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1. EU programmes

2. Other Programmes

3. Legal framework applying to foreign volunteers

EU programmes

Several organizations are involved in cross-border volunteering networks, providing Estonian young people with opportunities to volunteer abroad and for foreign young people to volunteer in Estonia. 

The Department of Youth Programmes of the Agency of Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps implements the European Solidarity Corps (previously, European Voluntary Service or EVS). Different Erasmus+ voluntary activities are also implemented by NGOs, for example:

• Continuous Action (voluntary work, international youth exchanges, training activities, etc.);
• EstYES (youth exchanges, training activities, European Solidarity Corps, and other voluntary activities, including volunteering in Estonia).

Other Programmes

The Global Education Network of Young Europeans (GLEN) sent young volunteers to some African, Asian, and Eastern-European countries for a three-month periods. The programme was held in 2004-2018 and during this time, more than 70 volunteers were supported. The programme was financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since 2019 it has been possible to volunteer in developing countries through the humanitarian aid programme of the European Solidarity Corps and volunteer deployment projects funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The NGO Mondo has been involved in sending European Union volunteers to different countries (most actions are supported by the Estonian state, the European Commission and/or private donors), mostly to communities in:

• Kenya - starting from 2018, volunteers were sent through the EU AID Volunteers programme; from 2023 via the EU Solidarity Corps.
• Ghana - starting from 2023, volunteers are sent through the EU Solidarity Corps.
• Uganda - starting from 2018, volunteers were sent through the EU AID Volunteers programme; from 2023 through the EU Solidarity Corps.
• Burma;
• Ukraine;
• Georgia - starting from 2023 the volunteers are sent through the EU Solidarity Corps;
• Turkey.

According to their report, in 2021 - 2022 Mondo deployed 18 volunteers. Altogether Mondo has deployed more than 100 expert volunteers in 15 years. The length of deployments ranges between 3 to12 months.

Legal framework applying to foreign volunteers

There is a specific regulation covering conditions to enter Estonia and apply for a temporary residence permit for youth volunteering. In general, volunteering is recognised as studies and therefore conditions that allow temporary residence permits for studying also apply in case of youth volunteering.

The Aliens Act defines specific regulations for volunteers coming to Estonia. There is an opportunity to get a residence permit via conditions similar to studies when a person applies for the permit and has come to Estonia as a volunteer. The act states that a temporary residence permit for study or volunteering may be issued to an alien “for voluntary service within the framework of a youth project or programme recognised by the Ministry of Education and Research”. Specific requirements in the Act for Voluntary Service state, that a temporary residence permit for study may be granted for voluntary service under the following conditions:

• the activity of an alien in the framework of a youth project or programme shall not be employment for the purposes of this act, that is an alien should not receive remuneration for the activity;
• an institution or organization within the framework of whose youth project or programme an alien is applying for residence permit for voluntary service activities shall bear the subsistence costs of the alien during his or her residence in Estonia;
• an institution or organization within the framework of whose youth project or programme an alien is applying for residence permit for voluntary service activities has entered into an insurance contract to cover all medical costs caused by illness or injuries to the alien and;
• a contract of voluntary service has been concluded between the alien and the institution or organization within the framework of whose youth project or program an alien is applying for residence permit for voluntary service activities.

The contract of voluntary service entered into between an alien and the youth association for voluntary service in the framework of whose youth project or programme an alien is applying for a residence permit, must describe:

• the duties of the alien;
• the tutoring conditions related to the performance of the duties;
• working time of an alien;
• means for covering travelling, subsistence and accommodation costs and for allowances during the entire stay in Estonia and;
• the training provided to an alien for better performance of voluntary service if necessary.