Volunteering abroad
KERIC and volunteering are very closely interconnected. Since the beginning of our activities, we have been focusing mainly on international volunteering, which is gradually evolving, according to available projects that can support volunteering activities abroad.
It is a unique opportunity to experience a different culture, gain work experience from different areas, or be part of the local community. One learns a new language, makes new friends abroad and gets to know the country through the eyes of the locals.
European Solidarity Corps
The European Solidarity Corps is a new European Union initiative that gives young people the opportunity to volunteer or work in their own country or abroad on projects that benefit communities and people across Europe.
Projects are designed for young people 18 to 30 and there are no entry requirements, such as education or experience. The main goal of the projects is self-development during the project, gaining new experience, knowledge, relationships, or gaining independence.
Projects can be short-term from 2 weeks to 2 months and long-term 2 to 12 months.
A young person can register on the ESC website 🔗 Search for your project in the database of current projects and apply for a project with the support of the sending organization. When accepted for a project, he is assisted with the preparation of the sending organization.
Upon arrival at the project, the volunteer has his mentor, learns the language of the host country with the support of the host organization, and assists the host organization with its activities.
During the project, the volunteer participates in 1 on-arrival and mid-term training at the invitation of the host national agency.
The project is financially supported by a grant from the European Union and covers travel, accommodation, catering, pocket money, language course, visa, and all costs associated with the implementation of the project.
Every young person can be a long-term ESC volunteer only once in a lifetime.
If a young person lacks opportunities and needs extra support to participate in a project, it is possible to ask for an assistant.
It's important that anyone who is interested and motivated can participate in the project.
Currently open projects of our partners
This table and most of the projects inside are in Slovak and are meant for the Slovak audience. Clicking on the links inside you will be transferred to the Slovak part of the web.
Examples of previoius volunteering
Talks, presentations, and articles from our previous volunteers can be found:
on our Youtube in the plalist Be a Volunteer,
on our Faceboooku in the series World with Volunteers, and
on our website in the Blog section / About volunteering
When I received an offer from KERIC to write about my ESC experience in Iceland, I was excited. After turning on the computer, I realized it was talking for hours and hours and I don't even know where to start. Maybe that's how it all started.
A lot of people ask me what I did during my volunteering in Spain, so I'll tell you a bit of this story today.
EU Aid Volunteers
This European Union program ran from 2014 to 2020 and the last calls for participation in these projects are open until 2022.
These are humanitarian projects in countries outside the European Union.
They are designed for people with professional experience in the field. The goal is to develop the host community.
Participants can participate from 2 months to 2 years.
They can participate in this type of project repeatedly.
It is possible to apply from any country in the EU.
A change is now being prepared and in the period 2021 - 2027 this type of project will be implemented under ESC HumanAid. Participants will have an age limit of 18 to 35 years. Details are not yet available, but we expect to learn these details during the spring months of 2021.
Volunteers are reimbursed for accommodation, travel expenses, insurance, continuing education, and development, they receive a monthly allowance, resettlement allowance and are assisted with return expenses.
Erasmus+
The Erasmus + 2021 - 2027 program is still in the process of being created. So far, we have managed to find out that it will focus on supporting smaller organizations to work systematically, long-term, locally, and that they will provide space for the planned development of youth work in the regions. This will be carried out through the form of certification. The organization will develop a project explaining its vision for the activity in the coming years, and after approval, will apply for funding for this activity and will report on the achievement of the intended goals. The process should lead to a lower administrative burden for organizations.
During this period, great emphasis will be placed on supporting projects in the field of sports.
The new program also reflects on the pandemic situation and emphasis is put on the inclusion of virtual activities.
We will closely monitor the creation of the new program and as soon as we obtain more up-to-date information, we will publish it here
