Association of Voluntary Service Organisations - AVSO

The "Association of Voluntary Service Organisations" (AVSO) is an international non-governmental organisation, forming a European platform of national and international non-profit organisations in Europe active in the field of longer-term (6-18 months) full-time Voluntary Service, thus directly or indirectly representing more than 80 volunteer organisations throughout Europe. AVSO aims to promote (long-term) Voluntary Service by lobbying governmental institutions, by networking with non-governmental and public organisations, by organising seminars on issues related to Voluntary Service, by publish-ing and disseminating information. AVSO strives for a legal status for volunteers as non-employees and their sending and hosting organisations as non-employers in order to overcome the problems of visas, residence and work permits, social benefits etc. Based in Brussels, AVSO has become a representative and liasing body for its members in dealings with the European Commission.