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EACEA National Policies Platform
Slovenia

Slovenia

2. Voluntary Activities

2.5 Cross-border mobility programmes

Last update: 28 November 2023

EU programmes

Slovenia has not developed any cross-border mobility programme. The EU Erasmus+ programme is the most important, because it represents the beginning of a legal possibility to support such projects and their respective goals, in pursuance of which an increasing number of players in the youth field prepare international youth activities (youth exchange, the project of European Voluntary Service) as a constituent part of their regular yearly programmes. Similarly, a growing number of players in the youth field make use of the international aspect of projects as an important - otherwise unattainable in domestic and local environment - educational dimension and a method to fulfil their educational mission among youth target groups.

 

Slovenia is also involved in the European Solidary Corps project which is an initiative by the European Union that promotes solidarity and creates volunteering possibilities for young people in their own countries and abroad. By August 2019 there was already more than 200 volunteer jobs secured within ESC programme.

 

There is no systematic monitoring of youth participation in EU programmes related to youth volunteering besides Institute MOVIT’s (Erasmus+, Youth in Action National Agency) regular reporting procedures and special publications (see Journal Mladje). However, general trends related to youth participation in European volunteering programmes are monitored by the Office of the Republic of Slovenia for Youth through its periodic evaluations of the Erasmus+, Youth in Action programme.

 

 

 

Other Programmes

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia has published a call for international development and humanitarian projects that will be implemented by Slovenian NGOs between 2020-2022. The call for proposals is divided into three sections: 1. development projects in the Western Balkans in the field of equality of women; 2. projects in the field of educating children about their rights through the use of Our Rights materials in the Western Balkans or North Africa; and 3. implementation of humanitarian projects in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.

 

 

 

Legal framework applying to foreign volunteers

Aliens Act (Zakon o tujcih), adopted on 15 June 2011 by the National Assembly of the Republic  of Slovenia and updated in 2021, is important for foreigners interested in carrying out voluntary work in Slovenia. Article 40č covers temporary residence permit for performing volunteer work. In the case of a foreign volunteer residing in Slovenia for more than 90 days that is subject to a visa.

 

A foreigner who wishes to reside in the Republic of Slovenia to perform voluntary work may be issued a temporary residence permit if he has an agreement on voluntary work with a volunteer organization or an organization with a volunteer program and if he meets the other conditions for issuing a permit under this Act for residence. As proof of the fulfillment of the requirement of sufficient means of subsistence from the third paragraph of Article 33 of this law. In subsistence are also included the means received as pocket money specified in the agreement on volunteer work concluded with a volunteer organization or an organization with a volunteer program, and the means that the volunteer an organization or an organization with a volunteer program donates to a foreigner.

 

 A foreigner, a volunteer organization, or an organization with a volunteer program can apply for a temporary residence permit. A volunteer organization or an organization with a volunteer program can apply to a diplomatic mission or consulate of the Republic of Slovenia abroad or a competent authority in the Republic of Slovenia. A foreigner who wishes to reside in the Republic of Slovenia to perform voluntary work must apply for the issuance of the first temporary residence permit to the diplomatic mission or consulate of the Republic of Slovenia abroad. The authorization of a foreigner to a volunteer organization or an organization with a volunteer program is not required to submit amendments to the application for the issuance or extension of a single permit.

 

A permit for temporary residence to perform volunteer work is issued in the form referred to in Article 58 of this Act, with "volunteer" entered in the type of permit.

 

As proof of participation in volunteer service projects within the framework of the European Union program, a foreigner must submit a certificate issued by a state authority competent to exercise control over the implementation of such a program or an organization authorized by it.

 

The first temporary residence permit is issued to a foreigner for the time of performing work according to the agreement but up to one year. Suppose the agreement is concluded for a period longer than one year or participation in the project lasts more than one year. In that case, the permit can be extended for a maximum of one year but not longer than the duration of volunteer work or participation in the project.