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Questions & Answers on EU Aid Volunteers
1. About the EU Aid Volunteers initiative
1.1. What is the EU Aid Volunteers initiative about?
1.2. When will it happen?
1.3. Where can I find the detailed rules on the EU Aid Volunteers?
1.4. Who does what?
2. Becoming an EU Aid Volunteer
2.1. Who can be EU Aid Volunteer?
2.2. Are there any age restrictions?
2.3. Do I need previous volunteering experience?
2.4. Which professional profiles will be considered for the EU Aid Volunteers initiative?
2.5. Will I be paid?
2.6. Will I be trained?
2.7. Where can I apply?
2.8. When can I apply?
2.9. What will EU Aid Volunteers do during their deployment?
2.10.
Where will EU Aid Volunteers be deployed?
2.11.
How long are volunteer placements?
2.12.
I want to help but I can't leave my country/work?
3. Becoming a sending/hosting organisation
3.1. What is the role of sending and hosting organisations?
3.2. Is my organisation eligible for certification as sending/hosting organisation? Does my
organisation need to pay for certification?
3.3. How can my organisation become a sending/hosting organisation?
3.4. What is the Participant Identification Code (PIC)?
3.5. What happens once my organisation has been certified?
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3.6. Does my organisation need to pay a fee for certification?
3.7. How long does the certification process take?
3.8. What are the deadlines for certification?
3.9. What happens once my organisation has been certified?
3.10.
What if my organisation fails to be certified?
1. About the EU Aid Volunteers initiative
1.1. What is the EU Aid Volunteers initiative about?
The EU Aid Volunteers initiative offers opportunities for European volunteers to strengthen
humanitarian aid operations worldwide outside the EU. It also offers opportunities for capacity
building of local communities and online volunteering assignments. You can find more info on the
factsheet
here.
(http://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/aid/countries/factsheets/thematic/euaidvolunteers_en.pdf)
1.2. When will it happen?
The programme will be launched in 2015. The indicative next steps are:
-
23 January 2015: Info Day on certification and capacity building for future sending and
hosting organisations (Brussels and web streamed)
-
January: Certification of organisations begins
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January: Call for proposals for capacity building and technical assistance
-
April: Call for tender training programme
-
June: Call for proposals for deployment
-
December: Publication of first vacancies for volunteers; launch event and launch of online
platform
1.3. Where can I find the detailed rules of the EU Aid Volunteers initiative?
There are three acts defining the different aspects of the EU Aid Volunteers initiative. Regulation (EU)
No 375/2014 has established the EU Aid Volunteers initiative and provides the framework for the
initiative. Standards and procedures for the EU Aid Volunteers initiative can be found in the
Implementing Regulation 1244/2014 and the Delegated Regulation C(2014) 7725.
(Links:
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* Regulation 375/2014: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/?qid=1420127481637&uri=CELEX:32014R0375
* Implementing Regulation 1244/2014: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/?qid=1420127455207&uri=CELEX:32014R1244
* Delegated Regulation 1398/2014: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:JOL_2014_373_R_0003 )
1.4. Who does what?
Commission:
o
Sets out the priority areas for the deployment and the capacity building to be funded
each year, based on assessment of need.
o
Runs the database, the network and communication to promote the initiative.
o
ECHO field offices: Engage with volunteers where relevant; a few may directly host
volunteers where need has been clearly identified (as of 2016).
Sending and hosting organisations:
o
Undergo certification
o
Apply with joint projects to calls for proposals; select, and provide candidate volunteers
with apprenticeship postings, deploy and manage EU Aid Volunteers
The Commission Executive Agency EACEA:
o
Manages calls for proposals and tender and resulting contracts and grants
o
Manages the certification process
o
Manages training programme through external provider
o
Provides insurance contract for all volunteers
2. Becoming an EU Aid Volunteer
2.1. Who can become an EU Aid Volunteer?
The selection of EU Aid Volunteers will be driven by the humanitarian needs in the sector and guided
by equal opportunities and non-discrimination principles. Volunteers are
- European Union citizens and long-term residents in an EU Member State;
- Citizens of potential candidate countries, countries from the EEA or the European Neighbourhood
Policy may apply at a later stage when the EU has signed bilateral agreements with those countries.
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2.2 I am not an EU citizen – can I get involved?
Anyone can be involved via online volunteering, and citizens from countries with humanitarian needs
can participate in the initiative as part of local capacity training activities.
2.2. Are there any age restrictions?
The minimum age for volunteers is 18 and there is no upper limit.
2.3. Do I need previous volunteering experience?
The profile for each volunteering placement will depend on the humanitarian needs of the hosting
organisation and the context of deployment. You will not necessarily need previous volunteering
experience. However, please refer to the competence profile of the vacancy you are interested in, in
order to understand whether your profile is adequate for the position.
2.4. Which professional profiles will be considered for the EU Aid Volunteers initiative?
Each assignment will have its specific competence requirements. Generally, there will be two main
volunteer profiles within the EU Aid Volunteers initiative:
- Junior professionals (Less than 5 years of work experience)
- Senior professionals (More than 5 years of work experience)
Each assignment will specify whether the volunteer needed is a senior or junior professional. Some
EU Aid Volunteers will have specialist knowledge relevant in the context of humanitarian aid such as
logistics and transport, organisational development and capacity building, water and sanitation,
protection and shelter, nutrition and health, disaster data and knowledge, medical and paramedical
services, etc. Please consult the Annex to Delegated Regulation 7725/2014 for the complete
competence framework of the EU Aid Volunteers Initiative.
2.5. I have never worked in a humanitarian setting. Can I apply?
You can apply if your profile matched the required competences. You may be required to first spend
up to six months in a European organisation (apprenticeship placement) in order to familiarise
yourself with the humanitarian nature of your project.
2.6. Will I be paid?
The programme covers your expenses during the deployment, including travel costs, insurances, and
accommodation is provided. In addition, EU Aid Volunteers will receive a monthly subsistence
allowance covering everyday expenses such as food, local transport and other expenses. Rates for
these will depend on the country of deployment.
2.8. Will I be trained?
Adequate training is an essential part of the EU Aid Volunteers initiative. All EU Aid Volunteers will
participate in a centrally organised training programme and assessed as to the readiness for
deployment. The training session will contain modules such as Introduction to the European Union,
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its external relations and crisis response system; Introduction to humanitarian action, the Union
humanitarian aid policy and the EU Aid Volunteers; managing personal safety, health and security;
Project management; inter-cultural awareness and scenario-based exercise and many others which
will be optional.
2.9. Where can I apply?
Please note that ECHO does not recruit directly. The vacancies will be published on the ECHO
website, and you will need to apply directly with the sending organisation in charge of the specific
project/s you are interested in.
2.10. When can I apply?
The first publication of vacancies for volunteers is expected to be in December 2015. The deadlines
for applying for each volunteer vacancy will be specified in the vacancy notice. New vacancies will be
published regularly.
2.11. What will EU Aid Volunteers do during their deployment?
The task assignment of each volunteer will be based on a prior needs assessment of the specific
context of deployment. Each announcement for a placement will contain a detailed explanation of
the activities to be performed during the deployment. The deployed volunteers will work on different
type of assignments, depending on their competence profile and experience. The activities
performed by the EU Aid Volunteers will be in fields such as organisational development and
capacity-building, project management, disaster risk management support, food and nutrition, water
and sanitation, etc.
2.12. Where will EU Aid Volunteers be deployed?
Deployment countries are to be defined for each volunteer assignment on the basis of real needs on
a local level. Volunteers will be deployed in countries outside the EU where humanitarian aid
operations take place. EU Aid Volunteers will not be deployed to countries or regions with
international or non-international armed conflicts.
2.13. For how long will I be volunteering?
The length of deployment depends on the specific project the volunteer works on. This can be from 1
month to over a year.
2.14. I want to help but I can't leave my country/work?
You can still help! The EU Aid Volunteers initiative will offer the chance to join an online volunteering
platform, where volunteers will have the chance to get in touch with organisations that need support
that can be offered remotely.
2.15. What is online volunteering?
The EU Aid Volunteers online volunteering platform is a tool that offers the opportunity to
organisations and volunteers to get in touch and work together on specific assignments.
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Organisations and volunteers will need to register in order to have access to the online volunteering
platform. More information and links to the platform will be available through 2015.
3. Becoming a sending/hosting organisation
3.1. What is the role of sending and hosting organisations?
Sending and hosting organisations are entrusted with all the aspects of identification, selection,
preparation and deployment of EU Aid Volunteers, as well as follow-up during and after their
assignments.
3.2. Is my organisation eligible for certification as sending/hosting organisation?
Sending organisations must:

adhere to the standards and procedures of the EU Aid Volunteers initiative.

be active in the field of humanitarian aid.

belong to any of the following categories:
o
non-governmental not-for-profit organisations established in a EU Member State
o
civilian public law bodies from a Member State;
o
the International Federation of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Organisations established in acceding countries, candidate countries, potential candidates and
partner countries of the European Neighbourhood Policy, countries members of the European
Economic Area (EEA) can participate at a later stage when these countries have signed agreements
with the EU covering the programme.
Hosting organisations must:

adhere to the standards and procedures of the EU Aid Volunteers initiative;

be active in the field of humanitarian aid.

belong to any of the following categories:
o
non-governmental not-for-profit organisations operating or established in a third
country under the laws in force in that country;
o
public law bodies of a civilian character governed by the law of a third country;
o
international agencies and organisations.
3.3. How can my organisation become a sending/hosting organisation?
Each organisation willing to take part in the EU Aid Volunteers programme has to go through the
respective certification procedure:
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- Sending organisations need to provide an evidence-based self-assessment to show that they
comply with and commit to all the standards and procedures of the EU Aid Volunteers initiative,
notably its duty of care rules.
- Hosting organisations need to provide a self-assessment together with three references in order to
demonstrate its capacity to comply with and commit to the requirements of the EU Aid Volunteers
initiative.
3.4. What is the Participant Identification Code (PIC)?
You need to register on the Participants Portal and obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC) in
order to apply for funding and certification in the framework of the EU Aid Volunteers initiative. The
Participant Portal is the tool through which all legal and financial information related to organisations
will be managed. Information on how to register can be found in the portal under the following
address: http://ec.europa.eu/education/participants/portal/desktop/en/home.html .
3.5. Does my organisation need to pay a fee for certification?
No, the certification process is free of charge.
3.6. Can my organisation claim back staff or other costs related to providing the documents for
certification?
No.
3.7. How long does the certification process take?
The Commission will communicate the outcome of the certification to the applicant organisation
within six months upon receipt of the completed application form.
3.8. What are the deadlines for certification?
The certification process is organised on a rolling basis, so no specific deadlines need to be respected.
3.9. What happens once my organisation has been certified?
Once you have been certified as a sending or hosting organisation your organisation may participate
in responding to calls for proposals published under the EU Aid Volunteers initiative. Calls for
proposals for deployment of EU Aid Volunteers will be published on ECHO's and EACEA´s website and
specify the geographic and thematic priorities of projects.
3.10. What if my organisation fails to be certified?
Organisations that have failed certification can apply with priority for capacity building / technical
assistance. Calls are published on ECHO´s and EACEA´s websites. Unsuccessful organisations can
resubmit an application for certification after 12 months.
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