senior volunteers programme

The Office for International Voluntary Service (UVI) participates in the sending and hosting programme for senior volunteers of the Ecumenical Diaconal Year Network (EDYN). The programme involves people of 55 years and over willing to do a short- or mid-time voluntary work in a diaconal institution run by a Protestant church abroad. A pilot project was carried out in Italy in the summer of 2004.
16 projects are currently running with the EDYN partners in Austria, France, Hungary, Italy and The Netherlands. The senior volunteers can be involved in a number of activities such as working in a library, in a home for the elderly, in congregations etc. The project is very flexible, so the volunteers can choose what best suits theirs expectations, needs and skills.

Requirement for the volunteers
The volunteer shall be 55 years or over, and be willing to co-operate in a diaconal work; he or she must have a basic knowledge of the host country's language; he or she shall pay his or her own travel expenses and a participation fee; he or she shall work about 20-25 hours per week.

Requirement for the host institutions
The host institution shall provide the volunteer lodging in a single room, board and insurance cover; it shall help introducing the volunteer in the local community and lead the volunteer in the project's work.

Download a sample project description

For further information or requests, please contact:

Ufficio volontariato internazionale (UVI)
Federazione delle Chiese Evangeliche in Italia (FCEI)
Via Firenze, 38
I-00184 Roma
Italy
tel. +39 06 48 25 120
fax +39 06 48 28 728
e-mail: volontariato