Grundtvig actions: Senior volunteering projects

This action gives European senior citizens the opportunity to take part in volunteering projects in a European country other than their own, allowing them to learn and share their knowledge and experience.

Projects support partnerships and exchanges of senior volunteers between local organisations located in two countries participating in the EU’s Lifelong Learning Programme. Each organisation sends and hosts up to six volunteers during a two-year project. Volunteers, who should be aged 50 and over, will usually spend from three to eight weeks abroad working for projects in fields including social protection, the environment, sport and culture.

How to participate

If you would like to participate as a host or sending organisation, you must complete the application form together with your partner, and submit it to your national agency. All the information related to these projects, such as application forms, guidelines, financial information and deadlines are available from your agency website.

If you are an individual who would like to participate as a senior volunteer, several options are possible:

contact an organisation in your region which would be interested in participating in such a project, and help them organise such a project for you to participate in;
consult the compendium of 2009 projects and contact one of the organisations in your country to find out if they are willing to help you.