Supporting organisation

It is the sending organisation, which has among its functions to prepare the volunteer during the whole pre-departure process and to act as a support during the whole volunteering period. Prior to the departure, it will organise a training in which all topics relevant to volunteering can be addressed, and once the volunteering has started, it will follow up the volunteer, acting as a support if necessary.

Hosting organisationg

It is the organisation that manages the activity where the volunteering takes place. It will be the one that shows the volunteer’s duties and establishes the working and holiday schedule. The host organisation usually also acts as the coordinator of the volunteering project.

Coordinating organisation
In many cases, the host organisation may not also act as coordinator, resulting in a third organisation being involved in the volunteering project. This organisation is mainly in charge of managing the financial part of the project.

National Agency

It is the institution in charge of approving the host organisation’s volunteering project. During the volunteering period, it is in charge of organising 2 trainings:

• On arrival training. In which all relevant topics of the volunteering process such as the learning process, the roles and tasks of each member involved, responsibilities and benefits of the volunteer, the YouthPass, etc. are dealt with.
• Midterm training (only for volunteer projects longer than 6 months). Focused on the process the volunteer goes through after the end of the volunteering activity and future steps.

Mentor and coordinator

During the European Voluntary Service projects, the following volunteer support figures can also be found:

• Coordinator. Person belonging to the host organisation in charge of managing all aspects of the volunteer. In case the host organisation is not the coordinator of the project, there will also be another coordinator for the coordinating organisation.
• Mentor. A person external to the organisation who aims to help the volunteer in the process of integration into the community and who serves as a local support during the whole period.