Volunteering

Whether you are a student or you are working, you may want to become a voluntary worker. Before getting involved in such work, you must ask yourself the right questions: in which sector would I like to work? Do I prefer working in a team or on my own? Would I like to join an organization or work in the field? How much time can I give to this type of work?

There are several different possibilities: you can look after your neighbour's child, refurbish a house, organize meetings, get involved in a non-profit-making organization, follow life-saving training, work as a volunteer in a hospital, train to be an orderly, support projects in Belgium or abroad, school help, alphabetisation schemes, helping/visitting the elderly, environmental actions

There are many voluntary workers in Belgium; young people are mostly involved in youth programmes.

Some interesting contacts:

• Association for voluntary work www.volontariat.be [FR]

• YAQUA  French-speaking platform for voluntary work www.yaqua.org [FR]: this website has over 650 organizations implicated in voluntary work.

International missions 

Young people from all over the world can work on a voluntary basis in collaboration with a local organization in order to help develop a project. Most missions take place between June and September and last between two and four weeks. In Belgium, you must be at least 16 years old to take part in a mission.

• ABM Belgium Madagascar Association : Since 1995, ABM is at the head of a programme for integrated rural development for the sakalava-vezo population on the South coast and to the North of Morondava. The aim of this mission is to protect the primary needs of these inhabitants: needs for education, training, health, water supplies, paid jobs …http://user.online.be/madagascar/ [FR]

• AFS Inter-cultural Programme : AFS is dedicated to building a fairer and more peaceful world through international exchanges. The Programme for Initiation of Developpement is an on-the-field training to North-South relations. It allows students (aged 18-28), living with a host family, to work as volunteers in different sectors such as: alphabetisation, health, help for the marginalized, the environment. Duration: 5 or 5 months and organized twice a year (from January until July and from July until December).  http://www.afsbelgique.be/

• Archeolo-J : has been offering for the last 30 years training courses in excavation for people between 12 and 77 years old; The course offers excavations, recording methods (drawings, photographs, topographic surveys) and practical exercises, architectural surveys, ceramography, etc. These are one, two or three week courses during the month of July. Archaeological weekends are organized in autumn (September to October). Missions abroad are also available for those who have acquired experience in Belgium. www.skene.be/archeolo-j

• ASMAE : is a non-profit making organization that was created in 1981. It has two objectives : The first one is to support different groups, associations, communities and local teams in order to achieve one or more precise objectives. This is done with the help of local teams. Asmae supports its partners' projects by sending volunteers and/or by giving financia/structural support. The second one is the education for development: making people aware of socio-cultural, political and economic realities as regards North-South relationships. Asmae sites are one of key elements in achieving this objective.  www.asmae.org

• ATD Fouth World : This international movement operates in 23 countries. ATD Fourth World Movement was created in 1957 by Father Joseph Wresinski. Its members join the most vulnerable and disadvantages families. The aim of the movement is for these families to live in dignity, to have the means to bring up their children and to take part in the development of their country. In order to reach this objective, ATD Fourth World movement has different actions: missions, road libraries, Popular University, Family Holidays. You can take part in this movement as of the age of 18. www.atd-quartmonde.org/europe/be/be

• BIJ : Bureau International Jeunesse was created by the General Commission for Internation Realtions and the General Directorate for Culture in the French Community. It aims to set up exchange and training programmes in over 70 countries for young people in Wallonia and Brussels. The Agence Québec-Wallonie-Bruxelles for youth (AQWBJ) is very active within this structure.www.lebij.be

• Compagnons Bâtisseurs : The aim of this association is to preserve peace between different peoples. Young volunteer workers from all over the World work together to achieve projects such as improving accommodation for the disadvantaged, construction sites to create new lodging, pedagogical workshops for young disabled people, sites to protect or to put an emphasis on local heritage. Two types of programmes: one for 16-18 year olds, the other for over 18s in Thailand, the United States, Russia, Armenia, Mexico www.compagnonsbatisseurs.be

• CONCORDIA / YOUTH SOLIDARITY : The aim of Concordia is to renew the values of tolerance and peace via young volunteers working on international sites. Concordia enables young people from over 50 coutries to meet and exchange with one another.  www.concordia-association.org

• Défi Belgique Afrique (Belgium Africa Challenge) : The aim of this association is to sensibilize youths to the realities of the World. The association supports small development projects and wants to prolong this sensibilization thanks to concrete actions for disadvantaged people. It also gives concrete ideas of solidarity by financially supporting initiatives from associations in the South. 15-18 year old in Burkina Faso, Senegal, Benin. Preparatory seminar: 3 days and 3 weekends of training in Brussels. For 2005 projects, enrolments were finalized on October 20.  www.dbaweb.org/

• Fondation Damien : This foundation is an NGO recognized in Belgium and is still very active in 17 countries. It all started 40 years ago with initiatives to collect funds to eradicate lepercy. Today, the foundation is battling against another disease: tuberculosis. Chantiers Damien: during the last 10 years, has helped over 500 people, on 60 different sites, to build and renovate hospitals, treatment centres, homes and schools. When: from June until Octobre. Duration: four weeks. Three weeks of work (construction or renovation) and one week of tourism. Possibility to volunteer as of the age of 18 in India, Laos and Bangladesh. Preparatory seminar: one information day, two weekends of preparation and presentation. www.fondationdamien.be

• JAVVA : Jeunes Actifs dans le Volontariat et les Voyages Alternatifs (young people active in volunteer work and Alternative holidays). The association is a pluralist organization independent from all political, religious, philosophical parties. The aim of the association is active participation of youths in intercultural exchanges in order for them to assume their role of active and responsible citizens within the society no matter their political, social, ethnic, religious beliefs.  www.javva.org/

• Mission nature (WWF) : First of all, you must be keen on preserving the natural environment and its species. You must also like getting involved in working on-the-field during your free time. Everyone is welcome: you don't need any specific skills. International teams are made up of people from all over the world and their main objectives are to preserve nature. Local or reliable international organizations are in charge of the projects. www.missionnature.be

• NATAGORA : Natagora is the combination of two associations: Aves and Réserves naturelles (nature reserves) RNOB, who work for the development of nature and who have decided to bring together their resources in the fields of nature preservation, education and communication general policies. In 2005, there were 140 sites to preserve nature in 50 nature parks. There are projects of several weeks all over the country to preserve nature: digging ponds, raking fields, clearing away invasive bushes... These missions are convivial and will allow you to discover nature. Everyone is welcome to participate!  www.natagora.be , www.rnob.be, www.aves.be

• REMPART : is a movement preserving popular education and heritage. Associations member of REMPART want to renovate, preserve and bring back to life an element of our heritage. They also work in favour of loval development and of rural planning. REMPART has missions for volunteers, training and technical courses.  www.rempart.com

• SCI : International Project is the Francophone Belgian branch for Service Civil International. This pacifist movement was born after World War I and aims to unite people around a project developed by a local association. The association has different actions in Belgium: long-term projects, training courses, workshops, conferences/debates, publications, etc.  www.scibelgium.be

• QUINOA (ex Chantiers Jeunes) education and development NGO : Thanks to the critical approach to the mechanisms of our society and of those in the South, QUINOA encourages an implication in concrete citizen actions and our capacity to reinvent solidarity. The association is constantly on the look out for volunteer workers for missions in the South.These mico-projects are carried out in collaboration with local NGOs in different fields: reforestation, animation for street kids, theatrical workshops, renovation of architectural heritage, documentaries, building sites. They work with associations in Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Morocco), in Asia (Philippines, India, Nepal) and in Latin America (Ecuador, Cuba, Guatemala).  www.quinoa.be

• Volontariat d'Entraide et Amitié (volunteerism of mutual aid and friendship) : Volunteer during 12 half days in different institutions: in hospitals, old people's homes, homework schools, creative workshops, nurseries...  www.entraideetamitie.be.tf/

• WEP  Learn and discover the World with the World Education Programme : This organization allows young people (from 15 to 35) to travel and discover the world. There are different types of volunteerism : volunteer, courses & volunteer, eco-experiment.  www.wep.org 

• The European Volunteer Service (EVS) : You are an EU national aged between 18 and 25, you would like an extra curriculum or professional practical training and you would like to be involved in a project in Belgium? The European Volunteer Service of the European Youth programme can help you. You will first have to contact the agency responsible for EVS in your country of origin. You will find useful information on : www.europa.eu.int/comm/youth/program/sos/index_en.html.You will find a databank with all the Belgian host placements. Your agency is always available to help you prepare a valid project. You will not have to pay any travel expences and you will also reveive some pocket money for your stay in Belgium to be as pleasant as possible.