EU Aid Volunteers: Commission proposes new global humanitarian initiative
Call for proposal for pilot projects 2013 (update 31/01/2013)
Please click here to find all information related to the call for pilot projects. 1.2 m€ are available for projects, deadline for submission of application is 2 April 2013.
Current vacancies (update 03/01/2013)
You are interested in becoming an EU Aid Volunteer? ECHO is currently funding pilot projects that select, train and deploy volunteers. Vacancies for these projects will be announced on this website, so please monitor it regularly.
There are currently no vacancies. New calls for volunteers will be published in summer 2013.
On 19 September 2012 the European Commission set out its plans to develop a global initiative that will create opportunities for some 10,000 people from 2014-2020 to volunteer worldwide in humanitarian operations.
The EU Aid Volunteers initiative will provide a path for Europeans eager to help practically where help is most urgently needed. The number of natural and man-made disasters in the world has significantly increased over the last years and this trend is unfortunately likely to continue. Humanitarian organisations need more well-prepared people to support them helping communities struck by disasters.
Many Europeans are eager to help practically where it is most needed. The EU Aid Volunteers' initiative will provide them with the opportunity to do so.
Most existing volunteer schemes have a national focus. 'EU Aid Volunteers' will bring volunteers and organisations from different countries to work together in common projects. European standards in this field will provide a quality label denoting proper training for volunteers, recognisable by interested citizens and organisations, which increase the impact of humanitarian aid.
What exactly will change?
The Commission proposes to develop European standards for managing volunteers in humanitarian projects and a European training programme. Trained volunteers will be deployed as EU Aid Volunteers in humanitarian projects worldwide. A network of EU Aid Volunteers will be created, so they can interact with and support each other before, during and after deployment. Other people can also get involved through online volunteering supporting volunteers already in the field or helping humanitarian organisations with tasks that can be done from home on a computer.
Who can apply?
EU Aid Volunteers have to be over 18 years of age and have to be citizens or long-term residents in the EU and certain other European countries.
The initiative is open for different profiles of candidates: They can be newcomers, i.e. people who want to gain experience in the humanitarian sector, and experts or retired citizens who want to help out with their specialist knowledge. Preparation and deployment opportunities will depend on the level of skills and competences. Inexperienced volunteers will not be sent to projects where security is a concern.
How will it work?
The Commission proposes to certify humanitarian organisations that adhere to the European standards of managing humanitarian volunteers. These organisations will in turn identify suitable humanitarian projects and apply for EU grants to deploy EU Aid Volunteers.
EU Aid Volunteers are trained together and will be examined after the training as to their readiness to be deployed. Where needed, the training can include office-based experience in a European humanitarian organisation, before going into the field.
The proposed initiative also includes training for local staff and volunteers of organisations in countries hit by disasters where the EU Aid Volunteers will work.
Who will benefit and how?
- EU Aid Volunteers will get professional training and experience in the field.
- Humanitarian organisations & disaster-struck communities will get better more and prepared volunteers.
- Local organisations in these countries will also get better-trained staff and volunteers and will benefit from capacity building measures including training and job shadowing in European humanitarian organisations.
- Some 10,000 people will be deployed over the period 2014-2020. The scheme will also include training for 7,000 local staff and volunteers of organisations in countries hit by disasters and an online volunteering dimension: Another 10,000 people are expected to support the EU Aid Volunteers as 'online volunteers' with tasks that can be done from home on a computer, for example helping out with translations, graphic designs or providing advice and support.
Funding
The proposal includes a budget of €239.1 million that will be used for an extensive training package (€58 million), deployment (€137 million), capacity building in communities hit by disasters (€35 million) and supporting activities.
Related information
- Factsheet EU Aid Volunteers
- Press release
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- Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps - EU Aid Volunteers
- Impact Assessment of the Voluntary Corps: full text / summary
- Pilot projects