Deadline: 23-Feb-22
The European Commission has launched the call for proposals under the European Solidarity Corps 2022 for young people wishing to engage in solidarity activities in a variety of areas ranging from helping disadvantaged people to contributing to health and environmental action, across the EU and beyond.
This call also introduces the possibility for participants to take part in humanitarian aid operations across the globe to develop solidarity between organisations and volunteers in EU countries and people and communities outside the Union. This new strand of international projects is called the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps.
The programme offers an opportunity for young people to make a meaningful contribution to society and to gain invaluable experience and develop new skills. It is open to young people between 18 and 30 for solidarity activities addressing societal challenges and between 18 and 35 for international humanitarian aid activities.
The European Solidarity Corps supports political priorities of the EU and engages organisations and young people in projects to address them. The programme:
- Promotes inclusion and diversity and aims to provide all young people with equal access to European Solidarity Corps opportunities;
- Supports projects and activities aiming to protect, conserve and enhance natural habitats and the environment, to raise awareness about environmental sustainability and to enable behavioural changes;
- Contributes to the digital transition by supporting projects and activities that aim to boost digital skills, foster digital literacy and develop understanding of the risks and opportunities of digital technology;
- Engages and empowers young people to be active in society and become true change-makers.
Objectives
- General objectives: The general objective of the Programme is to enhance the engagement of young people and organisations in accessible and high-quality solidarity activities, primarily volunteering, as a means to strengthen cohesion, solidarity, democracy, European identity and active citizenship in the Union and beyond, addressing societal and humanitarian challenges on the ground, with a particular focus on the promotion of sustainable development, social inclusion and equal opportunities.
- Specific Objectives: The specific objective of the Programme is to provide young people, including young people with fewer opportunities, with easily accessible opportunities for engagement in solidarity activities that induce positive societal changes in the Union and beyond, while improving and properly validating their competences, as well as facilitating their continuous engagement as active citizens
Funding Information
Maximum EU grant per project: 650,000 EUR.
Eligible Countries
Member States of the European Union and third countries associated to the Programme can fully take part in all the Actions of the European Solidarity Corps. In addition, some Actions are open for participation of third countries not associated to the Programme.
Eligibility Criteria
- Young people constitute the target population of the European Solidarity Corps. With the exception of Solidarity Projects where young people can apply directly, the Corps mainly involves young people through organisations, institutions, public or private bodies that organise solidarity activities. The conditions of access to the Corps therefore relate to these two actors: the “participants” (young people participating in the Corps) and the “organisations”. For both participants and participating organisations, the conditions for participation depend on the country in which they are legally based and on the Action concerned. These conditions are specified in Part B and C of this Guide, under each specific Action.
- Young people express their willingness to participate in the European Solidarity Corps by registering on the European Solidarity Corps Portal. The registration at the European Solidarity Corps Portal is possible as of 17 years of age but participants must have reached 18 and must not be older than 30 at the start date of the activity. For participants in humanitarian aid related solidarity activities, the upper age limit at the start of the activity is 35 years old. European Solidarity Corps projects are mainly submitted and managed by organisations. Organizations participating in European Solidarity Corps projects must be established in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme or a third country not associated to the Programme.
- The duration of the project should be of 12, 24 or 36 months. The duration has to be chosen at application stage, based on the objectives of the project and on the type of activities planned over time.
For more information, visit https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_6003