Youth voluntary service

Youth voluntary service (YVS) is an educational volunteering program lasting 6 months for young people from 14 to 29 years old, during which young people spend 40 hours volunteering for a month in a chosen accredited (status can be checked in the ugdomoji savanorystės programa jauniems žmonėms nuo 14 iki 29 m., kurios metu jaunuoliai 40 val. per mėnesį savanoriauja pasirinktoje akredituotoje (statusą galima patikrinti database of hosting organizations)) host organization , meets every month with a mentor appointed by the organization organizing the volunteer activity savanorystę koordinuojančios , learns difficulties, the experience of reflection and name the learning, formulate the direction of improvement.

The goal of the YVS program is to help a young person find a career he likes, get to know himself better, develop general competencies, gain work experience and strengthen self-confidence.

Volunteers who volunteer at least 120 hours within 3-6 months, acquire a YVS certificate - a document confirming the skills acquired or strengthened during the program, but only for a continuous 240 hours in 6 months, the service provides recognition of the entrance score of 0.25 for admission to first-cycle studies.


HOW TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER?

1. Register: https://jst.jra.lt/registracija-tapti-savanoriu

⇒ Po registracijos termino pabaigos užsiregistravusiųjų kontaktai perduodami savivaldybę koordinuojančiai savanorystę koordinuojančiai organizacijai, kuri su potencialiais savanoriais susisiekia el. paštu / telefonu ir sutaria laiką dėl informacinio susitikimo. Per 7 kalendorines dienas nepateikus atsakymo dėl apsisprendimo dalyvauti programoje, vieta perleidžiama sekančiam kandidatui.

⇒ Volunteers are invited to the program in order according to the time of registration and the number of free places in the program in the municipality where the volunteer registered.

⇒ The number of places in the program is limited in the municipalities, so volunteers who have registered but did not get into the program will be invited to serve when the opportunity arises.

⇒ Please note that it is very important to enter the correct phone number and e-mail. Also, don't forget to check the email you registered with!

⇒ Twice a year, basic registrations for the YVS program are announced, where young people from all municipalities of Lithuania can register. 3-4 additional registrations for vacant YVS program places in specific municipalities and additional registrations for YVS implementation places additionally financed by municipalities are also announced.

2. Participate in an informational meeting.

During the informational meeting, the progress and conditions of the YVS program are presented, the opportunities and needs of young people are determined, and help is provided to choose an organization that accepts volunteers. 

3. Participate in a tripartite meeting of volunteer, curator and mentor.

⇒ During the meeting, everyone's expectations, possibilities, the process of signing the contract and the start of volunteering are discussed. Also, the goals of volunteering and the activities that the volunteer will carry out in the chosen organization hosting the volunteers.

4. Pasirašyti trišalę sutartį su pasirinkta savanorius priimančia ir savanorystę koordinuojančia organizacija.

⇒ The contract contains the duties and rights of all parties and defines the scope of activities, the volunteering period, the functions of the volunteer, and/or the goals of volunteering.

⇒ If the volunteer is under 18 years of age, one of the parents/guardians must have write permission to participate in volunteer activities.

5. Start volunteering: filling out digital schedules of volunteer activities in the jst.jra.lt there are regular meetings with a mentor (at least once a month), during which skills training and experience are discussed, digital competence badges are issued, and regular meetings with a curator (at least 2 times a month).

JST programa turi savitą struktūrą ir neatsiejamus komponentus – tai ne tik intensyvi tarnyba, tačiau ir reguliarūs susitikimai su kuratoriumi bei mentoriumi, darbas bendrųjų kompetencijų lavinimo temomis, todėl savanoriška veikla, kuri vyko ne programos rėmuose, nesuteikia 0,25 stojamojo balo. Tik savanoriai, kurių tarnybos valandų apskaita reguliariai pateikiama Jaunimo reikalų agentūrai bei vyksta nuolatinis darbas su savanorystę koordinuojančios organizacijos mentoriumi, įgyja tam skirtą specialų pažymėjimą, suteikiantį stojamojo balo dedamąją.

⇒ Tasks and volunteer activity schedules are coordinated individually with the curator.


IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER

1. The YVS certificate, which gives 0.25 entrance points, is issued if the volunteer successfully completes the program in accordance with all requirements.

⇒ Voluntary activities must be carried out for at least 2 hours per week and at least 35 hours per month, but not less than 110 hours and no more than 130 hours within 3 months from the date of the start of voluntary activity specified in the contract and at least 240 hours within 6 months.

During the YVS program, the volunteer must acquire at least 5 digital competence badges in his badgecraft.eu account. Badges are issued by the mentor.

⇒ The volunteer may, without a justifiable reason, not perform the activity once (no more than 1 week) during the entire term of the volunteer's youth voluntary service set in the contract.

⇒ Voluntary activities can be carried out remotely, but no more than 8 hours per month, this must be indicated in the volunteer's activity schedule.

⇒ The YVS certificate is issued by the Youth Affairs Agency.

2. The duration of the YVS certificate is not limited, but the decision on the recognition of competencies acquired informally is made at the end of each year at the conference of rectors of Lithuanian universities. 

3. From 2021-07-20, students who submit a certificate confirming completed 6 months duration Youth voluntary service - social-civic activities are also included. More information here.


Frequently asked questions about Youth Voluntary Service


We coordinate the youth voluntary service program in these municipalities

In the Vilnius county region: In the Utena county region: In the Kaunas county region:
Vilnius city municipality Anykščiai district municipality Kaišiadorys district municipality
Vilnius district municipality Utena district municipality Jonava district municipality
Trakai district municipality Ignalina district municipality Prienai district municipality
Elektrėnai municipality Molėtai district municipality Birštonas district municipality
Švenčionys district municipality Zarasai district municipality  
Širvintos district municipality Visaginas district municipality  
Ukmergė district municipality    
Šalčininkai district municipality    

Naujo mentoriaus registracija į jst.jra.lt sistemą.

Visų Lietuvoje akredituotų savanorystę koordinuojančių organizacijų sąrašas.

Stay tuned for news about Youth Voluntary Service on the website of the Agency for Youth Affairs arba socialiniuose tinkluose Facebook ir Instagram.