ESC volunteering program

It allows to yougnsters to discover a different culture as well as to obtain skills that are useful for social and professional intergration.

In practice, ESC volunteering allows to commit and get involve in general interest missions (social and cultural animation, heritage protection, youth information, people in difficulties, social economy and solidarity, etc.) within a non-profit structure (associations, schools, collectivities, etc.).

Sending, hosting and coordinating organisation within the framewok of ESC volunteering

Sending

The Bij of Brest is accredited to send youngsters in volunteering since 2003. Thus, each year we send around a dozen youngsters from Finistère to do an ESC volunteering in different European countries, as well as non-EU countries like Balkans and for varied missions (animation, environment, etc.).

Hosting

The Bij of Brest is also accredited as hosting organization from 2010 to 2018 we hosted one volunteer a year. That’s why, we received several volunteers coming from different countries :

• Danny (Scotland)
• Paulina (Poland)
• Lara (Germany)
• Tijana (Serbia)
• Maciej (Poland)
  
• Cagdas (Turkey)
  
• Michaela, (Austria)
• Gabriel (Portugal)

Coordinating
– Since 2017, whe have been coordinating hosting project in our local area (high schools, eduactional and medical Institute). In 2019/2020, 6 volunteers coming From Georgia, Russia, Turkey, Tunisia and the Czech republic were living in Brest and hosting in different organisations. In 2020/2021, 3 volunteers from Denmark, Tunisia and Russia have been hosting.
– On a Regional level, since 2019 the Bij has been coordinating an ESC partnership projet which aims to host more volunteers in Brittany in various hosting organisations : county council, associations, schools, etc.). We have been working with local coordinating organisations (Gwennili, Bij de Lorient, JTM, Mapar, FDMJC22, Ligue 22) to set up the activities/mobilities in others local areas from the Region.

Short term ESC volunteering for NEETs.

Since 2012, the Bij focused on developing and proposing short term projects for young people living in Finistère, whom in the European jargon we call NEET, acronym meaning “Not In Education, Employment or Training”. These project are set up thanks to strong partnerships which we established through our years of experience.
In 2016, two projects were implemented. One in Portugal, and another one in Lithuania. In 2017, one project was implemented in Portugal. In 2019, another one in Spain. In 2020, 2 volunteers went to Greece. In 2021, 2 volunteers have been hosting in Greece as well.