ESC Volunteering at Asylum seekers reception centre in Belgium (Fully Funded)

Open call for volunteers from all over Europe to join the Sugny Asylum Seeker Centre for two weeks as a volunteer to support Sugny Centre in hosting people who have asked for international protection in Belgium. This volunteering project is supported and funded by the European Solidarity Corps programme of the European Union.

About the volunteering

Asylum seekers reception centre of Sugny II is inviting volunteers from all over Europe to support the centre in its mission of hosting people who fled situations of war, persecution, discriminations, environmental disasters in their home countries and coming to Belgium to get protection. These people who came to Belgium and asked for protection need to wait a long time in asylum centres until their refugee status be proven and accepted through a long administrative process. Asylum seekers are housed in this centre while they await the necessary documents to legally stay in Belgium.

People living in the centre await solution regarding their administrative status, uncertain about what the future holds for them. By participating in this volunteering project, you are actively assisting the centre in welcoming people coming from a wide variety of difficult situations and take care of them as they await a response to their asylum requests (aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities).

Eligibility| Who can apply?

- Young people aged between 18 -30 years old and legally residents in one of the following countries (Albania, Armenia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Finland, France, Georgia, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Moldova (Republic of), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, Ukraine)

- Having a good level of motivation for joining the project and well prepared to integrate the life of an asylum seekers centre. 

- Highly recommended people who have previous experience or an idea about the policy concerning refugees in their country. 

- Participants are required to send a CGC (Certificate of good conduct) to the host organisation.

- Having a basic English skills which will be needed for you to communicate with the team.

- Ready to stay the whole duration of the project.

- Able to work individually and in teams with other volunteers from different backgrounds.

Expenses and Benefits

This project is supported and funded by the European Solidarity corps programme and includes the following

- Participants will be accommodated in a shared rooms in a building next to the central one. participants will have access to showers in the central building and a washing machine. 

- Volunteers will share the same living conditions of the residents that are really “basic”.

- Meals will be provided by the centre, and you will eat alongside the residents in the refectory.

- Participants are entitled to receive a pocket money of 6 euro/day/ participant.

- Your travel costs to and from the Sugny will be reimbursed according to the distance between your home and the project venue according to the following limits:

• for travel distance between 100 and 499 km: 180 EUR / person, +30 EUR extra for Green travel.
• for travel distance between 500 and 1999 km: 275 EUR / person, +45 EUR extra for Green travel.
• for travel distance between 2000 and 2999 km: 360 EUR / person, +50 EUR extra for Green travel.
• Calculate your budget from HERE

• IMPORTANT: keep all your travel documents! Online boarding passes and tickets for reimbursements. No documents = No reimbursement!
• IMPORTANT: Please send your travel proposition per e-mail to the organisers and wait for their confirmation before purchasing your tickets!

- Volunteers will be picked up at the closest train station on the first day and will be driven back at the same station on the last day.

- Participants will receive a YouthPass certificate after the project where you are expected to self-assess your own learning and you can add it to your CV.

What to bring?

- ID or Passport or any other document you use for travel.

- Medicine, if you have any specific illness or medical condition.

- Your flight tickets, bus tickets, train tickets, or any proof you have that you came to France.

Timeline

Application deadline: 19th of July 2024

Arrival day: 17th of August 2024

Departure day: 31st of August 2024

Note: Application can be closed earlier than the scheduled time due to the number of the applications, so don't wait until the last moment and apply as soon as possible.

How to apply?

Step 1: sign-in to your account on the European Youth Portal, if you don't have an account create an account  as a YOUNG PERSON from HERE

Step 2: visit the opportunity page on the portal and click "Apply" from this page, you must write your motivation letter in English.

More Details

for more details, check the info-pack of the project from HERE

Apply Now⇗

Opportunity Website⇗

By applying to this volunteering program, you take responsibility and risks. Inform yourself about the regulation and potential risks. "Opportunity 4U" cannot be held liable for any of the potential risks, and this post is only for informative and popularising purposes.