Volunteering

Volunteering projects offer opportunities for young people to take part in solidarity activities contributing to the daily work of participating organisations, to the ultimate benefit of the communities within which the activities are carried out. It also helps organisations broaden their impact by hosting volunteers or sending volunteers abroad.

Volunteering is a full-time unpaid activity that has a duration of up to 12 months. This type of solidarity activity is undertaken through participating organisations that offer young people the opportunity to carry out a wide variety of activities, in a structured way.

Interested applicants must firstly be aware of the priorities and the rules of the European Solidarity Corps Programme. Secondly, you will also need to familiarise yourself with European Union Youth Strategy. Discover what Volunteering Projects are all about. 

Organisations taking part must hold an appropriate Quality Label and they can apply for a European Solidarity Corps grant to cover Individual Volunteering or Team Volunteering. The list of organisations holding a quality label can be found here.

Individual Volunteering

Cross-border individual volunteering activities involve at least 2 organisations. This type of solidarity activity provides young people with the opportunity to contribute to the daily work of organisations in solidarity activities to the ultimate benefit of the communities within which the activities are carried out.

Duration: 2 to 12 months. (Volunteering activities of 2 weeks – 2 months can be accepted and implemented for young people with fewer opportunities)

Activities:

• Cross-border i.e. activities taking place in a country different from the country of residence of the participant(s);
• In-country, i.e. activities taking place in the same country as the country of residence of the participant

Team Volunteering

These are solidarity activities that allow teams of participants coming from at least two different countries.  Such solidarity activities could especially contribute to the inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities in the European Solidarity Corps.

Duration: 2 weeks and 2 months.

Age of Participants: between 18 and 30 years old. 

All participating organisations involved in a volunteering activity must hold a valid Quality Label. The organisations involved assume the role of “supporting” the implementation of the activities and the volunteers and/or “hosting” the volunteers. Organisations interested in applying for funding for volunteering activities also require a Quality Label for the “Lead” role.

What is funded?

Travel – for  travel costs from participants’ homes to the place they will carry out volunteering activities

Management Costs – Management costs (e.g. planning, finances, coordination and communication between partners, administrative costs).

Organisational Support – Costs directly linked to the implementation of volunteering activities

Inclusion Support – to enable people with fewer opportunities to take part

Pocket Money – Contribution to additional personal expenses for participants

Language learning support – for language learning materials and training, where needed.

Preparatory Visit – Costs linked to the implementation of the preparatory visit including travel and subsistence.

Exceptional Costs – For costs linked to a financial guarantee, should this be required; Visa costs, costs to support the participation of young people with fewer opportunities, etc.

How to apply?

Your organisation needs a Quality Label before it can apply for funding. If it holds a valid Quality label then the organisation can submit an online application.

If your organisation is interested in applying however it currently does not have a Quality Label then the first step would be to apply and obtain a Quality Label.

Application deadlines can be found here.

Explore Networking Activities (NETs) taking place around Europe planned by National Agencies (NAs) and SALTO Resource Centres to encourage collaboration and sharing of best practice within European Solidarity Corps. They include a number of activities including Contact Seminars to find project partners and Thematic seminars addressing specific topics. European Youth Portal https://youth.europa.eu/home_en is a platform for individuals who want to join the European Solidarity Corps.