Financed by the Commission, organisations working in solidarity-related activities, whether a localauthority, non-governmental organisation or company, will be able to recruit young people tovolunteer or carry out a work placement, internship or apprenticeship or training with them, providedthey meet the criteria for becoming a host organisation and subscribe to the Charter of the EuropeanSolidarity Corps.

The Commission is establishing two types of youth placement as part of the Solidarity Corps. Young people between the ages of 18-30 can take part for a period of two to twelve months in either:

Volunteer placements - offering full-time voluntary opportunities, with a grant; or
Occupational placements - providing opportunities to find a job, traineeships, orapprenticeships in a wide range of sectors.

Every young European aged between 18 and 30 years old. It is possible for non-EU residents to join too, when specified into the project itself.

You can find European Solidarity Corps projects in each EU country and occasionally outside the European Union.

They work like any other volunteering opportunity, except for the fact that they are a Programme fully funded by the European Union. The calls are available for all young people from 18 years old and 30 years old. Those who already took part in the previous EVS Programme will not be able to join the ESC. The biggest innovation, compared to the EVS, is that now it is possible to apply for a short-term project and, afterwards, for a long-term project too – while the reverse is not possible.

For a volunteering placement, living expenses such as food, accommodation and pocket money, aswell as travel and insurance will normally be covered.