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What can I do If I am a volunteer...

...and I want to take part in a project abroad

In this section we would like to introduce to you the several possibilities for senior citizens to join a project abroad. The first thing you should consider is the time that you have at your disposal.

Short term Workcamps (ten days to three weeks)

senior working in RomeIf you only have two or three weeks and you like the idea of being included in an international group with other 10 to 15 volunteers you could consider the participation to an international workcamp.

A workcamp represents an "experience" performed by volunteers from different countries. They have different traditions and cultures and happens to them to live and work together to fetch a project organized by an association, a local authority, or more often, by their cooperation, to reach a short-term aim, generally from 1 to 3 weeks. It is very important the relationship's quality between the voluntary group, coming from several countries, and the hosting local community, being this or a little village or a big town quarter or a residential community. Than the group become a tool of social animation in the same moment in which there is a human exchange.

The majority of workcamp take place on summer mostly because of the availability of the volunteers and each group is composed with a number between 10 and 20 people. Besides to do the expected voluntary's activity and reach the fixed target, they socialize and work with the hosting community. The contact with the hosting community is a workcamp real peculiarity.
First of all it is a way to try new kinds of sociality and concrete solidarity by "soiling their hands" in first person and it is a witness of "active citizenship" that the volunteer gives not only to the hosting community but also to his origin's community for which, when he will be back, he could become multiplier of the experience. In a workcamp we can find many and different activities: from environmental protection to social and charitable helping, from animation with kids or elders, to the promotion of cultural and recreational activities, from legality's education to engagement for human rights.

A workcamp means finally the chance for young people and adults to do an alternative holyday and a way to improve the knowledge of a foreign language.

The required qualifications to participate are to be adaptable and eager to stay together and also to have the ability of sharing a common aim with people who could be very different among them. You have to pay for your trip and in general there is an administrative fee. On the workcamp you will get free food and accommodation. Please read carefully the descriptions of all the project and check with the organisation whether there are still free places or not in that particular project. Download here a list of organisations in all the countries where you can submit an application. Please note that workcamps are mainly attended by young people (average age 18-25), so just be ready for your intergenerational experience!

Next Available Projects:

Projects in Belgium (Association Compagnons Batisseurs Belgium)

Projects in Czech Republic (Association INEX-SDA)

Projects in Estonia (Association Estyes)

Projects in France (Association UNAREC)

Projects in Germany (Association IBG)

Projects in Greece (Association ELIX)

Projects in Italy (Association Lunaria)

Projects in Japan (Association NICE)

Projects in Slovakia (Association INEX-Slovakia)

Projects in Turkey (Association Gençtur)

Projects in United Kingdom (Association Concordia)

Medium and long term projects (3 to 12 months)

If you have at least three months, it could be interesting to have a look at the possibilities to be included in a community based project for a period between 3 and 12 months. In general these placements are individual or arranged in small groups. You have to pay for your trip and in general there is an administrative fee that you have to pay in your country to the organisation that will send you to the project: this varies between 100 and 150 euros according to the country. On the project you will get free food and accommodation. 

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