FAQ
Answers to your questions
Everything you need to know about the European Solidarity Corps programme, funding and the application process.
General information
What is the ESC?
The European Solidarity Corps is an initiative of the European Commission.
The programme allows young people aged 18 to 30 to develop their interests, get involved in helping others and take their first steps on a professional career path.
What are the goals of the ESC?
The programme is built around solidarity activities. Its goal is to involve young people in projects that promote European values, democracy, active citizenship and social solidarity.
What activities does the ESC cover?
The European Solidarity Corps allows young people to take part in two different types of activity:
- Volunteering Projects, which let you go abroad and get involved in helping others and in the work of a non-governmental organisation. These projects can also be carried out in Poland.
- Solidarity Projects, which let you carry out local initiatives in cooperation with various institutions, organisations and local authorities.
The European Solidarity Corps is the successor to the European Voluntary Service. It enables young people to take part in volunteering or professional development projects – in their own country or abroad – that benefit communities across Europe.
Young people taking part in the European Solidarity Corps must accept its mission and principles and commit to acting in line with them.
You can register from the age of 17, but you must be 18 when the project starts. The Corps is open to people up to the age of 30.
Once registration is complete, Corps members can be selected and invited to take part in a wide range of projects, such as: helping to prevent natural disasters and rebuilding afterwards, supporting asylum-seeker centres, or addressing social challenges in different communities.
Projects supported by the European Solidarity Corps can last from two to twelve months and are usually carried out in EU member states.
More information: https://eks.org.pl/mlodziez/wolontariat/informacje-ogolne
How to apply?
STEP 1: Find a hosting and a sending organisation
To become a volunteer you first need to find a hosting organisation in the country where you would like to volunteer, and a sending organisation in Poland that will prepare you for departure and help with the formalities.
A database of all EVS organisations is available on the European Commission website. There you will find descriptions of organisations and the projects they have prepared for volunteers from abroad. The descriptions are in English. Review them and note the reference numbers of the organisations you are interested in.
The database also lists all accredited sending organisations in Poland. Look for one closest to where you live.
You can search for organisations here:
http://europa.eu/youth/evs_database
http://www.youthnetworks.eu/SearchOrganisation.aspx
If you would like us to be your sending organisation, please add the following information to every application (in the body of your e-mail):
Sending association:
Bona Fides Association (Stowarzyszenie Aktywności Obywatelskiej Bona Fides)
Acronym: SAO Bona Fides
ul. Warszawska 19
40-009 Katowice
POLAND
PIC: 947802812
EI reference number: 2013-PL-100
EVS coordinator
Mariachiara Barra
mariachiara@bonafides.pl
My sending organization may be also coordinating organization and apply with project to Polish National Agency for the nearest deadline.
STEP 2: Submit your application
Found projects that interest you? Contact the selected organisations and ask about taking part in a European Voluntary Service project. You need to convince the hosting organisation that you will be an excellent volunteer. Send the required documents (usually a CV and a motivation letter) and wait for a reply. If you are turned down, don’t give up. Find another organisation and try again – persistence is one of the most valued qualities in volunteer candidates.
You can also apply to open calls for ongoing projects. Look for projects here:
http://www.ngo.pl/
https://eks.bonafides.pl/category/aktualne-nabory/
http://www.youthnetworks.eu/SearchProject.aspx
http://www.slaskie-wolontariat.org.pl/
STEP 3: Complete the paperwork
Been selected? Has the organisation you applied to accepted your application? Now it is time to fill in the application form. The hosting and sending organisations complete the form together and decide which of them submits it to the National Agency in its country. If you chose a project in a partner country, the Polish organisation must submit the application to the Polish National Agency. You need to make it before one of the three application deadlines. Remember that at least 3 months must pass between the application deadline and the start of the project.
STEP 4: Wait for the decision
The decision on funding European Voluntary Service projects is taken by the National Agency in the country where the application was submitted, no later than two months after the deadline. At the Polish National Agency, the evaluation committee’s decision is approved by the board of the Foundation for the Development of the Education System. If your project was assessed positively, you can start preparing for your departure!
STEP 5: Get ready to go
There will be at least 6 weeks between being accepted and departure. This time is needed to handle all the formalities: signing the project agreement, obtaining a passport, a visa and so on. Before departure, the sending organisation runs an information training session for volunteers to help you prepare for your stay abroad.
And after the project…
After completing your volunteering you should receive a Youthpass certificate. It confirms your participation in the European Voluntary Service and describes the competences you gained during the project. It will certainly be an asset in your future career. To make the most of it, plan your learning process before you leave.
What is covered for volunteers
Travel to and from the project
The organisation that received the project grant covers travel costs to and from the volunteering placement, up to the amount set by the European Commission according to the distance calculator. Travel should be by the cheapest possible means of transport, taking into account distance and convenience. The volunteer’s only own contribution is covering the difference in ticket price if it exceeds the granted amount.
Language support
If a volunteer does not speak the language of the host country, they receive language support. This can take different forms: from tandem learning with a local volunteer (a great chance to learn the “real”, spoken language) to a course with a teacher. For English, French, Spanish, Italian and German there is a dedicated online platform for language learning.
Accommodation
There is no single standard for accommodation. It may be a separate flat, a room in a flat shared with other volunteers, a room in a student hall or boarding house, a room with a host family, or another arrangement. The volunteer bears no costs for this – they are fully covered by the hosting organisation.
Meals
Volunteers either receive meals at the hosting institution or a cash allowance for food.
Pocket money
Every volunteer receives a small amount of pocket money for personal expenses. Volunteers staying in Poland receive the equivalent of EUR 85 per month. Whether that is enough for your personal spending is entirely up to you! Each country has a different rate.
Local transport
If the workplace is far from the accommodation, the organisation should provide local transport. This may be a monthly bus or train pass, or even a bicycle where local conditions make cycling practical.
Trainings
Every volunteer should take part in a pre-departure training organised by their sending organisation, covering their rights and obligations, signing the agreement and all the essentials about the project and the trip. There is also an on-arrival training, usually organised by the National Agency of the host country. During this training volunteers meet other volunteers, learn about working life in the country, and receive support and answers to their questions about volunteering and living in a new country.
Health, accident and liability insurance
Volunteers are covered by dedicated MSH International insurance, which is very comprehensive. If a volunteer can use the European Health Insurance Card, the MSH International cover is complementary. Detailed terms are available in the insurance guide.
Mentor support
Every volunteer has a mentor – a person who looks after the volunteer in their free time, supports them, helps them settle into the new environment and introduces them to the local community. The mentor also accompanies them in their learning process.
Coordinator support
No volunteer is left without substantive and technical support. A coordinator supports them in carrying out their tasks and activities, as well as with administrative matters.
Youthpass certificate
This is a special document describing what you learned during your volunteering. You will find details on the certificate website: https://www.youthpass.eu/en/youthpass/
Exceptional costs
Within a project, the organisation can receive funding for exceptional costs linked to the participation of a volunteer with special needs arising from their health, economic or social situation. These costs must be planned at the application stage and well justified. If a visa is required, its cost is also covered by the project grant.
As you can see, taking part in a European Voluntary Service project can be completely free for the volunteer. The only costs a volunteer may bear are their own contribution to travel and their personal expenses.
Any other questions?
Volunteer Support System (SOW)
Every one of our volunteers registers in the nationwide system. See what you gain from it.
Official certificates
Volunteer Card
Have questions?
Not sure which project to choose or how to complete the application? Write to us – we are happy to help at every stage.