The first step in applying from Finland for ICYE abroad voluntary work is to fill in the application form which can be downloaded from the bottom of this page. We invite all applicants for a selection interview.
Participants are selected for the International Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE) programme based on their application and an interview. In the selection, the main focus is on personal suitability. The participants need to have an interest in different cultures and people as well as motivation for voluntary work. In addition, openness, flexibility, and ability to adjust as well as the ability and desire to learn new are important during a voluntary work period.
In order to get selected an applicant must have a rather good idea about which sort of program and conditions they are applying for. One does not have to know the culture of the destination country widely, but one must have some sort of a picture of the prevailing living conditions.
The minimum age limit for participating in the ICYE program is 18 years. The upper age limit varies according to the destination country. The age limit of each country is stated in the country introductions.
The participation fee includes accommodation and daily meals, insurance, trainings (pre-departure orientation camp in Finland, a training on the language and culture in the destination country and two evaluation training (in periods of 6 months one evaluation meeting)), daily travels to work, the support of ICYE office in Finland as well as in the destination country, small pocket money, and a meeting of the returnees in Finland after the return.
NB! The participant also needs to pay for the flights and the visa to the destination country. The participant is responsible for organizing their travels to the destination country.
NB! In case extra costs are caused by the Coronavirus situation (quarantine costs when arriving in the destination country, for instance), the participant needs to pay for these costs.
Maailmanvaihto grants the participants stipends (maximum of 500 €) on an economic basis.
Yearly, the first application round for ICYE volunteering ends on 31st October, and the second on 31st January. In the second application round, you are welcome to apply to those destinations to which open places are left from the first application period.
Apply now for the volunteering season 2024–45! The first application period will continue until the end of 31.10.2023, and you can apply to The application period continues until the end of October 2023 and you can apply to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, South Africa, South Korea, Philippines, Ghana, Honduras, Indonesia, India, Japan, Kenya, Colombia, Morocco, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal., Nigeria, Peru, Taiwan, Tanzania, New Zealand, Vietnam, and the United States. In this application round, you are welcome to apply both to the departure of August–September 2024 and January–February 2025.
1) Download the application form (pfd).
2) Fill in your application form and gather the attachments, which are:
3) Email your application to maailmanvaihto@maailmanvaihto.fi or mail it to the address Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland, Oikokatu 3, 00170 Helsinki.
4) We will contact you and invite you for a selection interview.
Would you like to ask us about applying? Please, contact us at maailmanvaihto@maailmanvaihto.fi, 050 452 5660.
