Especially for people who’ve been excluded

Des Burke

The European Volunteer Service (EVS) contains “specific supports to enable the participation of young people with fewer opportunities, for example as a result of disability, educational inequality, poverty or economic exclusion,” says Des Burke of Léargas.

The organisation funded nine young people with fewer opportunities than most to volunteer through the EVS programme in 2011. Funding is available to meet specific needs such volunteers may have and they can opt to do a short-term voluntary stint of between anything from a fortnight to two months. This may then lead to a longer-term service.

W-Leargas.ie.

For our previous posts on EVS click here and here.

Léargas actively looking for volunteers

Conor Hogan reports

No Irish demographic has been hit harder in the recession than the young. In fact, of the working population under 30, one in three is now unemployed – a statistic that doesn’t bear thinking about. 

Many are hit with the uncomfortable choice of drawing the dole, working for free as an intern or emigrating. There are some interesting options, however, the European Volunteer Service (EVS) being one of them.