Volunteers

• Volunteering is a way in which people can help a cause they deem worthy and beneficial.
• To be a volunteer is a personal choice.
• To be a volunteer means to give your time and energy in return for knowledge and experience.
• To be a volunteer means to spend your time in activities which are pleasant, beneficial and sometimes fun; activities which help you develop personal skills, meet new people and visit new places.
• To be a volunteer for a project means that it inspires you to help make things better for free
• The volunteering is a way of thinking.

The volunteering in the sphere of nature protection is spread world wide. Significant results for protecting and saving the nature are achieved by the enthusiasm and dedication of the many people which believe in thecause “to make the world better place”.

The history of volunteering in the Wildlife Rescue Center starts with its establishment and has always been inseparable part of its daily existence. The Rescue Center started functioning professionally in 1995 thanks mainly to efforts of its establishers from Green Balkans together with students of the Veterinary high school ( now the Professional High School of Veterinary Medicine) and students of veterinary faculty of Thracian university. From the very beginning, the foundations of the headquarters, most of the cages and part of initial equipment itself were built by the efforts and manpower of the volunteers. The dedication and enthusiasm of these people is still present today and still have a positive impact and influence aimed at the improvement and development of the Rescue Center. The permanent presence of so many young and enthusiastic people,( as many Bulgarians as foreigners), attract more and more sympathizers and followers every day. Till now, for the more than 14 years history of the Rescue Center, our volunteers have expended labor more than 20 000 days of voluntary work, which is equivalent to 150 000 – 200 000 euros in manpower alone.

To become part of EVS was a long felt dream of the Wildlife Rescue Center. The presence of these international youngsters, which participate actively and with happiness and enthusiasm in the daily life and work of the Rescue center, brings to us lot of positivity The first steps in the Youth In Action program were made officially in 2007 when the Wildlife Rescue Center was accredited as a hosting organization by the Bulgarian National Agency. Since then the Center has had real and visible success.

Short description of the program:
EVS – European Voluntary Service is Action 2 of Youth in Action EU program, 2007-2013,  The activities are done in foreign countries and is a once in lifetime opportunity for youngsters between 18 and 30 to live and volunteer abroad for short-term – from 2 weeks up to 2 months, or long-term projects – from 2 up to 12 months. They will get professional support, guidance and tutorship for the entire duration of the project. At the end, the volunteers will get a certificate for the results achieved at the time of the project entitled ‘Youthpass’. The European commission covers all expenses in EVS activity – accommodation, food, transport, language lessons and even a monthly allowance. The main benefits of the program is to offer the possibility for the volunteers to acquire new skills and knowledge, to experience other cultures and concepts, to learn new languages and to challenge or enhance  their points of view or opinions on life and all aspects of it. Amongst the priorities of the program are intercultural dialogue and reaching people with lesser opportunities.

Volunteers to date:

Since September 2007 the Wildlife Rehabilitation and Breeding Center, Green Balkans – Stara Zagora, has hosted 5 youngsters from 4 different countries. These are our friends Swentje Muller, 22 from Germany, Richard Werban, 20 from Germany, Federico Lettiery, 27 from  Italy, Mylene Sannier, 22 from France and Cora-Michal Graulich, 19 from Germany.
You can see the impressions of our volunteers:
Richard Werban, Germany – impressions
Related links in youth activates:
Green Balkans Youth project – data base
Youth in Action program
National Centre European Youth Programs And Initiatives
“This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein”.