The first vacancies for the European Union’s EU Aid Volunteers initiative are now open for applications, with more to follow over the course of the summer. The first deployment of volunteers to disaster-affected regions worldwide will begin at the end of 2016 following thorough training.
European Commissioner for Humanitarian aid and Crisis management Christos Stylianides said: “I am very pleased to announce that we will soon see our EU Aid volunteers on the ground, working together with local communities to better prepare for disasters. The EU Aid Volunteers initiative puts European solidarity into action to help people affected by disasters worldwide”. The initiative is open for EU citizens and offers opportunities for junior and senior volunteers from the age of 18.
Volunteers with diverse qualifications and skills are sought in areas such as political science, engineering, economics, social sciences, accounting and education. EU Aid Volunteers will not be placed in acute emergency situations but will work with local communities to provide practical support to humanitarian projects.
