ESC is over, volunteering is not

Everything comes to an end - so does my volunteering year. It had some bright moments and some struggles, but that's not the story - I'm pretty sure every ESC volunteer has those to share. But one way or another, this chapter of my life is closed and there is no chance to become ESC volunteer for another year.

But that doesn't mean I will never be able to participate in volunteering projects! Of course, you don't need an organisation to volunteer on the local level - you can start with what you have just outside your doorway. But in case you want to experience something similar to ESC year or feel like organised volunteering is better for you - here are some resources you can use to find yourself a new project. 

Rausvonzuhaus. This is a resource which gathers all the volunteering possibilities in Germany. There are ESC projects too, but there are also many other things to experience, so you can find something interesting for you

Bundesfreiwilligedienst. If you want to come and volunteer in Germany, here is your shot. This program is quite similar to ESC by the general conditions, however, only people under 27 are eligible for that. But here you can find a lot of projects in social, ecological or migrational fields, and spend 12 more months of volunteering. The website is only in German, and most likely, you'd need to speak some language to apply for the project.

Freiwillige Soziale Jahr. This opportunity is pretty similar to the previous one, except it focuses more on volunteering in a social sphere, such as children care or elder people. The projects of FSJ are not only in Germany, so you can check it for more options and possibilities. 

Work and Travel. If during your ESC you didn't have enough travels, you can change that thanks to these services. The general idea is that people go abroad and do some simple part-time works for local communities and people in return for accommodation and some food. You can decide where, when and with whom are you going to go there, or how long would you like to stay. These possibilities can be found on websites like Weltweiser, AIFS or TravelWorks. 

Workcamps. This is the general name os short-term volunteering projects, where people from all over the world come to do some work for a local community. This network is huge with more than 145 countries involved and has a plenty of topics to offer from environmental protection to commemoration of the past. Participants of the camps are provided with food, accommodation and insurance. 

Long-term volunteering. Some big volunteering organizations have LTV-programs of their own. Usually, they have conditions also similar to what we had here at ESC, but it can have some differences, and all the projects are quite unique. The advantage is, your geography is not limited to Europe, and you can volunteer for a year in Togo or Ecuador. Check this website to find out more.

And finally - don't lose the spirit! It doesn't matter if the ESC is over or not, or if you have time to do another volunteering year. After all, it's all about the feeling to help the people and be active, so let's keep it and change the world for the better no matter in which part of it where are!