. In such a case, it is purely up to your discretion which of the given options you pursue.
Short-term or long-term volunteering? Let's summarize what it's all about once again.
Individual volunteering -> is a voluntary, unpaid, full-time solidarity activity for a period of 2 to 12 months. In some cases, volunteering activities lasting 2 weeks to 2 months may be introduced for young people with fewer opportunities. This type of project allows young people to participate in the daily work of organizations. The project can be carried out either in a country other than the participant's country of residence (cross-border) or in the participant's country of residence (in-country).
Team volunteering -> designed for groups of 10 to 40 young volunteers coming from at least two different countries, who volunteer for a period of 2 weeks to 2 months. Such projects primarily contribute to the inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities in the European Solidarity Corps.
Whether your time options are currently limited, or you want to take a "gap year" and are looking for something to contribute to improving society, you can always find what you are looking for. You ask where? The first option is to look for offers directly through organizations that are accredited to send young people within the ESC program. At Youthfully Yours SK, we also offer a range of opportunities where you immediately have your sending organization secured. What is a sending organization? For ESC projects, we always talk about a sending and a host organization. The sending organization is located in your place, or rather, in your country of permanent residence. As the name implies, it is the organization that officially sends you to the project. The host organization is considered to be the one that accepts you and where you will work abroad.
Another option for finding projects is the official ESC website: https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity_sk – here you will find all current offers. If you register on the site and create a profile, organizations can contact you directly based on the information you provide in your profile. Working with the site is really simple, as you can enter various filters that can save you a looooooot of time! You can set criteria such as: project topic, country, earliest possible start and end of the project, whether you are looking for volunteering, an internship, or a job. If you filter the offers this way, the most ideal ones will be displayed! When you click on an offer, you always see the duration, the organization, and a more detailed description of the project and responsibilities.
If you are an active Facebook user, there are countless groups where you can search for interesting offers. Here are links to a few of them:
EVS (European Voluntary Service) and ESC (European Solidarity Corps) https://www.facebook.com/groups/volunteeringopportunities/?ref=br_rs
ESC – European Solidarity Corps – EVS – European Voluntary Service https://www.facebook.com/groups/1473558456241290/?ref=br_rs
European Solidarity Corps-VACANCIES https://www.facebook.com/groups/2184557398473984/
EVS & ESC vacancies https://www.facebook.com/groups/EVS.vacancy/
European Solidarity Corps Opportunities https://www.facebook.com/groups/1986496694971785/
The range of topics in which projects are carried out is truly wide. To mention just a few areas, you can find projects focused on sport, art, nature, media, citizenship and democratic participation, solving social problems within the community, working with children and youth, helping with environmental protection, working in an asylum center, and many others.
Internship or work? What are the main differences? If we look closer at jobs within the ESC, we see that they usually last 3 to 12 months, and the participant receives a salary from the employing organization. Such work is carried out on the basis of a written employment contract, which respects all employment conditions defined in the national legislation or in the applicable collective agreements of the country where the work is performed. The work can be carried out either in a country other than the participant's country of residence (cross-border) or in the participant's country of residence (in-country).
Now let's look at how internships work: A full-time internship lasting 2 to 6 months, where the participant receives funding -> salary from the organization where they are interning. Such internships include a training and education component designed to help the participant gain relevant experience to develop skills useful for personal, educational, social, civic, and professional development. It should be based on a written internship agreement concluded at the beginning of the internship in accordance with the applicable regulatory framework of the country where the internship is carried out. Internships must not replace jobs and should be clearly separated from volunteering activities, both financially and organizationally. Internships can take place either in a country other than the participant's country of residence (cross-border) or in the participant's country of residence (in-country).
Still can't find anything for you? Don't despair! There's always a way! Try to think if you know any organization or company that operates in your field, and approach them with the possibility that you would like to work for them, and that they can even get EU funds for it. I think it's a clear win-win for both sides. In this case, it might seem like a long shot with an unclear outcome. It is necessary to write a project, submit it, and wait for approval. But what positive aspect do I see in taking this path? With such projects, both parties can agree on more compact tasks, which in some cases may better correspond to the idea of a volunteer, intern, or worker. Among other things, the process you experience during this is also a benefit -> you will learn how to write an ESC project, and at the same time, you will create a strong bond with your desired host organization. On the other hand, even with projects or calls that you can find either on the official ESC website or in Facebook groups, in most cases, there is room for the person who will fill this position, and the host organization or company will gladly welcome your initiative if you would like to add something to your tasks, or discuss something that you might not see as the right path for you. It's always just about mutual communication. Personally, I think the greatest flexibility is precisely in volunteering projects.
If you have any questions, you can contact me anytime and I will be happy to answer!
Bye for now! Hasta pronto!
The project is financially supported by the European Solidarity Corps program.
