European Solidarity Corps — Volunteering Activities

Benefits & funding

• Travel to and from the project, paid by the programme.
• Accommodation and food for the length of the activity.
• Pocket money for personal expenses, paid monthly. Rates are set per host country and printed on each placement listing; one Berlin listing states €7.00 a day in pocket money plus a €9.60 a day food allowance.
• Insurance that starts when the volunteer leaves for the host country and runs until two months after the activity ends, as either top-up or primary health cover.
• Online Language Support in the working language for activities of two months or longer.
• Participants in long-term activities are offered pre-departure training for cross-border activities, on-arrival training, and a mid-term evaluation for activities of six months or more.
• A mentor at the hosting organisation for personal support during the placement.
• Costs linked to specific needs, so that a disability or another barrier does not decide who can take part.
• Participants must request a Youthpass certificate at the end of the activity to document the skills and learning outcomes from the project.

Eligibility

• Age 18 to 30 at the start of the activity. Registration on the portal is possible from 17.
• Residence in one of the covered countries. The 27 EU member states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
• Countries associated to the programme: Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia and Türkiye.
• Countries not associated to the programme: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Norway, Palestine, Russia, Serbia, Syria, Tunisia and Ukraine.
• Eligibility follows country of residence. Legal residence in a covered country is what counts, whatever passport the applicant holds.
• Each placement sets its own scope. Some accept applicants residing in any covered country, others list a shorter set, and the listing decides.
• No diploma, prior experience or language certificate is required by the programme itself.
• The activity can take place abroad or in the volunteer’s own country of residence.

Application process

1. 1
   Create an EU Login account, the European Commission sign-in service, and set up the required multi-factor authentication.
2. 2
   Register on the European Solidarity Corps portal and complete the profile: interests, languages, availability and any experience.
3. 3
   Search the opportunities database on the portal and read each listing for tasks, dates, working language and the list of countries it accepts.
4. 4
   Apply from the personal dashboard. Hosting organisations also contact registered members directly.
5. 5
   Talk to the organisation, agree the dates and the tasks, and settle practical arrangements.
6. 6
   Take the pre-departure training for a cross-border placement, then the on-arrival training, and meet the assigned mentor.
7. 7
   Complete the activity and request the Youthpass certificate.

Program timeline

1. Any time

   Create an EU Login account and register on the portal, possible from age 17

2. Any time

   Apply to placements. Listings commonly show no application deadline and stay open until filled

3. Before departure

   Pre-departure training for cross-border activities

4. First weeks on site

   On-arrival training and introduction to the mentor

5. 2 weeks to 12 months

   The activity itself, 30 to 38 hours a week

6. Halfway point

   Mid-term evaluation for activities of six months or more

7. End of the activity

   Request the Youthpass certificate

8. Two months after the activity

   Insurance cover ends