Youth civic service in Europe

Despite public declarations of intentions to develop international volunteer exchange programmes especially within Europe, the different frameworks for civic voluntary service present many practical and administrative obstacles to their realisation. This study identifies these obstacles and shows how sharing existing good practice could significantly increase the number of international voluntary civic service opportunities for young people in Europe. The study looks at the legal, financial and administrative frameworks for youth voluntary and civic service in France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic. The development of programmes and policies at European level is also explored, especially, the special status of the European Voluntary Service Programme (EVS) of the European Union in these countries and its impact on their national youth civic service policies.