We are 4 European organisations that have come together to promote volunteering for humanitarian aid projects and, in particular, the opportunities to do so via the EU Aid Volunteers programme.
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EU Aid Volunteering Initiative
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The EU Aid Volunteers Programme
EU Aid Volunteers brings volunteers and organisations together from different countries, providing practical support to humanitarian aid projects and contributing to strengthening local capacity and resilience of disaster-affected communities. Participants in the EU Aid Volunteers initiative must be over 18 years of age and be a citizen of an EU Member State or a long-term resident in the EU. Volunteers receive accommodation and travel expenses, insurance, ongoing learning and development, a monthly allowance, and a resettlement allowance to help with expenses of returning home.
Why is this important?
Millions are affected by natural and man-made disasters each year. In the aftermath of a disaster, an affected population needs clean water, shelter, food assistance and protection. Humanitarian organisations are the first to respond to these basic needs.
Humanitarian disasters have dramatically increased the pressure on the humanitarian organisations and there is a need for a greater number of qualified people. However, it is not always easy to enter the humanitarian field. EU Aid Volunteers give European citizens a chance to show their solidarity by collaborating in humanitarian projects worldwide.
In many cases, this is the first opportunity participants have to be part of the humanitarian community. EU Aid Volunteers also allows organisations to cover their specific staff needs. The humanitarian community benefits from a higher amount of qualified people trained by the EU Aid Volunteers initiative.
Volunteering for Humanity objectives
Volunteering for Humanity is the name given to the project under which the four organisations are committed to
- • Increase capacity within consortium NGOs for humanitarian action in the areas of
- • Consortium NGOs becoming certified as sending organizations
- • Increased collaboration between humanitarian volunteering organizations
- • Raise awareness of the concept of volunteering for humanitarian aid and the benefits for all parties emanating from volunteering
Consortium Members
Adice (France)
Founded in 1999, ADICE is a French association which has been working for more than fifteen years as a volunteer sending agency in humanitarian aid. They have projects in developing countries (including Cambodia, Tanzania, Peru) that aim to support local communities and other on-going humanitarian projects in Vietnam and Mexico targeting vulnerable groups.
Lithuanian NGDO Platform (Lithuania)
Is an association uniting organizations working in the field of development cooperation (DP) from Lithuania. Founded in 2007 the NGDO Platform has currently 20 members. The Platform is working to strengthen intercultural, civic and democratic societies in Lithuania, to expand opportunities for Lithuanian NGOs to participate in international development cooperation activities and to help develop their skills. They represent non-governmental development cooperation organizations in Lithuania, the European Union (EU) and other international organisations, and are actively involved in the formulation and implementation of the EU-Lithuania Development Cooperation Policy.
Keric (Slovakia)
KERIC is a non-profit non-governmental organisation founded in 2003 working mainly with children and youth aged 4-30 as well as adults. They offer a wide range of activities which develop the personality of children and youth and differ based on the needs of participants.Main activities include conversational language courses, computer courses, international youth exchanges, summer and winter camps, seminars and trainings for youth workers from all over the world, creative workshops in the KERIC Underground club or at local school, sending and hosting volunteers to and from Europe and Latin America.
VC (Ireland)
Viatores Christi (VC) is an Irish-based development organisation supporting and working within the faith-based international development and humanitarian aid sector. VC works with over 30 partners across a wide range of sectors, focusing mainly on East and Southern Africa, but with projects in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. VC addresses needs through project support and through the recruitment, training and placement of skilled volunteers.
About EU Aid Volunteers
The EU Aid Volunteer programme is an initiative of the EU that is aimed at supporting individuals and organisations in different countries with a common interest in humanitarian aid projects.
The programme provides practical support to humanitarian aid projects and contributes to strengthening local capacity and resilience of disaster-affected communities. Volunteers receive accommodation and travel expenses, insurance, ongoing learning and development, a monthly allowance, and a resettlement allowance to help with expenses of returning home. To qualify for EU Aid Volunteers support, you must be an EU citizen or long-term resident and over 18 years old.
You can find out more about the EU Aid Volunteers programme here.