The European Solidarity Corps (ESC) is an international volunteer program founded by the European Commission within the Erasmus+ framework.
The program is tailored to young people aged between 18 and 30 years old. It allows them to gather new skills and experience abroad and work with initiatives that benefit local communities. An ESC project is a partnership between a sending and a receiving organization. The former prepares the volunteer before departure, guarantees pre-departure training and follows up with the volunteer throughout their stay abroad and upon their return. The receiving organization is the one where the volunteer is working. The volunteer will work 5 days out of 7, for a maximum of 40 hours per week, and will have 2 days of leave per month.
How long?
ESC can last from 2 weeks to 12 months and it can be:
- short term (from 2 weeks up to 2 months) international volunteers focus on a short project
- long term (from 2 months up to 12 months) volunteers work in an organization.
Where?
You can go for an ESC in over 50 countries:
- All 28 European Union countries;
- EFTA countries (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein);
- Candidate countries (Turkey);
- Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia);
- Eastern Europe and Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russian Federation, Ukraine);
- Mediterranean Partner Countries (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia).
What to do?
The areas of activity are broad:
- culture and art projects (organising events, festivals);
- sport (organising competitions, promoting healthy lifestyles);
- education (working in schools, kindergartens, teaching English classes);
- help (working in nursing homes, orphanages);
- working in NGO’s (helping with organisation’s ongoing projects).
But ESC is not all about working, you get to explore a new country and meet its people. Thanks to its intercultural dimension and its non-formal approach, the EVS is a unique opportunity to come into contact with other cultures and acquire new skills and abilities. All great assets in your personal and professional growth.
What do you get?
You will have free accommodation, food, insurance, pocket money and your plane ticket will be paid for. At the end of your ESC, you will receive a certificate, the Youthpass. It describes your project and confirms your participation in it.
