European Solidarity Corps (ESC)

Verified 07 March 2025 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Are you under 30 years of age and would like to take part in solidarity actions (combating exclusion, helping people with disabilities, etc.)? The European Solidarity Corps (ETUC, former European Voluntary Service) offers you missions in the European Union countries or in partner countries. We present you with the information you need to know.

The European Solidarity Corps (ESC) allows you to carry out solidarity activities in France or in a foreigner country.

You can participate in solidarity actions concerning in particular the following areas:

  • Combating exclusion
  • Education and training
  • Citizenship
  • Reception of refugees and migrants
  • Environment and nature protection
  • Assistance for persons with disabilities
  • Health, culture, sport
  • Digital technologies
  • Disaster prevention and reconstruction.

This volunteering allows you to acquire skills that may be useful for your professional integration.

It's also an enriching experience on a personal level.

Please note

You have to commit to the principles of the european solidarity corps.

The tasks of the European Solidarity Corps are of three types:

Volunteering

You are going to a country different from your country of origin for a mission of solidarity.

Volunteering can be individual or team.

To leave, you must go through a recognized organization (an association, for example) that offers missions.

Volunteering can be short-term (2 weeks to 2 months) or long-term (2 months to 1 year).

Solidarity project

You have a community solidarity project (local, regional or national).

You must form a group of at least 5 people aged 18 to 30, legally residing in France.

If your project is selected, you will be eligible for direct funding.

The project can last from 2 to 12 months.

You can participate in your free time.

Humanitarian aid

You can participate in a humanitarian aid operation in a country outside the the European Union.

For example, disaster relief or protection of refugees and displaced persons.

Volunteering can be individual or team.

One pre-training (online and in-person) is obligatory.

FYI  

There are many candidates for humanitarian aid volunteerism. You can therefore complete the mandatory training, without being selected for a mission afterwards.

The European Solidarity Corps does not impose a foreign language qualification or level requirement.

Other conditions exist.

Age

To join the European Solidarity Corps, you must have at least 18 and under 30 (35 years for volunteering in the field of humanitarian aid).

You can apply from the age of 17, provided you are 18 at the start of the project.

Residence

You must reside legally in a member country of the European Union.

A young person may also join the European Solidarity Corps if he or she resides in one of the following countries:

  • North Macedonia, Turkey
  • Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway
  • Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia
  • Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine
  • Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia
  • Russia.

Please note

For some projects, stricter residency requirements are imposed.

The majority of volunteer missions take place in:

  • Member countries of the European Union (EU)
  • Non-EU participating countries (Iceland, North Macedonia, Turkey, Liechtenstein, Norway).

Some ESC projects may also take place in countries European Union's neighboring partners (Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Palestine, Russia, Serbia, Syria, Tunisia, Ukraine).

FYI  

You must apply for missions outside your home country.

The volunteer organizations are labeled by the European Commission.

These organizations may include:

  • Associations
  • Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
  • Local and regional authorities
  • Public non-profit institutions or bodies
  • Companies.

To participate in the ESC, you must register on the European Solidarity Corps portal:

Register on the European Solidarity Corps portal

The portal publishes offers of recognized organizations which you can apply for.

These organizations can also contact you directly after consulting your profile.

When your application is accepted, you sign a contract of activity with your host organization.

The European Commission will then send you, by post, your volunteer card.

This card allows you to justify your volunteer status and benefit from various benefits.

During your volunteering, you receive the following support:

  • Training courses (called seminars, online or in person depending on the country concerned)
  • Language support (at least access to an e-learning platform)
  • Tutoring.

Training is obligatory if you are on a mission for more than 2 months.

If your volunteering lasts more than 2 months, you must attend a seminar on your arrival (during the first weeks of volunteering).

If your volunteering lasts more than 6 months, you will also participate in another seminar, mid-term.

You benefit from the payment of your expenses, including:

  • Round trip
  • Endorsement
  • Accommodation.

You benefit from a insurance cover, in particular medical and civil liability.

You receive a allowance, said pocket money, which varies from €4 to €12 per day depending on the country.

In addition to this pocket money, you are fed (or you receive financial compensation for food).

Please note

If you have specific expenses, for example due to a disability, they can also be covered.

Volunteering occupies a full-time (30 to 38 hours per week).

Individual volunteering

The mission lasts between 2 and 12 months (excluding travel days).

FYI  

You can do as many individual and team volunteering as you want, up to a maximum of 12 months combined.

Team volunteering

The mission lasts for 2 weeks to 2 months (excluding travel days).

You are part of a group of at least 5 volunteers from at least 2 different countries.

FYI  

You can do as many individual and team volunteering as you want, up to a maximum of 12 months combined.

Return to employment assistance (Are)

You can be a job seeker and volunteer ESC.

During your mission, you remain registered at France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi), but you change category in the classification of jobseekers.

You will be classified in category D. It refers to people who are unemployed but not immediately available.

The payment of your unemployment benefits is suspended for the duration of your mission and resumes after your mission.

Warning  

Remember to update your situation before your mission begins. You will avoid having to refund an overpayment to France Travail.

Your assignment has no effect on the amount and duration of your unemployment benefits.

At the end of your mission, you must update your situation with France Travail.

Active Solidarity Income (RSA)

If you receive the RSA or activity bonus, its payment shall be suspended throughout your ETUC volunteering period.

It resumes at the end of the mission.

Remember to report your change of situation to your Caf: titleContent or your MSA: titleContent.

Caf

To report your change of situation to your Caf: titleContent, you can use an online service.

Family Allowance Fund (Caf) online

MSA

To report your change of situation to your MSA: titleContent, you can use your personal space online.

MSA - Special spaces

If your parents perceive RSA or the activity bonus, you stay counted in their household.

Your so-called allowance pocket money shall not be taken into account in the calculation of their entitlements.

Volunteering with ESC has no impact on the amount of compensation received by your parents.

Disabled adult allowance (AAH)

The allowance and the AAH are cumulable.

The so-called allowance pocket money shall not be taken into account in the calculation of the AAH.

However, AAH payments stop if you stay more than 3 months abroad.

Student Grant

Being a volunteer ESC does not no impact on your right to a student grant, or on its amount.

The so-called allowance pocket money shall not be taken into account in the calculation of the grant.

You receive a certificate of participation which attests that you have taken part in European Solidarity Corps activities.

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