Volunteering projects offer opportunities for young people to take part in solidarity activities contributing to the daily work of participating organisations, to the ultimate benefit of the communities within which the activities are carried out.

Eligible activities

• Individual volunteering: solidarity activity of a duration of 2 weeks to 12 months. This type of activity provides young people with the opportunity to contribute to the daily work of organisations in solidarity activities to the ultimate benefits of the communities within which the activities are carried out.

These can be:

1. Cross border, taking place in a country different from the country of residence of the participants 
2. In country, taking place in the same country of residence of the participants in order to facilitate the participation for everyone

• Volunteering teams: 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
• Preparatory visits to the venue of the volunteering activities before the start of the activities

How does it work

A volunteering project consists of four stages: 

• Planning
• Preparation
• Implementation of the activities
• follow-up (including the evaluation of the activities as well as the dissemination of the project’s results)

The organisations involved assume the role of supporting the implementation of the activities and the volunteers and/or "hosting" the volunteers:

• The host role: covers the full range of activities related to hosting a Solidarity Corps participant
• The support role: entails supporting, preparing and/or training participants before departure

Eligible participating organisations

• Any public or private entity, whether non-profit or profit-making, local, regional, national or international, legally established in an EU Member State, a third country associated to the Programme or a third country not associated to the Programme or any international organisation.
•  Participating organisations must hold a valid volunteering Quality Label at the latest at the start of the activities and during the entire period of implementation of the activities

Number of participating organisations

• Individual volunteering: For cross-border activities at least two organisations must participate: one host organisation and one support organisation from the country in which the participant is legally residing. For in-country activities, at least one host organisation is required. 
• Volunteering teams: at least one organisation, with host or support.

Duration

• Individual volunteering: from 2 weeks to 12 months, excluding travel time
• Volunteering teams: from 2 weeks to 2 months, excluding travel time
• Projects duration: up to 24 months 

Venue(s) of activities

• Individual volunteering: Activities have to take place in a host organisation or one of its locations. A volunteer from an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme must carry out the activity in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme, or in a third country not associated to the Programme. A volunteer from a third country not associated to the Programme must carry out the activity in an EU Member State or a third country associated to the Programme
• Volunteering teams: The activities must take place in an EU Member State, or third country associated to the Programme or a third country not associated to the Programme.
• Preparatory visits: Preparatory Visits must take place at the venue of the volunteering activity.

Who can take part

A group of minimum 5 Young people aged between 18 and 30 years, who are legally residing in one and the same EU Member State or a third country associated to the Programme and have registered in the European Solidarity Corps Portal.

• For preparatory visits: Representatives of the participating organisations and young people with fewer opportunities who take part in the volunteering activity, including accompanying person(s) if applicable.

Where to apply

To the National Agency of the country in which the applicant organisation in established.

Deadlines:

 - 18 February 2026 at 12:00 (midday Brussels time) for projects starting between 1st June and 31st December of the same year; 

- (Optional round) 7 May 2026 at 12:00 (midday Brussels time) for projects starting between 1 August and 31 December of the same year;

- 1 October 2026 at 12:00 (midday Brussels time) for projects starting between 1st January and 31st May of the following year.

National Agencies may organise three selection rounds by setting three deadlines as above or only the first (18 february)

Please check the website of the National Agency in your country.

For further information, please check the European Solidarity Corps Guide.

Opportunity offered by: European Commission