European Solidarity Corps: Opportunities for young people

If you’re aged between 18 and 30 and would like help make society a little better, register with the European Solidarity Corps. MEPs extended the scope of the European Solidarity Corps and approved its programme for 2021-2027 on 18 May.

The new programme includes humanitarian aid, which was previously a separate programme, and will be a stand-alone volunteering programme with its own budget for the first time

The new programme will be more inclusive than the previous one, with the European Commission and EU countries having to present plans to increase the participation of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Young people will also now be able to volunteer in their own country.

The programme proposes volunteering activities for young people aged 18 to 30 and the Parliament successfully negotiated to increase its budget by 15% compared to the previous programme (2018-2020).

About the European Solidarity Corps

Launched in 2016, the European Solidarity Corps aims to be the EU's main entry point for young people wanting to volunteer or work on projects to benefit communities and people across Europe.

The idea is to give young people the opportunity to acquire valuable competences for personal, social, civic and professional development, including learning and training, while helping other people.

Projects include education, health, environment protection, work with children and elderly people as well as with migrants and asylum seekers with priority given to charitable work.

The activities should not affect existing jobs or traineeships and contribute to reinforcing companies' corporate social responsibility commitments, but not replace them.

“Volunteering is a true form of solidarity and it is at the heart of our EU values. Our new programme is more focused and offers so much more to young people in Europe. Volunteering is a vital part of our modern democracy. We will be able to overcome this crisis together if we increase our civic engagement,” said lead MEP Michaela Šojdrova (EPP, Czech Republic).

It's possible to register for the European Solidarity Corps already at 17, but projects can only be started when participants are over 18.

Find out more about the EU's social policies.

Find out more 

• Press release : MEPs approve the EU’s new volunteering programme 
• Procedure file 
• At a glance: European Solidarity Corps 2021-2027  
• Briefing  
• Study: European Solidarity Corps and volunteering  
• Social Europe: what Parliament is doing on social policy
• Covid-19: how the EU fights youth unemployment
• European Solidarity Corps: opportunities for young people  
• Youth employment: the EU measures to make it work
• Reducing unemployment: EU policies explained
• European Social Fund: fighting poverty and unemployment
• How the EU improves workers’ rights and working conditions
• Improving public health: EU measures explained
• Final vote on European Solidarity Corps
• Social security coordination: new rules for more flexibility and clarity
• Posted workers: the facts on the reform (infographic)
• Posting of workers: final vote on equal pay and working conditions
• Gig economy: EU law to improve workers’ rights (infographic)
• Better working conditions for all: balancing flexibility and security
• European Globalization Adjustment Fund: helping redundant workers
• The Parliament’s fight for gender equality in the EU
• Globalisation's impact on employment and the EU
• Covid-19's economic impact: €100 billion to keep people in jobs
• Better working conditions for truck drivers across the EU
• Parents’ work-life balance: new leave rules for family care
• Parliament calls for measures to combat sexual harassment in Europe
• Female genital mutilation: where, why and consequences
• Understanding the gender pay gap: definition and causes
• Getting back to work after a long sickness or injury (video)
• Drinking water in the EU: better quality and access
• Accessibility: making products and services in the EU easier to use
• Disaster management: boosting the EU's emergency response
• Health threats: boosting EU readiness and crisis management
• A new ambitious EU Disability Strategy for 2021-2030

Share this article: