by Olesya Ilinskaya, Moscow, Russian Federation
EERco Volunteer, MACs AUTUMN Pr., EVS e+ | Alexandreia, GR
Hello, my name is Olesya and I am from Russia. I am now here in Greece as a EVS volunteer! I will stay here for two month to support my organization, to do entertainment activities and to realize my own project. Do you want to go abroad for volunteering? I believe yes. So, let’s see what you can do…
Foremost, as volunteer of ERASMUS+ program I can advise you to participate in European Volunteer Service (EVS). You may choose the country where you would like to volunteer and the kind of activities you would like to do. After you found the best project for you, write the organization that proceed this. They will ask you CV, motivation letter or fill some application form if they have vacant position. After they invited you to participate in their activities you need to find sending NGO here in Greece. The crucial advantage of this program is that this program is fully paid by National Agency of receiving country. Also significant condition is that these programs are usually for whole year (12 month). If you do not feel like you are ready to spend 12 month abroad you may try to find short-term or middle-term EVS project, but be ready to spend a lot of time to succeed.
Sometimes it took a lot of time to find good EVS project. If you do not have an opportunity to spend time looking for it or you want to go volunteering just for one or couple of week, you may try short-term volunteering projects. In this case you should pay for your travel tickets and some amount of money to organization that help you participate in this project. The amount of this projects is enormous, so just do not give up and you will find an appropriate one for you! Two years before I spent one month in China on such a program!
If you do not want to contact with organizations at all you may try to contact people directly. Some people need help with garden, children, buisness and so on. In exchange they provide you housing and food.
Have patient and you will find your best volunteering program abroad! Good luck!