Volunteering in Europe

Young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 who are resident in Switzerland may carry out a European Voluntary Service in Europe. 

A young person may only participate in one voluntary service within the framework of the EVS programme, in order to make the programme accessible to as many people as possible. An exception is made for young people who have completed a maximum of two months of voluntary service.

The EVS positions available in Europe are published below and updated regularly. All published places are checked by Movetia and the organisations concerned are accredited. To apply, send your application directly to the email address indicated in the pdf document of the EVS position you are interested in. The European hosting organisation makes the selection. Movetia thus cannot guarantee participation in the programme. 

Can't find an EVS place that suits you? Contact us and we will be happy to assist you in trying to find a suitable volunteer placement.

Movetia's funding covers :

• (partly or fully) international travel costs 
• Food and accommodation costs 
• Transport to and from work
• Pocket money 
• Language support (only if the language of the destination country is different from the mother tongue)
• Participation in training seminars

Insurance and any visa costs are the responsibility of the participant.

Each volunteer who is selected to volunteer in Europe must participate in mandatory training seminars: 

• Pre-Departure training: Before coming to Switzerland, Movetia invites all volunteers to participate in an online training to prepare volunteers for their experience. 
• On-arrival training: Once in the host country, the volunteers are then invited by the National Agency of the country to an On-arrival Training which gathers all volunteers who are in the host country/region at that time.
• Midterm Evaluation: Young people who volunteer for more than six months are also invited to the Midterm Evaluation by the National Agency of the host country.

Yes, at the end of your volunteering, you will be able to complete, with the help of your host organisation, a certificate of participation. You will then be able to use this certificate to demonstrate to future employers the skills you have developed during this experience.

The European Voluntary Service is a Swiss programme of European volunteering. The programme is financed by the Swiss Confederation, whereas the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) is an EU-funded programme. Switzerland cannot participate in this programme. The two programmes have some similarities but operate separately from each other. European host organisations often also host European volunteers. Swiss volunteers are invited to participate in the training seminars (see above) organised for ESC volunteers.