European Solidarity Corps (ESC)

What is the European Solidarity Corps (ESC)?
The European Solidarity Corps (ESC) is a new European Union initiative that creates opportunities for young people to volunteer, work, or engage in networking activities in projects that benefit communities, either in their own countries or abroad, while fostering their personal, educational, social, civic, and professional development. Its aim is to bring young people together to build a more inclusive society, support vulnerable people, and respond to societal challenges. The program offers an inspiring and empowering experience for young people who wish to help, learn, and develop themselves.
Institutions/organizations must obtain a Quality Label in order to implement ESC projects and participate in them. The Quality Label ensures compliance with the principles and objectives of the European Solidarity Corps. Since its launch in 2019, our country has participated in the ESC Program from the very beginning. For the 2021–2027 period, the Program Participation Agreement was signed on 27 October 2021 and entered into force upon its publication in the Official Gazette on 16 November. The national coordinator of the program in Turkey is the Turkish National Agency.

Types of Quality Labels
There are three types of Quality Labels

• Host Role – The host role covers all activities related to hosting a participant; it includes developing a program for the volunteer’s activities and providing guidance and support at all stages as appropriate. Volunteering activities are carried out by organizations with a host role.
• Supporting Role – The supporting role involves assisting participants before their departure (such as visa procedures), preparing and/or training them, mediating between participants and host organizations, and/or providing support when participants return from their activities.
• Lead Role – This applies to organizations that apply for grants and manage and coordinate volunteering projects (ESC51). This role cannot be granted independently; organizations must first hold a Quality Label that includes a host and/or supporting role in order to receive the lead role.

Our university holds the Quality Label in the Supporting Role.

What activities are included in ESC?

• Individual Volunteering: Open to young people aged 18–30. It may be short-term or long-term. Short-term volunteering lasts between 14–59 days (excluding travel), while long-term volunteering lasts 2–12 months (excluding travel). Volunteering activities involve providing full-time (30–38 hours per week) and unpaid support to the daily activities of the host organization for the benefit of the community. These activities are cross-border, taking place in a country different from where the participant lives, and may also take place in a third country where ongoing humanitarian aid operations are carried out.
• Volunteering Teams: Open to young people aged 18–30. These activities last between 2 weeks and 2 months for groups of 5–15 young people. Volunteering must be done with volunteers from at least two different countries. Teams consist of 5–40 volunteers selected by the supporting and host organizations.
• Solidarity Projects: These are domestic solidarity activities initiated, developed, and implemented by at least five young people who want to create positive change in their local communities. They last between 2–12 months. Solidarity projects aim to empower young people aged 18–30 to take responsibility and develop solutions for local-level challenges.
• Humanitarian Aid Volunteering: Open to young people aged 18–35 who wish to engage in humanitarian aid activities under challenging conditions.

Who can apply for ESC volunteering activities?
Young people aged 18–30 who legally reside in a program country or partner country and are registered in the European Youth Portal can participate in volunteering activities lasting 2 weeks to 12 months. Those who have previously benefited from Erasmus+ volunteering activities or the European Voluntary Service program may reapply, provided that their total volunteering period does not exceed 12 months.

ESC projects are not study mobilities. They involve volunteering in a civil society organization. Through these projects, participants can improve their foreign language skills, learn a new language, strengthen intercultural communication skills, gain the ability to work and communicate in an unfamiliar environment, and diversify their career options with the confidence they build. Moreover, the ESC covers volunteers’ costs such as food, accommodation, visas, and insurance, and also provides a monthly pocket allowance.

What is international volunteering?
International volunteering refers to full-time, unpaid activities lasting 2 weeks to 12 months that allow young people aged 18–30 to assist in the daily work of organizations. They can volunteer in projects addressing social inclusion, the environment, culture, and other issues in program countries or neighboring partner countries. There are two types of activities: individual volunteering and volunteering teams.

What is national volunteering?
National volunteering refers to full-time, unpaid activities lasting 2 weeks to 12 months that allow young people aged 18–30 to assist in the daily work of organizations within their own country of residence. These activities aim to encourage and facilitate the participation of young people with fewer opportunities, but are open to all participants. Young people can volunteer in projects in their own country that address social inclusion, the environment, culture, and other issues.