“VOICE” (Volunteering Opportunities to Improve Cohesion and Empowerment) aims to carry out innovative actions to improve the quality of volunteering within the framework of International Volunteering Mobility (IVM) and to build or strengthen the capacities of youth organisations involved in sending and hosting volunteers.

VOICE seeks to promote IVM activities as a tool to enhance youth employability, support active European citizenship and a sense of being “global citizens”, challenge the passivity of young Europeans, and create a favourable environment for improving the quality of IVM in support of organisations.

Specifically, the project develops new learning tools to support training activities in partner countries and enhance the quality of hosting services for European volunteers.

The project also contributes to increasing youth employability by providing services related to 18 European Voluntary Service (EVS) placements for young people with fewer opportunities, in particular NEETs (young people not in education, employment, or training).

The specific objectives of VOICE are:

• To develop the capacities of youth workers and assist organisations that work—or intend to work—with young people in intercontinental mobility projects and European Solidarity Corps initiatives;

• To capitalize on previous results in international mobility and ensure the use of sector best practices;

• To build the personal and professional capacities of youth workers from partner organisations in their role as trainers;

• To create new learning tools based on project outcomes that will help improve the quality of youth work and the support provided to European volunteers;

• To create new opportunities to develop the skills and abilities of NEETs across the European Union, with the primary aim of enhancing their employability and access to the labour market;

• To promote active citizenship, volunteering, and non-formal learning in the partner countries.