Who are the European solidarity corps and why their mission must continue



Published 2020-10-24 13:24:59
ESC participants on bike - Credit: europa.eu

Many young people choose a volunteering project abroad, to improve their skills and develop new abilities for future jobs. The largest European mobility programme is changing due to the coronavirus. What does the future of European volunteering look like?

A well spent gap year

Many young people are stuck after high school graduation, not sure what direction to take, what they want to do with their lives, or what they are good at. Some of them go travelling if they have financial support from their families, but most are just left with the dream of seeing the world, of experiencing another culture and seeing things from a different point of view. Lacking the financial means to wander around until they figure out what they want to do, they might either go to universities that they choose randomly, without ever finding the motivation to graduate, or they get a job which will most likely bring them no satisfaction. Luckily there is a third option, and a very good one. They can go for up to one year to experience the world. And it comes at no financial cost.

European Solidarity Corps or ESC is a new funding programme of the European Union. The European Youth Portal defines the programme as “creating opportunities for young people to volunteer, work, train and run their own solidarity projects that benefit communities around Europe”.

The programme was launched in December 2016 and it follows a similar one – EVS (European Voluntary Service) which had a major impact on the lives of thousands of young people for 20 years prior to this.

Katarzyna, a polish girl that participated in the programme says that the experience allowed her to discover herself and decide what she really wanted. Calum, a participant from the UK says it was the best cure for mental health - better than any drug, therapist or doctor. The best thing he remembers from the projects is the feeling of happiness. Iva from Croatia says that the idea of working in a job where her sole goal is to help and empower people, is really what she wants to do with her life. More statements here and there.

How does it work?

First comes the interest. The ESC is a pool of young people who register their interest to take part in solidarity-related projects, and who agree with and will uphold the Mission and Principles of the European Solidarity Corps. After they register, organisations will be able to search the database for people for their projects and will ask selected participants to join these projects.

To make it short, a young person can start by choosing a destination country, and then check what projects are available there and which of them fit with the field that they want to explore. Or they can do the other way around by choosing the type of project they are interested in, and then seeing which are the countries where this kind of projects are taking place.

Is it for anyone?

There are a few conditions to join.

  • The first one is the age, which has to be between 18 and 30.
  • Also the participants must be legal residents of the EU Member States, or one of the partner countries of the programme: North Macedonia, Turkey, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and the Russian Federation. This goes for the volunteering activities. Traineeships and jobs are open to young people from the EU Member States only, while solidarity projects are open to Programme countries: EU Member States, Turkey, North Macedonia and Iceland.
  • The participants must be available to attend the project for its entire duration. This can last from 2-12 months.

NB: According to the current Withdrawal Agreement between the EU and the UK, Britain will participate to the European Solidarity Corps until 2020 as if it was a EU Member State (which means that UK beneficiaries can continue to receive funding for the full duration of the project, even if it ends after 2020). The participation to future programmes will depend on the negotiations on Brexit (if there is no deal, it will cease to participate from 2021 onwards).

Volunteer, trainee or employee?

The programme consists of volunteering and occupational activities. The volunteering strand offers young people the opportunity to carry out full-time voluntary service of between two and twelve months in another country, while the occupational strand provides young people with the opportunity of a job or traineeship in sectors which are engaged in solidarity-related activities, and which need highly motivated and socially-minded young people.

Does this sound complicated? Well it isn't, especially because there are no headaches for the young participants.

Volunteering scheme

Volunteers do not receive payment for the work they do, but they receive other support such as return travel to and from the project, accommodation, meals, medical insurance and a small amount of spending money to cover their day-to-day living expenses. So pretty much everything is covered, giving the volunteers the opportunity to focus on their own development through the activities they are carrying out.

These activities can be chosen from a wide range of areas such as inclusion, reception and integration of refugees and migrants, citizenship and democratic participation, disaster prevention and recovery, environment and natural protection, health and wellbeing, education and training, employment and entrepreneurship, creativity and culture and sport.

Occupational scheme

Young people engaged through the occupational part of the ESC for a job are signing an employment contract and are paid for the job they do in accordance with the respective national wage laws and collective agreements that are in force. This payment is meant to cover their day-to-day living expenses and accommodation. The ones that are choosing the traineeships also have an employment contract, and get a subsistence allowance.

How is the current Covid19 crisis affecting the programme?

In the context of the current global pandemic, certain participants are either unable to travel from their home countries, or unable to return home from their host country. This is causing a lot of uncertainty and is delaying the beginning or the implementation of many projects. The current situation is also causing parents not to allow their children to travel.

The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) is well aware that the new safety measures taken may have consequences for the participation of students, pupils, volunteers and others in Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps mobility. That's why Erasmus+ launched on 25 August 2020 two extraordinary calls for proposals, each of 100 million €, to support digital education readiness and creative skills, meant to respond to the coronavirus epidemic. They are concerning all the branches of the Erasmus+ Programme, including ESC. These calls will help link education, training and youth organisations with those in the cultural and creative sectors. Organisations that wish to participate can apply until the 29 October 2020.

Most of the young people that participated in this programme became independent, responsible citizens and decision makers, making a big impact on their communities. The European solidarity corps are little peace soldiers that are changing the world every day, through their selfless actions, creating a better future around them and influencing others along the way. And this is why they have to keep going.


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Author: Oana Tamas
I am passionate about life. Nature, people, art and everything that is making its magic on this beautiful planet, is worth our attention. I believe that communication is the key of life and wellbeing and I am a content writer for EasyExpat.com
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