European Solidarity Corps
In a few words:
The European Solidarity Corps (ESC) is a European Union initiative that aims to give young people the opportunity to volunteer or work in projects at home or abroad aimed at helping communities and people across Europe. The ESC builds on the success of more than twenty years of European youth and volunteering programs and in particular on the experience of the European Voluntary Service (EVS). An ESC volunteering project offers young people the opportunity to experience mobility and commitment in another country. It allows them to discover another culture and acquire useful skills for socio-professional integration. Concretely, the ESC allows you to get involved and carry out missions of general interest (socio-cultural animation, protection of heritage, help for people in difficulty, etc.) within a non-profit structure (associations, communities, etc.). Support before, during and after the ESC is provided by the structures involved in the project. At the end of the ESC, a Youthpass certificate can be given, a tool created by the European Union to identify and promote volunteers’ skills and acquired experience.
Conditions:
- Be between 18 and 30 years old.
- No language certification, diploma or training is required to participate in an ESC project.
- Duration: 2 weeks to 2 months (short term) and/or 2 to 12 months (long term).
- Specific conditions for young people with fewer opportunities.
Where to go?
The volunteer must carry out their project in a member state of the European Union or one of the partner countries. You should consult the list in the program guide.
Financial and pedagogical support:
The European Union grant is paid directly to the structure coordinating the project. It must help cover the costs of transportation, accommodation, food and activities of the ESC project for the volunteer. Young volunteers receive pocket money and an health insurance is ensured. They also benefit from online language support and tutoring throughout their CES project.
How to participate?
- First of all, young people must create a participant profile on the European Solidarity Corps portal and apply for the projects of their choice.
- At the same time, they must choose and contact a sending organization such as the Maison de l’Europe Bordeaux-Aquitaine. The sending organization is an organization accredited by the French National Agency which helps young people to find and build their ESC project.
- To get an idea of the ESC missions offered, you can consult the ESC portal or the list of European organizations certified by the European Union on the European Youth Portal.
- The organizations take care of the administrative procedures and the grant application file.
Why participate in an ESC project?
European volunteering is a life experience. The European Solidarity Corps allows young people to discover other cultures and meet other people from other countries. Young people discover and live an experience of active citizenship by making themselves useful to others. By participating in the ESC, young people acquire many skills, such as learning a foreign language and many other skills (technical, social, civic, etc.) which they will be able to use in their socio-professional integration journey.