European Heritage Volunteers Projects are projects in the field of heritage-related volunteering or heritage education.

Their topics are very diverse and range from handicraft-based projects to projects in historical parks and gardens and in cultural landscapes, as well as projects in archaeology, in revitalisation of abandoned heritage sites and in heritage documentation and interpretation. Most of the European Heritage Volunteers Projects take place in rural areas where a significant number of endangered heritage sites can be found, presenting ideal circumstances for intervention by heritage volunteers.

The European Heritage Volunteers Projects, each lasting two weeks, are led by experienced craftspeople or other field-specific professionals, and are open to both professionals and volunteers with no previous heritage-linked training or skills. Exchanges between participants coming from different cultural and educational backgrounds make up an essential part of European Heritage Volunteers’ concept – students of heritage-linked subjects often obtain their first practical experiences in their study-field during volunteering projects, whereas they have the opportunity to share their theoretical knowledge with participants who have more hands-on experience.

European Heritage Volunteers Projects are initiated either by European Heritage Volunteers itself, either by an institution, organisation or initiative based in a European country. In the latter case, European Heritage Volunteers supports the project’s conceptual development, providing advice and models of best-practice. The projects are required to fulfil certain criteria, in particular a high-quality approach to heritage-related activities and a corresponding well-developed volunteering or educational approach. European Heritage Volunteers provides mentorship to the Project Partners, supporting them by promoting the projects, recruiting the participants, as well as by providing financial support, networking opportunities, evaluation, feedback and follow-up activities.

European Heritage Volunteers and its Project Partners have organised over the past two decades more than 200 European Heritage Volunteers Projects that has seen participation from almost 3,000 volunteers coming from 73 countries worldwide.

Usually the projects of the spring programme (March & April) are published mid of January of the particular year, the projects of the summer & autumn programme (Juli to December) at the end of February of the particular year.