European Solidarity Corps: Volunteering Teams

Not sure if you want to go for a Volunteering Project or Volunteering Teams under the European Solidarity Corps? Let’s have a look at the differences.

European Solidarity Corps Programme

The European Solidarity Corps is a European programme under the Erasmus Plus that allow young people (18-30) from European and partners countries to do a volunteering experience abroad from a minimum of 2 weeks to a maximum of 12 months. ESC is a one-in-a-life experience and, as such, young people are strongly welcomed to join in, to gain experience in a field of choice and for their personal growth.

The general objective of the Programme is to enhance the engagement of young people and organisations in accessible and high-quality solidarity activities, primarily volunteering.

The specific objective of the Programme is to provide young people, including young people with fewer opportunities, with easily accessible opportunities for engagement in solidarity activities that induce positive societal changes.

The European Solidarity Corps provide different types of experiences:

• Volunteering projects;
• Volunteering Teams in high priority areas;
• Solidarity projects;
• Humanitarian Aid Volunteering projects.

Volunteering Teams in high priority areas

This article is going to be focusing on the Volunteering Teams opportunities.

Volunteering teams are solidarity activities that allow teams of participants coming from at least two different countries to volunteer together for a period between 2 weeks and 2 months.

.In volunteering teams, European Solidarity Corps’ volunteers will carry out tasks for a project over a short period of time (usually, but not exclusively, during holidays, breaks between study periods, transition from education to work, etc.). Despite their shorter duration, these activities will be valuable both for the individuals and for the communities in which the volunteering takes place.

Examples of the activities to carry out could be:

• restoring cultural heritage damaged by natural disaster;
• catering for species threatened by extinction;
• organising educational activities in refugee camps.

Volunteering Teams are particularly suitable for a first experience in volunteering. The volunteers will carry out the activities in a group. This can be an incentive for youngsters who do not feel ready to embark into challenging experiences on their own. The time to commit is relatively short. This kind of projects provide also preparatory visits to the venue of the volunteering activities before the start of the activities.

How To Participate To a Volunteering Teams Project

Young people who want to participate in the European Solidarity Corps must register on the European Solidarity Corps Portal.

Once registered, you just have to search for Volunteering Teams Projects and apply.
The organisation will receive your application and get back to you.

Read also

Join the Youth Panel to Build the European Solidarity Corps Training

Certify Your Soft-Skills with GloRe Certificate