Projects and grants

The European Solidarity Corps allows young people to gain valuable experience, whether through volunteer stays, involvement in an internship or by acquiring work experience abroad. The programme supports volunteer projects and partnerships, internships and jobs, as well as solidarity projects.

Which organisations can get involved in these projects?

  • Public and private organisations and institutions from EU member states may participate and submit applications.
  • Organisations from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Northern Macedonia, Turkey and countries neighbouring the EU may participate as partners in individual projects.

Project Application Deadlines

  • 28 May at 12:00 (midday Brussels time) for volunteering and solidarity projects
  • 5 October at 12:00 (midday Brussels time) for volunteering and solidarity projects

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Volunteer projects

Volunteer projects target young people who are interested in actively participating in world events through local activities, while at the same time acquiring valuable experience.

  • to enable young people to respond to major social changes
  • to enable volunteers to acquire useful experience, skills and competencies for their personal, educational, civic and professional development 
  • to improve young people’s chances on the labour market 
  • to develop local and regional organisations and communities

Project types

  • Volunteer projects 

    Volunteer projects target young people who are interested in actively participating in world events through local activities, while at the same time acquiring valuable experience.  

    Project goals 

    • to enable young people to respond to major social changes
    • to enable volunteers to acquire useful experience, skills and competencies for their personal, educational, civic and professional development 
    • to improve young people’s chances on the labour market 
    • to develop local and regional organisations and communities

  • Volunteer partnerships 

    Volunteer partnerships are a specific form of project, designed to enable experienced organisations to create and implement long-term volunteer projects. They provide organisations with a simple and flexible alternative format for the implementation of voluntary activities. 

    Partnership goals 

    • to help improve the quality and number of opportunities for volunteer activities under the programme  
    • to provide a strategic response to important social needs 
    • to contribute to strengthening communities by allowing young people to acquire experience, skills and competencies that are important for their personal, educational, social, civic and professional development, i.e. to improve their chances of employment

Both, volunteer projects and partnerships can include the following types of activities:

Individual volunteering 

Unpaid volunteer solidarity activities involve full-time work (30-36 hours a week) for a period of 2 to 12 months. In certain cases, volunteer activities lasting from 2 weeks to 2 months may be introduced for young people with limited opportunities. This type of solidarity activity enables young people to participate in the organisation’s everyday work. Activities can either take place in the volunteer’s country of origin (in-country), or abroad (cross-border).

Volunteer teams 

Groups of 10 to 40 young volunteers from at least two different countries can participate in team activities for a period of between 2 weeks and 2 months. These short-term activities, which demonstrate solidarity, may help to include young people with limited opportunities in the European Solidarity Corps. 

Conditions for involvement

  • The organisation must have Erasmus+ volunteer accreditation, or the appropriate European Solidarity Corps Quality Label accreditation for volunteering. 
  • At least two organisations must be involved in the project – one hosting and one supporting. However, this is not essential for activities in the volunteer’s country of origin (national activity) and nor is it necessary for volunteer teams, where the minimum requirement is to have at least one hosting or supporting organisation. 
  • Young people can express their interest in participating by registering in the European Solidarity Corps Database. Organisations must select participants through this portal. 

Organisations participating in volunteer activities should have the following roles

  • Hosting role - covering a whole range of activities relating to hosting a volunteer from the Solidarity Corps, providing advice and support for all phases of the project
  • Supporting role - covering support, preparation and training of participants prior to their actual departure for the project, connecting volunteers and host organisations and providing support for volunteers returning to their country of origin

Projects follow these phases

  1. Preparation (including practical arrangements, selection of participants, completing an agreement with partners and participants, language / intercultural / content training for participants before leaving)

  2. Activity implementation

  3. Follow-up (including evaluation of activities, formal recognition of the volunteer's educational results, certificate of participation, dissemination of project results)

What does the funding cover?

  • travel costs 
  • organisational support (a contribution to living expenses, support for participants, project management costs) 
  • pocket money for volunteers 
  • language support 
  • support for integration, insurance 
  • extraordinary expenses

Submitting Applications Procedure

  1. Read the Handbook for the European Solidarity Corps programme (available in English and Czech for 2020).

  2. Register your organisation or group of young people on the european portal, where you will receive a unique registration number (OID). You will need this when you fill out the funding application. If you have already registered on the participant portal (URF), you will not have to re-register. Your PIC number will automatically be converted to an OID number.

  3. Make sure you have a valid Erasmus + Youth accreditation (this accreditation is only valid for European Solidarity Corps Voluntary Projects and Partnerships and only for the 2018-2021 programming period) OR apply for a Quality Label no later than 8 weeks before the next deadline for grant applications. You can apply for a Quality Label at this website. 

  4. A specific Quality Label is required for each Corps activity (volunteer projects, volunteer partnerships, internships and jobs).

  5. Complete the online application form for the selected activity. We recommend that you save the application ID number for future reference.

  6. Attach the required documents to the electronic application (download directly in the on-line application form, in the Attachments section): a signed affidavit (scan) and a table of activities. 

  7. You can expect to receive the results of the selection procedure on the website within 3 months and, subsequently, in writing. 

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Internships and jobs

Opportunities for young people to acquire new skills and work experience in the CR and abroad, which will improve their position on the labour market.

Why get involved?

  • Participating organisations from EU programme countries will receive support in finding and integrating new employees and interns from the CR and the EU as a whole.
  • Organisations may derive new motivation and a new perspective on established work procedures.
  • They can try out what is it like to work with an international team.

Internships

Internships involve full-time work for a period of 2 to 6 months, with an option to extend for up to 12 months. Interns are entitled to compensation in accordance with the laws of the country in which the internship takes place. The internship has teaching and training elements, helps participants to obtain relevant experience for their personal, educational, social and professional develop and develops their skills in the area of active citizenship. An internship should never act as a substitute for employment. The project may take place in the CR or in an EU member state.

Jobs

Work placements are full-time and last from 3 to 12 months. The work is paid in full, and contains teaching and training elements. The project may take place in the CR or in an EU member state.

Conditions for involvement

  • the applicant organisation must have the appropriate European Solidarity Corps Quality Label accreditation for internships or work placements
  • Young people express their willingness to participate by registering in the European Solidarity Corps Database. Organisations must select participants through this portal.

What does the funding cover?

  • travel costs 
  • organisational support (support for participants, project management costs) 
  • a relocation contribution for participants
  • language support 
  • support for integration
  • insurance
  • extraordinary expenses

Procedure for submitting applications

  1. Read the Handbook for the European Solidarity Corps programme (available in English and Czech for 2020). 

  2. Register your organisation or group of young people on the european portal, where you will receive a unique registration number (OID). You will need this when you fill out the funding application. If you have already registered on the participant portal (URF), you will not have to re-register. Your PIC number will automatically be converted to an OID number. 

  3. Make sure you have a valid Erasmus + Youth accreditation (this accreditation is only valid for European Solidarity Corps Voluntary Projects and Partnerships and only for the 2018-2021 programming period) OR apply for a Quality Label no later than 8 weeks before the next deadline for grant applications. You can apply for a Quality Label at this website.  

  4. A specific Quality Label is required for each Corps activity (volunteer projects, volunteer partnerships, internships and jobs). 

  5. Complete the correct online application form for the activity selected. We recommend that you save the application ID number for future reference .

  6. Attach the required annexes to the electronic application (download directly in the on-line application form, in the Annexes section): a signed affidavit (scan) and a table of activities.  

  7. You can expect to receive the results of the selection procedure on the website within 3 months and, subsequently, in writing.  

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Solidarity projects

 A solidarity project is initiated, prepared and implemented by a group of young people who express solidarity by responding to key challenges in the local community, thereby contributing to positive change. This is a national initiative, but it reflects European values.

Project goals

To seek solutions to current and future social problems, to reinforce mutual understanding, thereby contributing to positive changes and to work towards a more inclusive society. Inclusion is an important aspect of solidarity projects.

Who can get involved?

  • an informal group of at least five young people aged between 18 and 30 years inclusive, resident in the CR, who are also registered in the European Solidarity Corps Database
  • a group of young people may also apply under the auspices of an organisation which will carry out, for example, administrative tasks
  • the group may be supported by a coach.

What should I take into consideration?

  • the project duration is 2-12 months
  • there are 3 deadlines each year (February, April and October)
  • you should set clear project goals, as well as the activities you will organise to achieve them.

What does the funding cover?

  • costs associated with project management - 500 EUR/ month
  • costs of a coach - 137 EUR/day (max. 12 days)
  • extraordinary expenses, 100% on application.

Procedure for submitting applications

  1. Read the Handbook for the European Solidarity Corps programme (available in English and Czech for 2020). 

  2. Register your organisation or group of young people on the European portal, where you will receive a unique registration number (OID). You will need this when you fill out the funding application. If you have already registered on the participant portal (URF), you will not have to re-register. Your PIC number will automatically be converted to an OID number. 

  3. Complete the online application form for the activity selected. We recommend that you save the application ID number for future reference. 

  4. Attach a signed affidavit (scan).

  5. You can expect to receive the results of the selection procedure on the website within 3 months and, subsequently, in writing.  

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