Our vision
Universal European mobility through volunteering
Making volunteering a second pillar of European mobility, alongside Erasmus, open to the 5 million young Europeans of each generation. Here is what drives us, and the proposals drawn up with our partners at the 2026 annual meeting.
5 M
young Europeans per generation, every year
50 000
volunteering placements a year in the European Solidarity Corps
×10
more missions needed to meet current demand
1 in 4
Member States has a structured national civic service
Our conviction
Mobility is one of Europe’s greatest successes, yet it remains reserved for too narrow a group. The European Solidarity Corps offers around 50,000 placements a year, for nearly 5 million young people in one age group, and mainly reaches the most highly educated and best-informed.
Yet structured volunteering, such as civic service, is one of the most effective youth policies: it supports employability and civic engagement, and it is one of the few schemes open to all, regardless of qualifications, language skills or social situation. National civic services already involve hundreds of thousands of young people every year: by connecting them to the European Solidarity Corps, we can open mobility to an entire generation.
Since 2020, we have been proving it in the field with our cohorts and pilots. See our 5 years of milestones →
What guides us
- Inclusion at least 50% young people with fewer opportunities in every cohort
- Diversity teams that are half local, half European
- Quality language preparation, mentoring and follow-up until employment or studies
- Local roots missions designed with host communities
Annual meeting 2026 · 5 years of the European Civic Service
Joint proposals for universal European mobility
Drawn up with the institutions, agencies and associations gathered at our annual meeting, these proposals pursue a dual objective: more inclusive, higher-quality pathways, and synergies between national and European programmes to gradually reach an entire generation.
Press release The next EU budget must not leave young people behind →
1
The European Solidarity Corps, a second pillar of mobility
As the EU budget is renewed within a consolidated Erasmus, the European Solidarity Corps must remain a clearly identified priority. Scaling up to ten times more missions, one billion euros a year, would only just meet the current number of applicants.
2
The “in country” strand to test civic service everywhere
One quarter of Member States have a structured civic service, and more than half of the others are experimenting with one. An “in country” European Solidarity Corps maintained at 20% of the budget, with no national cap, would offer in every country still lacking one a pathway of six months at home, followed by European mobility.
3
European standards for “National Solidarity Corps”
Civic service and the European Solidarity Corps differ from internships, employment and occasional volunteering. A common European baseline (rights and duties, age range, duration, status, allowances, mentoring, recognition of skills) would help new countries get started, while letting each adapt its own model.
4
A coalition of all stakeholders
States, agencies, territories, major NGOs, host organisations and volunteers themselves: regular meetings to share good practice, pool tools and increase volunteer exchanges, with National Corps and the European Corps working together operationally and financially.
5
Joint missions on Europe’s major challenges
Jointly and visibly mobilising volunteers from willing countries on climate action, solidarity with Ukraine, intergenerational solidarity and major events such as the European Years or the 2030 Winter Olympics. In the long run, making volunteering a systematic tool for implementing EU policies, as the United Nations does.
Horizon
A common European action plan
In time, these initiatives should converge towards a European action plan, at EU level or within a multilateral framework, organising cooperation between existing civic services, new national and local schemes and European instruments, with common guidelines for mobility and volunteering for all.
Open consultation
Read and sign the joint proposals
The full text of the proposals is open for consultation. Institutions, agencies, local authorities, associations and youth networks can sign it to support this initiative.
Already signed by
To sign the proposal, contact Marinella Linati, Public Relations Manager: marinella.linati@service-civique-europeen.com
Previous milestones
Council of the EU · 5 April 2022
The recommendation on volunteering
Adopted unanimously, it calls for a civic service in every Member State, connected to European instruments.
European Parliament · 29 March 2023
The Brussels declaration
“Towards youth mobility and youth engagement for all”, backed by more than 60 organisations from 18 Member States, representing 1,000 youth workers and 30,000 volunteers.
Support the initiative
Institutions, agencies, territories, associations: join the coalition, host a pilot or lead a European project with us.