Mapping Roots — European Civic Service

Part 1 — Context & rationale

The European Civic Service (SCE) is a structured long-term engagement scheme for young people built on two complementary phases.

⬤ Phase 1 — National

Minimum 6 months of service in the young person's own country, within a mixed cohort of 50% local youth and 50% European volunteers, funded primarily by national or local sources: public authorities, NGOs, municipalities, foundations.

⬤ Phase 2 — European

6 months or more of mobility in another European country, funded through the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) or, where available, national civic service programmes.

Key distinction: The ESC provides the legal framework and co-funding for transnational mobility. But without a strong local Phase 1 — rooted in national funding, local organisations, and structured support — there is no meaningful European experience to offer. This manual is primarily about building Phase 1.

Common architecture of countries with mature schemes

National legal framework	Defines the volunteer's status, rights and obligations
State-funded stipend	Covers basic living costs — distinct from employment, avoiding labour law conflicts
Accredited coordinating structure	Manages the quality of the experience
Network of hosting organisations	Offering structured missions to volunteers
Integrated formal training	Mentoring, civic education and professional training built into the service

On naming — important: The word 'volunteering' is not neutral across European legal systems. In several countries, a legal status of 'volunteer' explicitly prohibits payment or stipends. Terms like 'community service', 'social service of the youth', or 'structured civic engagement' may be more appropriate — and may unlock access to public funding that 'volunteering' would not.

The SCE in numbers — a strategic investment

11%

EU average NEET rate 2024

7.5%

Germany NEET rate (strong volunteering culture)

18.8%

France youth unemployment 15–24

€4

Max return per €1 invested (France)

43

SCE cohorts deployed 2021–2025

15

Countries involved in the SCE

The SCE in numbers (end of 2025)

Youth deployed (2021–2025)	1,500+ in 43 cohorts across 15 countries
JAMO participants	54.6% of all participants — exceeding the 50% minimum target
Feel like a European citizen	94%
Would recommend the experience	92%
Developed significant competencies	85%
Gained autonomy and initiative	87%
Positive transition within 3 months	97% (2022 cohort)
Pilot countries in this project	Poland (Gdynia), Spain (Madrid, Malaga), Portugal (Cascais), Romania (Bucharest)

Part 2 — Existing national schemes: the reference models

France, Italy and Germany provide the three most developed national civic service models in Europe. Select a country to explore its full profile.

🇫🇷 France — Service Civique

Built from below since 1994 by three students from ESSEC Business School, inspired by AmeriCorps. The national law came after 16 years of NGO experimentation by Unis-Cité.

Law	Law 2010-2041 of 10 March 2010; article L.120-1 of the National Service Code
Definition	Voluntary engagement of general interest; not employment, not internship
Eligibility	16–25 (up to 30 for people with disabilities)
Duration	6–12 months, minimum 24h/week
Status	Specific legal status — not subject to the Labour Code
Governing body	Agence du Service Civique (public interest grouping under Ministry of National Education and Youth)
Accreditation	Hosting organisations must be accredited; cannot replace paid employees

Financial structure

Cost item	Paid by	Amount
Monthly stipend	State (80%)	€496.94/month
Complementary support	Host organisation (20%)	€113.02/month
Social contributions	State	~€250/month
Mentoring support	State (via Agence)	€100/month to hosting org
Civic training	State (via Agence)	€100 per mission
Total cost per volunteer (8 months)	~80% State, ~20% host org	~€6,800–€8,000

150,000

Youth/year (national programme)

10,000+

Managed by Unis-Cité/year

120+

Cities covered by Unis-Cité

12.8%

France NEET rate 2024

The Unis-Cité model adds a collective dimension: teams of ~20 volunteers from diverse backgrounds (urban/rural, educated/uneducated, different origins) serving together on the same mission. This social mix is non-negotiable and is a key quality indicator.

🇩🇪 Germany — FSJ / BFD (Freiwilligendienste)

Emerged from church-based charitable work for young women in the 1950s. Unlike France, Germany's model grew from religious and civil society organisations. Hosting organisations pay the majority of costs — creating strong institutional ownership but also financial barriers for smaller organisations.

Main laws	JFDG (Jugendfreiwilligendienste Act) for FSJ/FÖJ; separate law for BFD
Eligibility	FSJ: 16–26 (sometimes 27/28); BFD: all ages (no upper limit)
Duration	6–18 months (average 10 months); from September to August typically
Hours	Up to 39h/week; since 2019, part-time possible (minimum 20h/week)
Status	Not employment; volunteer status with specific legal protections
Governance	18 coordination agencies (Zentralstellen) accredited by Federal Family Ministry (BaFzA)
Mandatory training	25 pedagogical days per year (5 seminars of 5 days); political education included

Financial structure

Cost item	Who pays	Amount
Pocket money	Hosting organisation	Max €426/month
Food/housing (if provided)	Hosting organisation	Variable
Social insurance	Hosting organisation (mainly)	~€160/month
Pedagogical coordination	State (BaFzA) to coordination agency	€200/volunteer/month (+€100 for JAMO)
Total cost per volunteer/month	~70% hosting org, ~30% state	~€920/month

97,000+

Annual participants

7.5%

NEET rate 2023

43.6%

Residents 14+ in voluntary activities

🇮🇹 Italy — Servizio Civile Universale

Rooted in conscientious objection to military service. Unlike France (advocacy-led) or Germany (church-led), Italy's model emerged from a rights-based struggle. Open to all since 2017, with an international component of up to 3 months in EU countries.

Main law	Legislative Decree 40/2017 — 'Institution and discipline of the universal civic service'
Eligibility	18–28 years old; EU citizens or legal residents in Italy
Duration	8–12 months; minimum 25 hours/week (1,145 hours total for 12 months)
International component	Up to 3 months abroad (EU countries)
Status	Specific civic service status — not employment; competence recognition pathway exists
Competence recognition	Formal 'Individual Competence Dossier' pathway; counted as equivalent to public service for civil service recruitment

Financial structure

Monthly stipend	~€440/month (flexible; 20-day leave for 12 months)
Social security & pension	Recognised and contributed — convertible for future retirement
Public recognition	Counted as public service equivalent in civil service recruitment; formal competence certification
Estimated cost per volunteer	~€750–€900/month total (stipend + social + coordination)

49,984

Annual participants (2021)

1.7:1

Applications vs places available

523,404

Total volunteers 2001–2021

Part 3 — Country profiles: the consortium

The four target countries where the SCE does not yet exist as a national programme — and where this project is building pilot ecosystems at local level.

🇵🇱 Poland — Gdynia pilot (and extensions)

National programme	Korpus Solidarności (2018–2030) — long-term volunteering development framework, not a civic service per se
Legal basis	Volunteer Act 2003; Solidarity Corps strategy
Governing body	NIW — National Freedom Institute (Centre for Civil Society Development)
Stipend	No national stipend system; ESC pocket money ~€250/month
SCE pilot — Gdynia	Center of Mobility — 8 local youth (Nov 2024–Apr 2025), completed
SCE pilot — Warsaw (S1 2026)	Regional Center of Volunteering — 3 youth
SCE pilot — Lublin (S1 2026)	LOS — 20 youth
Key challenge	No legal stipend; explaining an unknown concept; limited public awareness of structured civic engagement
Key strength	Active civil society; regional volunteering centres as natural coordinators; Solidarity Corps provides institutional framework

Lessons from the Gdynia pilot: Multi-channel recruitment effective (ngo.pl, social media, Open'er Festival, peer-to-peer). Hosting organisations required extensive individual outreach — trust-building was time-intensive. 3 of 8 volunteers had disability profiles (JAMO). Minimum viable team: at least one coordinator and one youth worker.

🇪🇸 Spain — Madrid & Malaga pilots

National programme	No dedicated national civic service; regional models + ESC
Legal basis	Law 45/2015 on Volunteering; Youth Strategy 2022–2030 (EJ2030)
Governing body	Ministry of Social Rights; INJUVE (Instituto de la Juventud)
SCE pilot — Madrid	Coordinadora Infantil y Juvenil de Tiempo Libre de Vallecas — 10 youth (Oct 2024–Apr 2025)
SCE pilot — Malaga	Arrabal Aid — 10 youth (S2 2025, continuing)
Inclusion profile	100% JAMO in Madrid pilot — all 10 participants faced socioeconomic difficulties
Key strength	Coordinadora manages 17 member organisations; municipalities active

Partner associations in the Madrid pilot (Vallecas):

Fundación Amoverse	Social inclusion and labour integration
Asociación Chispa	Children and families at risk through leisure activities
Asociación Barró	Socio-educational space for vulnerable people (active since 1994)
Asociación Citycentro	Educational leisure for children and adolescents
Asociación Lakalle	Social transformation, professional training
Asociación Krecer	Non-profit open to children, youth and families (since 1990, Vallecas)
Asociación Primera Prevención	Socio-educational intervention, women's support
Asociación El Fanal	Personal and social development for families at risk of exclusion

🇵🇹 Portugal — Cascais pilot

National programme	Programa de Voluntariado Jovem (IPDJ) — short-term; no long-term national civic service
Governing body	IPDJ — Instituto Português do Desporto e Juventude
SCE pilot — Cascais	Plantar Uma Árvore — 6–8 youth (Oct 2024–Mar 2025, in rolling cohorts)
Unique model	Plantar Uma Árvore is itself both the hosting organisation AND the coordinating structure
Partner network	40+ organisations: EDP, GSK, Mastercard, DHL, Airbus, Kyndryl, Veolia, LG Electronics, Junta de Freguesia de Santo António, Universidade Nova de Lisboa…
Key challenge	Volunteers were university students with academic schedules; limited transport to forest sites
Key strength	34,000+ volunteer history; municipality of Cascais active; exceptional corporate partner network

"This project completely exceeded my expectations. Environmental volunteering in forest management has been my greatest source of motivation. I believe all young people should do the same — change only happens when we roll up our sleeves and work together."
— Tomás Ribeiro, Geography student

"Six months in the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park was one of the most transformative experiences of my life. I grew personally and professionally, gained sensitivity, discipline, and a new relationship with nature."
— Alyson Oliveira, volunteer Cascais

🇷🇴 Romania — Bucharest pilot

National programme	No national civic service; National Youth Strategy 2024–2027 includes youth volunteering objective
Legal basis	Law 78/2014 on volunteering — allows reimbursement of food, transport, activity costs; no stipend
Governing body	Ministry of Family, Youth and Equal Opportunities; ProVobis (National Resource Centre for Volunteering)
Stipend	No stipend in law; target for national programme ~€450/month (based on minimum wage ~€500/month)
SCE pilot — Bucharest	FNT — Fundatia Nationala pentru Tineret — 10 youth (completed March 2025)
Cultural context	Historical negative connotation of 'volunteering' — associated with Communist-era forced unpaid labour
Key strength	FNT experienced ESC partner; ProVobis national NGO network; growing youth volunteering culture (43% of young Romanians now participate)

Important: Do not call the programme 'volunteering' in public communication in Romania given the negative historical connotation. Invest in a national name that conveys civic duty, opportunity and compensation.

Part 4 — Building the network: operational guide

Written for coordinating organisations. Your role is twofold: accompany young people AND build the local ecosystem of hosting organisations. The ecosystem comes first.

Coordinating organisations in this project do not yet have a national civic service to plug into. Their role: build the local ecosystem that will make a civic service possible — and document that process so it can be used as evidence for policy change.

Internally

Accompany a small group of local youth through a structured long-term engagement experience — with training, mentoring, weekly collective sessions, and competency development over 6+ months.

Externally

Identify, contact, qualify and onboard local associations, NGOs and public organisations that can offer structured missions to volunteers — your hosting organisations.

6 steps to build your mission network

1

Map your local associative landscape

Who exists in your territory? Associations, social enterprises, public institutions, schools, municipalities, cultural centres, sports clubs. What social challenges are most acute? Which organisations have volunteer experience? Which can offer dedicated mentoring?

2

Make first contact and explain the model

This takes longer than expected — weeks, not days. Key message: "We handle recruitment, collective training, mentoring and administrative support. You provide the mission and a contact person. A volunteer will commit at least 10 hours per week to your organisation."

3

Qualify the mission

The mission must be of general interest, must not replace a paid employee (fundamental principle), must enable learning of real skills (hard and soft), and must be meaningful for 6 months — not marginal support but a real contribution.

4

Sign a partnership agreement

Mission description, volunteer's schedule, mentor designation, confidentiality, reporting obligations, and the coordinating organisation's role in collective training days.

5

Recruit your volunteers

Multiple channels work better than one. In-person events are more effective than online for reaching JAMO youth. Be specific: not 'a volunteering opportunity' but 'a 6-month commitment with real responsibilities, training, mentoring, a certificate, and the possibility of European mobility afterwards.' Start recruitment 3–4 months before the start date.

6

Run the collective programme

Induction week → weekly collective day (the heart of the model) → monthly competency sessions → mid-term evaluation → international exchange → final presentation and certification.

Labour law — all 4 consortium countries: Poland, Spain, Portugal and Romania currently lack a legal basis for civic service stipends. In each country, a new legal instrument or ministerial decree will be needed. Pilots under EU project funding are the bridge toward that long-term policy goal.

Recognising and certifying competencies — available now

Youthpass	EU non-formal learning certificate — free, immediate, via the Erasmus+ portal
Local authority letter	Confirms the volunteer's mission and hours — valuable for CVs
Hosting org certificate	Formal letter describing missions and skills developed
Competency portfolio	Self-documented record of skills, structured during weekly collective sessions
Youthpass + NQF	If your country has a National Qualifications Framework, explore mapping civic service competencies onto existing qualification levels

Part 5 — The youth perspective

Who the volunteers are, what motivates them, and what they gain — SCE 2025 data and pilot feedback.

Volunteer profile

Gender (2025 SCE data)	Women 67% — Men 33%
Age distribution	16–18: 28.2% \| 18–20: 25.8% \| 21–24: 37.1% \| 25–30: 8.9%
Study level	No diploma: 21% \| High school: 50.8% \| Higher education: 28.2%
JAMO participants	54.6% — above the 50% minimum target
Madrid (Spain)	100% JAMO — all 10 participants faced socioeconomic difficulties
Gdynia (Poland)	4 of 8 (50%) with 3 with disability profiles; diverse educational and geographical backgrounds
Cascais (Portugal)	6 of 8 university students; 1 with economic difficulties; majority from environmental or related fields

What motivates volunteers

43.7%

Personal development

31.2%

Discover a new culture

29.5%

Acquire new languages

17.3%

Citizenship engagement

14.1%

Professional experience

What volunteers gain

91%

Intercultural openness

87%

Autonomy

84%

Teamwork

82%

Adaptability

78%

Communication

72%

Linguistic competences

65%

Project management

Language progression: from 74% at beginner level at entry → 12% at beginner at exit. Intermediate speakers: 35% → 48%. Advanced: 15% → 27%. Particularly significant given that most SCE volunteers are first-time language learners at entry.

Voices from the pilots

🇵🇱 Poland — Gdynia

"This project helped me define my career path and even led to my current job in a kindergarten!"

— Klaudia Bojk

🇵🇱 Poland — Gdynia

"I discovered that my skills have real value and a true impact."

— Daria Lysenko

🇵🇱 Poland — Gdynia

"I overcame my stage fright with public speaking and improved my skills in graphic design and presentations."

— Rozalia Jankowska

🇵🇹 Portugal — Cascais

"This project completely exceeded my expectations. Environmental volunteering in forest management has been my greatest source of motivation. I believe all young people should do the same — change only happens when we roll up our sleeves and work together."

— Tomás Ribeiro, Geography student

🇵🇹 Portugal — Cascais

"Six months in the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park was one of the most transformative experiences of my life. I grew personally and professionally, gained sensitivity, discipline, and a new relationship with nature."

— Alyson Oliveira

Part 6 — Towards a policy framework

What the four pilots demonstrate and concrete recommendations for decision-makers wishing to create or support a national civic service.

What the pilots demonstrate

Without a national framework	A civic service model can be built — if there is a strong coordinating organisation and a willingness to do the ecosystem-building work
Small hosting organisations	Can offer quality missions — if they receive proper support and a clear mandate
JAMO youth	Are not a last resort — they are the primary target and they succeed when properly supported
Mixed-team model	The April 2025 transnational gathering (Italy-Portugal-Spain) was described as the single most impactful moment of the entire pilot year
Evidence generation	Volunteer profiles, competency data, hosting organisation feedback, mission hours — directly usable for policy advocacy

ROI per existing scheme

Country	Annual participants	ROI / investment	NEET rate
🇫🇷 France	~150,000	€1.50–€4.00 per €1 invested	12.8%
🇩🇪 Germany	~97,000+	Strong link to employment	7.5%
🇮🇹 Italy	~50,000	Increased employment (southern regions)	Among EU's highest

8 recommendations for decision-makers

1

Legal framework — Develop a specific legal status for long-term structured civic engagement that is distinct from 'volunteering' in national law — and that enables stipends. Model: France (Law 2010-2041), Italy (Decree 40/2017).

2

National coordinator — Designate or support one body (public agency, NGO federation, or hybrid) as the national coordinator — accrediting hosting organisations and assuring quality.

3

Hosting org registry — Create a national registry of accredited hosting organisations with transparent criteria: mission of general interest, mentoring capacity, no replacement of paid staff.

4

Stipend mechanism — Provide public co-funding covering at least the basic stipend and social contributions. ESC In-Country can fund pilots; national budget must ultimately sustain it.

5

Municipal entry points — Engage municipalities first — they are the most accessible decision-makers, have local youth policies, and can co-fund missions. Cascais (PT) and Vallecas/Madrid (ES) show this works.

6

Competence recognition — Map civic service competencies onto national qualification frameworks. Formal recognition increases programme attractiveness and its contribution to employability — the core ROI driver.

7

Communication — Do not call it 'volunteering' in public communication if that term carries negative connotations (Romania) or legal restrictions. Invest in a national name that conveys civic duty, opportunity, and compensation.

8

Use the pilots — This KA2 project generates the evidence needed. Every volunteer profile, mission description, hosting organisation relationship, and impact data point is an argument for public funding.

The replicable model at a glance

Coordinating structure	1 accredited NGO per region/city; responsible for quality, training, collective programme, and ecosystem building
Hosting organisations	Network of local NGOs, public bodies, schools, municipalities — each with 1 defined mission and 1 designated mentor
Cohort size	10–24 youth (50% local + 50% European in full SCE model; national-only in pilot phase under KA2)
Duration	Minimum 6 months, full-time or near full-time
Training	Induction week + weekly collective day + monthly competency sessions + mid-term evaluation + final presentation
Certification	Youthpass + hosting org certificate + coordinating org competency portfolio
Phase 2 (mobility)	ESC-funded mobility abroad for graduates of Phase 1 — the European dimension
Funding (pilot)	EU project funding (KA2 or ESC); municipality co-funding; foundation grants
Funding (scale)	National budget (stipend + social); hosting org contribution (mentoring); ESC (mobility)

The vision: a European Civic Service that is universal in aspiration, local in implementation, national in funding, and multilateral in governance — the second pillar of European youth mobility alongside Erasmus+, backed by the 2022 unanimous Council Recommendation on volunteering.