United In Action
Volunteer Training
The European Solidarity Corps provides participants with a range of support services so that they can not only make the most of their experience but also learn as much as possible.
Are you facing any social, economic, health, educational, or other obstacles? The program offers additional financial support to organizations so they can better meet your needs, as well as a range of support measures (e.g., enhanced mentoring, a support person, etc.) to enable you to participate in activities on an equal footing with others. We encourage you to inform your host and supporting organizations of any circumstances that may affect your ability to perform your tasks, as well as to share information about any special needs you require assistance with. If necessary, you should also provide detailed information about your health needs. You can also take part in a preparatory visit to the volunteer placement site before the program begins, so you can be involved in planning the activities and ensure your needs are taken into account from the very start.
The program includes a series of events and training sessions that will provide you with guidance and support, help you adapt to cultural and personal challenges, familiarize yourself with your rights and responsibilities as well as practical matters, develop your intercultural communication skills, meet other volunteers, stay in touch with national agencies, evaluate your experience, and much more.
- If your activity lasts longer than 2 months, you will be invited to participate in: pre-departure training (mandatory for cross-border activities, optional for national activities), post-arrival training, a mid-term evaluation (only for activities lasting 6 months or longer) and the annual European Solidarity Corps event.
- If your activity lasts less than 2 months, you will be invited to participate in: pre-departure training (mandatory for cross-border activities, optional for national activities), post-arrival training, and the annual European Solidarity Corps event.
Language Learning Support
Online language support is a service designed to help you improve your proficiency in the language you will use to carry out your volunteer tasks, as well as to learn other languages, with no limits on the number of courses or languages. You can access online language support7 using your EU login and join online courses even before your departure. The online language support system is available on the European Commission’s course management platform, known as EU Academy.
If your working language or level is not covered by the online language support system, or if you need additional help, your host organization can support your language learning by organizing formal or informal lessons. The format, duration, and frequency will depend on your needs, your project-related tasks, and the resources available to the organization.
