If you’re familiar with the European Solidarity Corps‘ voluntary projects or are aware of the numerous opportunities they offer, congratulations – you are among the few!
European Solidarity Corps is a youth mobility initiative, that allows young people aged 18-30 to volunteer for the benefit of different communities either abroad or in their own country. It means learning new skills, gaining [international] experience, travelling, making friendships, and much more, with no costs!
In my early twenties, I was searching for opportunities to go abroad through various programs, but it was challenging to find suitable options. Working as an Au Pair would involve responsibilities with children, and I had no prior knowledge about childcare. Workaway did not cover travel expenses, which was an obstacle for me at that time. The Work and Travel USA program was not accessible to Latvian students back then.
I had found out about the ESC voluntary project opportunities accidentally, but when I did – it changed my life. I volunteered in the best ESC project that was there for me. I loved it so much, that I took on the role of a coordinator for the next six calls/years.
I know how I would search for another project if I had the chance to do it over (though participation in ESC is a one-time opportunity). Let me tell you!
Let’s start with the main question:
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN AN ESC VOLUNTARY PROJECT?
To participate in European Solidarity Corps project you have to be:
- 18-30 years old
- a resident of one of the following countries:EU countries (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden), Non-EU programme countries (Iceland, North Macedonia, Turkey, Liechtenstein), Partner countries neighbouring the EU (Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Norway, Palestine, Russia, Serbia, Syria, Tunisia, Ukraine).
- You haven’t yet participated in another long-term ESC project (more than two months long)
WHERE TO LOOK FOR AN ESC VOLUNTARY PROJECT?
There are three main sources of information you must check in search of a suitable project:
- European Youth Portal has a list of registered calls you can apply straight from the portal after registration
- Biggest thematic Facebook groups: ESC – European Solidarity Corps – EVS – European Voluntary Service, ESC vacancies, ESC , EVS , ERASMUS+ PROJECTS – Europingram, etc allow the organisations to publish calls for participants
- Sending organisations from your home country are looking for participants for their partner organisations
- You can research projects that are not currently seeking participants, reach out to them, and inquire about applying for the next round
When you’re not constrained by a specific time frame for participation, you can enjoy a greater freedom of choice. You can explore the various calls for participants and select the one that aligns with your interests. In this instance, I would opt for the final strategy mentioned in the list. I have considered or accepted volunteers for the project who contacted me before I announced the call for the upcoming project.
USEFUL TIPS YOU NEED TO KNOW
Participation in the long-term ESC voluntary project (2-12 months) is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Choosing a project that aligns with one’s genuine interests is the wiser approach.
If your motivation is to gain international experience and polish a foreign language skill, think about the criteria listed below. Make sure your choice matches at least one of the points.
When looking for your dream project you can have specific criteria in mind to help you to narrow the search:
- Activity field (Creativity and culture; Education and training; Employment and entrepreneurship; Environment and natural protection; Health and well-being; Physical education and sport; Working with refugees and migrants; Social challenges; Disaster prevention and recovery, etc)
- Country
- Language spoken
I chose my ESC voluntary project by “the activity field” criteria back in 2015 – the project’s content captured my attention and made it worth turning my life upside down. Country and language didn’t matter in my case.
And then again, if you are intrigued by Spanish culture, for instance, volunteering in any ESC project in Spain could be advantageous for your language skills.
“But, Elvira! I can’t be picky. There are not that many ESC projects accepting guys like me!” [non-EU resident]
That is partly true, and therefore this post is a manual filled with tips and observations for young people from outside the EU.
We have hosted volunteers from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Russia, etc., as well as I have received hundreds of applications during the years, that were just not good enough. Believe me, well-crafted application is the initial key step towards participating in a European Solidarity Corps volunteer project.
Best of luck on your international journey!
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