Objective of the call

The European Solidarity Corps (ESC) aims to promote solidarity as a value, mainly throughvolunteering, to enhance the engagement of young people and organisations in accessible and highquality solidarity activities as a means to contribute to strengthening cohesion, solidarity,democracy and citizenship in Europe, while also responding to societal challenges andstrengthening communities, with particular effort to promote social inclusion. It shall alsocontribute to European cooperation that is relevant to young people.

Strucuture and actions

The call implements 3 operational Actions:

- Volunteering. It includes two sub-actions:

a) Individual volunteering: full-time unpaid solidarity activity in a broad range of areasfor a duration from 2 to 12 months. In some cases, volunteering activities of 2 weeksto 2 months can be put in place for young people with fewer opportunities. Thisactivity will give young people the chance to take part in the daily work of hostingorganisations. Activities can take place either in a country other than the country ofresidence of the participant or in the country of residence of the participant.

b) Volunteering teams: solidarity activities allowing teams of 10 to 40 participants fromat least two different countries to volunteer together for a period between 2 weeksand 2 months. Such activities could contribute to the inclusion of young people withfewer opportunities in the ESC. At least a quarter of the volunteers must come from abroad.

The Volunteering strand can be implemented through 3 types of projects:

Volunteering Projects, Volunteering Partnerships (open only for organisations that signed a Framework PartnershipAgreement for 2018-2020) and Volunteering Teams in high priority areas (Cultural heritage,Social inclusion of people with fewer opportunities, Response to environmental and climatechallenges).

- Traineeships and Jobs. It includes two sub-actions, which can take place either in a countryother than the country of residence of the participant or in the country of residence of theparticipant:

a) Traineeships: periods of full-time remunerated work practice of between 2 to 6months renewable once for a maximum duration of 12 months within the sameparticipating organisation. This activity should include a learning and trainingcomponent, to help the participant gain relevant experience with a view todeveloping competences useful for the personal, educational, social, civic andprofessional development.

b) Jobs: solidarity activities for young people, for a period from 3 to 12 months, paid bythe participating organisation that employs the participant. Such jobs shall include alearning and training component and be based on a written employment contract,which respects all the terms and conditions of employment as defined in nationallaw.

- Solidarity projects: in-country solidarity activity on a clearly identified topic initiated,developed and implemented by young people themselves. It gives a group of minimum fiveyoung persons the chance to express solidarity by taking responsibility and committingthemselves to bring positive change in their local community. In this action no hostingorganization is required.

Eligible applicants

Individuals: the participants to Volunteering activities are 18-30 year old young people residing inone of the ESC eligible countries. Jobs and traineeships and Solidarity projects are open toparticipants residing in the EU Member States. The participants must be registered in the onlinedatabase of the ESC.

Host Organisations: ESC projects are submitted and managed by public or private organisationestablished in an EU Member State. Volunteering and solidarity projects are also open to theparticipation of: EFTA countries, Switzerland, EU acceding and candidate countries and agroup of neighbouring countries specified in the call. To participate to the call, the hostorganisations must have previously obtained the accreditation (Quality Label) with the NationalAgency of their country. This is required to ensure their compliance with the principles andobjectives of the ESC, as regards their responsibilities during all stages of solidarity activities.A Quality Label is not needed for solidarity projects.

Partnership criteria

Individual volunteering: for cross-border activities at least two organisations, one host and onesupporting organisation. A supporting organisation from the country in which the participant islegally residing is required. For in-country activities, at least one host organisation is required.

Volunteering teams and Traineeships and Jobs: at least one host organization.

Solidarity projects: an organization can apply on behalf of the group that will implement theproject. However, this is not mandatory and the project can be submitted directly from the group ofyoung people.

Funding

All the actions are funded through a series of lump sum calculated on the basis of activitiesimplemented and participants involved. These lump sums cover costs such as: travel, organisationalsupport, inclusion support and pocket money for volunteers. The maximum co-financing rate willbe 80%, with the exception of Solidarity Projects that have a co-financing rate of 95%.

Projects duration

Volunteering Projects and Volunteering Teams in high priority areas: from 3 to 24 months

Volunteering Partnerships: 18 months.

Traineeships and Jobs: from 6 to 24 months.

Solidarity projects: from 2 to 12 months.

Deadlines

Volunteering Projects, Traineeships and Jobs and Solidarity projects: 5 February, 30 April and 1October 2019

Volunteering Partnerships: 20 April 2019

Volunteering Teams in high priority areas: 28 September 2019

More information at

https://ec.europa.eu/youth/solidarity-corps