The European Solidarity Corps is open to the world bringing together volunteers and organisations from different countries, and offering cross-border volunteering activities in support of humanitarian aid operations in third countries.
 

Who can participate
European Solidarity Corps volunteering activities are open to 18-35 year old people who legally reside in a EU Member State or in a third country associated to the Programme (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Turkey and Republic of North Macedonia) and who have registered in the European Solidarity Corps Portal.

Volunteering activities
You have the choice between individual volunteering and volunteering in teams, for a short or longer period.

Individual volunteering

• can last from 2 months up to 12 months
• is full-time (between 30 and 38 hours a week) 
• allows you to contribute to the daily to carry out tasks needed to support the activities undertaken by the host organisation, which is an organisation active in the humanitarian aid field
• is ‘cross-border’ – i.e. in a different country to where you live – and takes place in a third country where there are ongoing humanitarian aid activities and operation

Team volunteering

• can last between 2 weeks and 2 months
• is full-time (between 30 and 38 hours a week)
• you volunteer with people from at least 2 different countries
• the group will be between 5 and 40 volunteers who will be selected by the supporting and host organisations 
• takes place in a third country where there are ongoing humanitarian aid activities and operations

Benefits
All volunteers will have access to a range of support services such as linguistic support and training.
The programme covers the expenses during the deployment, including travel costs, a complementary insurances, accommodation and food.
In addition, volunteers will receive small allowance for personal expenses
Cost for specific needs (e.g. a disability), may also be covered.
 

Supporting and host organisations
If you’re selected to go abroad for some humanitarian aid volunteering, at least 3 organisations will be involved:

• At least 2 support organisations – from different EU Member States or third countries associated to the programme (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Turkey and Republic of North Macedonia). These organisations will help you to prepare for your experience abroad. 
• At least 1 host organisation – based in a third country not associated to the programme where there are no ongoing international or non-international armed conflicts and where humanitarian aid activities take place. This organisation will accompany you during your volunteering activities abroad. 
• First opportunities are expected to be published in the second quarter of 2023. 

Visas & residence permits
You may need one (or both) of these when moving between countries to take part in your Corps activity. 
Please make your request for any such travel or residence permits well in advance, as the process may take several weeks.
For details, contact the relevant National Agency or the Executive Agency. 

For general information on visas and residence permits, for both short and long-term stays, check the EU immigration portal.

How to register
You can register here and express your interest in Humanitarian aid volunteering.
 

Compulsory Online Training Courses
Prior to a volunteering activity volunteers need to have completed successfully a self-assessment, an online and face-to-face training.
The compulsory training course is delivered online on the EU Academy platform. Those who pass the test, will then take part to a 5 days face-to face training in groups of around 25 candidates. 
The online training course on EU Academy are accessible via the “Online training” tab in volunteers’ European Solidarity Corps accounts. Volunteers need to select the option “Humanitarian aid training” (not General Online Training). Once on the EU academy platform, they will first be invited to make a self-assessment, and then, if they decide to continue their journey, they will start the compulsory training for Humanitarian aid volunteering.

Find out more here.