Fighting fires, saving lives at sea and tackling oils slicks – volunteers from across Europe give up their time in a wide range of extraordinary ways. November is Europe Month in the Year of the Volunteer and throughout the month events will explore the role of Europe in developing volunteering opportunities in the UK and the volunteering methods Europe and the UK can learn from each other.

Support from the European funds is for the most part a well-kept secret in England. Even people living in areas benefiting from high levels of support are unlikely to realise that big projects have been created with significant European support – two examples are training projects for people with learning disabilities (such as the Whole Baked Cafe in Bristol) and major institutions like the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.

Events taking place during the month include the Hollington Youth Centre revamp , taking place on 5 November. This will see over 50 volunteers, made up of local residents, students from Brighton University and continental volunteers from the European Voluntary Service, helping to redecorate a fire-damaged youth centre in Hastings.

On Saturday 26 November The Council for Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations (CEMVO) is celebrating Europe’s cultural influences and giving people a chance to find out more about volunteering in Europe. There will be language classes, Flamenco dancing and a chance to try European food while for the younger attendees there will be face painting, flag and hat making and a bouncy castle.

For more information on these and other events please visit

Year of the Volunteer Events

Learn more about volunteering during Europe month:

Here you will find volunteering ideas for this month for immediate ways to get into volunteering;

Wednesday 16 to Friday 18 November - CSV Europe Youth Conference: Plugging the Democratic Deficit – London

50 participants from across Europe, including youth volunteers, policy-makers and youth volunteering organisation leaders will discuss the impact of full-time youth volunteering on active citizenship and design policy recommendations to support young people becoming involved in their community.

Thursday 24 November - Asylum Seekers and Volunteering - London

Education Action International, The Refugee Council and Islington Training Network are holding a conference to promote volunteering as a way to integrate asylum seekers and refugees. Many of those attending come from EU countries and will share the experiences of using volunteering as a method to integrate refugees from their own countries.

Use the opportunity finder to find out what volunteering opportunities are available in your area

Come along to a Year of the Volunteer event