International Voluntary Service

Country Information for Eastern Europe

Projects in the Balkans

For projects in the Balkans you should have already been on an IVS project or have similar experience. There are also age restrictions for Balkan Projects.

Kosovo, Macedonia, Albania: Must be at least 21 years old. Projects in these countries are organised mainly by Balkan Sunflower.

Croatia: Must be at least 20 years old. These projects are organised by VCZ Croatia.

Serbia: Must be at least 18 years old.

Your Travel:

To projects in Russia: Buying a train ticket in Moscow is very different from in the UK and much more complicated but don’t let that stop you from going to Russia! Russian Visa Information (26.50 Kb)

For VSU projects: There are flights direct from Frankfurt (Lufthansa) to Perm, Nizhny-Novgorod and Ekaterinburg as well as from Moscow. If you would like help buying train tickets please contact VSU at least two weeks in advance and they will buy a ticket for you. Please note that you will be responsible for paying the full cost of the train ticket if you cancel after the ticket has been purchased. By train Ekaterinburg is approximately 36 hours from Moscow, Niznhy-Novgorod is approximately 12 hours from Moscow and Perm is approximately 24 hours from Moscow. For VSU there will be an additional fee of 10 euros for an entry-invitation letter.

For PPF projects: The PPF office is in St Petersburg. There is an international airport in St Petersburg. There is also a direct train from Moscow (from Leningradsky station it takes approximately 8 hours and the trains run day and night). If you are going to a project PPF will give you details nearer the time about onward travel to projects, or in the meantime you can contact IVS if you have questions.

For World4U projects: The office is in Moscow and is generally the meeting point, and then the group travels together to the project. There is an international airport in Moscow. If you are going to a project they will give you details nearer the time about onward travel to projects, or in the meantime you can contact IVS if you have questions. NB If the meeting point is Moscow the meeting date will be a day or 2 before the stated date of the project.

For Siberian Creative Camps: Siberia is a long way from Moscow, just under 4 days to travel by train from Moscow to Irkutsk and 4 days to Ulan Ude. Both stations are on the Trans-Siberian? railway. There are also airports at Irtutsk and Ulan Ude, with flights from Moscow taking 5 hours.

To projects in Moldova and Armenia: you can arrange to be met by someone from the organisation in the capital city and they will assist you with onward travel. There is an international airport in Armenia but it may be possible to travel by bus from Turkey and Iran depending on the current situation of border crossings and by train or bus from Georgia.

To projects in Azerbaijan and Georgia: the office of the partner organisation is generally the meeting point, then the group travels together to the project.

To projects in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine: Volunteers will arrange their own travel to pre-arranged meeting places, usually the capital city. From there our partner organisations in these countries will take care of transport to the place of the project.

Note:In Estonia, sleep patterns may be disturbed by ‘white night’, (24 hour sunlight June/July). Also by mosquitoes!

Our Branches and Partner Organisations in Eastern and Central Europe:

SCI has different links with the various organisations in East and Central Europe. Some are groups of SCI, some are independent organisations who are also members of SCI, and the remainder are partner organisations or new contacts.

Armenia. Due to the turmoil in Georgia, and the dispute with Azerbaijan, for Armenians the contact with foreigners is especially important and anybody visiting, let alone coming to do voluntary work, is welcomed with open arms. This is the ninth year that SCI will be exchanging volunteers with Armenia and we have had very good results. HUJ is our long established partner organisation in the country.

Belarus. The New Group Belarus are in their third year as a contact group in the country. The organisers are young, lively, dynamic and increasing rapidly in number. They have a strong interest in increasing awareness, especially amongst children, of ecological considerations in this country that experienced the Chernobyl catastrophe. It is a new grass roots initiative and only experienced volunteers should apply. New Group Belarus- this year there will be an archeological project as well as the usual ecological focus. New Group are also keen to develop the very concept of voluntarism in Belarus, as well as breaking down other nations stereotypes of their country.

Czech Republic. The 'Association of International Youth Exchange and Tourism' (INEX), a partner organisation, established in 1991, organises about 50 projects a year, mainly environmental projects and restoration of historical and cultural buildings. Another partner is Duha which is an umbrella youth organisation.

Latvia. SPIC is a Latvian contact. They organise summer projects and also projects on a local level. Promoting the concept of voluntarism is a key focus .

Croatia. The Volunteers Centre Zagreb (VCZ) was founded in 1996 as part of an anti-war campaign and it has worked independently since 1998. It is run by a group of students and young people. There are two long term volunteers working in the office. Along with projects VCZ prepares lots of other seminars, projects and actions promoting voluntary work, peace, antiracism, antiglobalisation and conflict resolution http://www.vcz.hr/.

Serbia. Voluntary Service Serbia (VSS) is part of Young Researchers of Serbia. YRS is a non-profit, non-governmental, organisation whose main aims are education and exchange of as well as work with young people. Like an umbrella organisation, it gathers 25 clubs and societies from university centres and other towns in Serbia. Many of their projects have an environmental focus.

Moldova. Associata de Voluntariat International Moldova (AVI) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation. It is a group of people working under community development in the basis of volunteering. The team has 7 representatives of youth and/or ecological NGOs from different regions. Co-operation with SCI is now in its second year.

Ukraine. Solidarity, Volunteering, Initiation, and Tolerance (SVIT) is a Ukranian organisation and it is their second year as a contact with SCI. SVIT includes 3 NGOs: Gorlovka Youth Environmental League (GYEL), EcoCentre – K (Krivoy Rog) and EcoCentre? “Bakhmat”. The working group works with ecological issues and voluntary activity service. Our other partner in Ukraine is Alternativ.

Kyrgyzstan. League of Volunteers is a membership, voluntary service organsiation in Kyrgyzstan and was created in 2001 by initiative of volunteers who worked in the Volunteer Initiative Centre (joint project of the Soros Foundation Kyrgyzstan and United Nations Volunteers. While working in VIC volunteers gained experience in field of community work and training. Currently the League has partner organsations in five regions of Kyrgyzstan. The aim of the organisation is the further development of volunteer initiatives, which are based on individual free-will action in order to address the social needs of community.