The Network of European Voluntary Service Organisations (NEVSO) is a network of European not-for-profit non-governmental organisations and federations. The member organisations send volunteers to countries in every continent and also host volunteers from other countries in their own country. We represent the interests of international voluntary service organisations in Brussels. (NB. All volunteers serve for at least two months.)
The aims of our work in Brussels are:
• to inform the EU and institutions and federations which are represented in Brussels about current developments in European countries in the field of international voluntary service and related areas;
• to inform our member organisations about EU programmes and relevant regulations;
• to represent our interests at – and provide expert advice to – the institutions of the European Union (Parliament, Commission, Council);
• to network with various organisations which are working on similar issues.
History of NEVSO
The interests of International Voluntary Service providers were exercised by the Association of Voluntary Service Organizations (AVSO) in the mid-1990s. Founding members were u.a. AGDF and EDYN. By 2010 at the latest, AVSO got into a structural crisis.
In 2013, the AGDF decided to quit AVSO and also terminate its responsibilities on the Executive Board, as the AVSO members were not prepared to "revive" the umbrella organization with new human and financial resources, nor did they find a majority in the General Assembly to properly dissolve the association AVSO.
In 2013, the AGDF also takes the initiative for joint representation of interests by several German organisations and their affiliates in the EU. Vera Kockler, coordinator Action Reconciliation Peace Services (ASF) in Belgium, which also represents the concerns of the AGDF in the EU and previously also on the Board of AVSO, should take over the task for other organisation.
At the invitation of AGDF and ASF, Friends of Waldorf Education, AFS Interkulturelle Begegnungen, International Youth Community Services (IJGD) and Evangelische Freiwilligendienste gGmbH will participate in 2014 and participate in the content (meetings, mail exchanges) and financially in the representation of interests. Later comes via e.V. The name becomes German Voluntary Service Organizations (GVSO)
In 2015, Sara Mieth takes over the local representation in Brussels.
In 2016, it is decided that EDYN, as a European association, will participate in the network and that the network will be broader and more European in general by providers from other European countries. Partners of the German organizations are (gradually) asked to sign statements from the network.
In 2017, the network will be renamed Network of European Voluntary Service Organizations (NEVSO) and an enhanced publicity work will take place (website, flyer ...).
In 2018, the first symposium and assembly of NEVSO will take place in Brussels, in which representatives of other organizations, in addition to the NEVSO members, will be present.
