Frequently Asked Questions

The European Solidarity Corps offers opportunities for young people and organisations to take part in solidarity activities. These include volunteering activities and Solidarity Projects.

Organisations may also apply for a Quality Label if they want to host, support or lead volunteering activities under the programme.

Young people may register for the European Solidarity Corps from age 17, but must be at least 18 when an activity starts. For standard volunteering activities, participants must normally be no older than 30 at the start. Humanitarian Aid Volunteering is a centralised action with an upper age limit of 35 and additional requirements. View ESC Centralised Actions for details.

Register for the European Solidarity Corps

About the European Solidarity Corps

Humanitarian Aid Volunteering

Register and search through the European Solidarity Corps Portal. Registration does not guarantee a placement; organisations publish opportunities and select participants.

A volunteering project allows young people to take part in solidarity activities, usually through an organisation that has the required Quality Label. Volunteering may take place abroad or, in some cases, in-country, depending on the action rules.

A Solidarity Project is a local project initiated, developed and implemented by a group of young people to address a need in their community.

A Solidarity Project is a non-profit solidarity activity initiated, developed and implemented by young people themselves. It gives a group of young people the opportunity to take responsibility for a project that creates positive change in their local community.

The project should have a clear topic, involve all group members and show European added value.

An informal group is a group of young people who are not legally registered as an organisation. The exact minimum number of members depends on the action. For European Solidarity Corps Solidarity Projects, the project is implemented by a group of at least five young people. For some Erasmus+ Youth actions, different informal group rules may apply.

One member may need to have the legal capacity to represent the group and undertake obligations on its behalf.

Action: Check the rules for the specific action before registering or applying as an informal group.

No. A legally registered organisation should not present itself as an informal group. Applications must reflect the applicant’s actual legal status.

If a registered organisation supports young people, this should be made clear in the application and the correct applicant type should be used.

Action: Use the applicant type that matches your real legal status.

Groups of young people applying for decentralised actions must register through the Organisation Registration system and obtain an Organisation ID (OID). Any group documentation required for the relevant call must be uploaded during registration or application. Existing groups should check that their profile is current before applying.

 

Yes. A group of young people may seek administrative support from an organisation. The organisation may apply on behalf of the group and support administrative or financial tasks, but the project should remain initiated and led by the young people.

The organisation’s role should not take over the ownership of the project idea.

An informal group may manage only one active Erasmus+ or European Solidarity Corps project at a time. The group must complete its ongoing project before applying for another. If the group’s circumstances or legal status have changed, contact EUPA before submitting.
Applications must reflect the applicant’s actual legal status. Incorrect or misleading information may affect eligibility and may lead to corrective action in accordance with the applicable programme rules. If you are unsure whether you are an informal group or a registered organisation, contact EUPA before submitting.

Public or private entities may apply for a Quality Label if they meet the relevant eligibility and quality requirements. Groups of young people are not eligible for the Quality Label.

A Quality Label for lead organisation has additional requirements and is needed to apply for funding under volunteering projects.

Learn about the European Solidarity Corps Quality Label

Young people can search for opportunities through the European Solidarity Corps Portal. Organisations with a Quality Label may publish volunteering activities and search for potential participants through the Portal.

Availability changes regularly, so profiles should be kept updated.

Search European Solidarity Corps volunteering opportunities

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