International volunteers in Hungary and hungarian volunteers abroad with the support of European Voluntary Service and European Solidarity Corps 2014–2023
Anna Mária Bartal - Hajnalka Fényes
Abstract
Our study analyses primary data on volunteers received by the European Voluntary Service (EVS) between 2014–2017 and received by the European Solidarity Corps between 2018–2023 and supported (sent) between 2021–2023, provided by the Erasmus+ Programme Office of the Tempus Public Foundation. The beginning of the study discusses the understanding of volunteering in different organisations in the European Union, the history, project characteristics, impacts and characteristics of the European Voluntary Service, and finally it reviews the history and characteristics of the European Solidarity Corps. The secondary analysis examines the characteristics of volunteers and their work during three periods (2014–2017, 2018–2020, 2021–2023) in varying depths according to data sources. According to the results, women are overrepresented among the adopted volunteers, similarly to international studies, most of them have a higher socio-economic status (secondary and higher education), although the involvement of few opportunity young people is shown by the fact that the rate of involvement of the unemployed increased proportionally during the years studied. Volunteers come from sending countries that correspond to "European trends", but over time more and more countries join from outside Europe. The majority of volunteers participate for a short period of time. The study shows that Hungary sent fewer volunteers than received between 2021 and 2023. The sending (supported) volunteers mainly prefer European Solidarity Corps projects in nearby countries, and women, 18–24 year olds and short-term volunteers are also overrepresented among them. Overall, based on the results, mobilizing men, 25–30 year olds and few opportunity young people (unemployed) can be a priority task in international volunteer programs.
Keywords: European Voluntary Service, European Solidarity Corps, international volunteers, volunteers received and sent, Hungary