Excellence in ESC volunteering

<< Background >>We applied for this project to help more young people with fewer opportunities—especially from the Czech Republic and Slovakia—take part in long-term volunteering, including in non-EU countries. Many of them face economic, social, or geographic barriers and need extra support to join such projects. United Vision had experience in sending volunteers but wanted to strengthen its hosting capacity, especially through cooperation with Talk and Enjoy in the rural area of Malešov. Keric, on the other hand, saw the project as an opportunity to better understand the context of smaller communities in the Czech Republic, where United Vision is more active. This mutual learning and exchange of good practices were key motivations. At the same time, both organizations needed to grow their internal capacities, involve new team members, and improve their systems. The project gave us space to develop practical tools, professionalize our cooperation, and support volunteers more effectively—both in communication and in mentoring.<< Objectives >>The main goals of the project were:a) Improve the quality of work with volunteers – before, during, and after their stay. The project helped youth workers and coordinators from United Vision and Keric strengthen their methods in volunteer preparation, mentoring, and follow-up. A key result was the full involvement and training of a new team member from United Vision, who is now an active youth worker managing both hosting and sending.b) Expand opportunities for young people with fewer chances, especially from the Czech and Slovak Republics. The goal was to increase the number and diversity of placements, including new partnerships outside the EU. While the Humanitarian Quality Label was not submitted, cooperation with Keric allowed United Vision to gain experience with the programme.c) Foster mutual learning between United Vision and Keric. Keric shared its structured approach to hosting, while United Vision contributed expertise in outreach, communication, and rural youth engagement. This balanced exchange strengthened both teams and laid the foundation for future cooperation.<< Implementation >>During the project, we focused on improving the quality of hosting and sending ESC volunteers, and strengthening cooperation between United Vision and Keric. Both areas were developed through joint learning and experience sharing.We began with a kick-off meeting in Slovakia to clarify roles, align plans, and cover key topics such as mentoring, inclusion, and volunteer preparation. The main activity “Hosting ESC volunteers, but how?” resulted in four hosted volunteers at Talk and Enjoy, including two with fewer opportunities. Together we created practical onboarding materials and hosting guidelines.The midterm meeting in the Czech Republic focused on working with volunteers on digital communication tools, including social media and outreach activities. This supported both skill development and engagement.On the sending side, we built partnerships outside the EU, promoted ESC through eight offline events, and gained practical insight into the Humanitarian Aid Corps via Keric’s pilot project. While we chose not to apply for the Quality Label, we deepened our understanding of the programme.The project concluded with a final evaluation and planning meeting in Slovakia.<< Results >>4 ESC volunteers were hosted at Talk and Enjoy, including 2 with fewer opportunities. One was sent directly by Keric. A joint hosting methodology was developed and published on SALTO Toolbox, covering onboarding, mentoring, and crisis support.A digital communication strategy was created by Šimon (Keric) and Natálie (United Vision) with input from ESC volunteers. Their work included training sessions and led to published posts and presentations, some of which are annexed. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8rzRmjNQ5_/?igsh=MWo4Y212NDI2NWFndQ==A youth exchange project on environmental education using the Heroes Journey method was submitted (not funded) and now serves as a planning reference.We established 4 new non-EU partnerships (Armenia, Georgia, North Macedonia, Turkey). 6 Czech volunteers are scheduled for departure in 2025. Keric additionally sent 5 to non-EU countries and 10 in Humanitarian Aid projects, with recruitment support from United Vision.11 offline school visits were conducted to promote ESC. One new staff member, Natálie, was fully trained across hosting, sending, and communication roles. Keric expanded its practice to include environmental education.