European Solidarity Corps funding for Traineeships and Jobs projects help UK organisations to widen their impact, offering a meaningful experience for proactive young people. This type of activity provides young people with opportunities for work practice or employment, helping them to enhance their skills and experience. The aim is facilitating a young person’s employability and transition into the labour market whilst also contributing to address important societal challenges such as environmental protection, climate change and social inclusion.
Organisations can benefit from:
- enhanced opportunities to engage with young people;
- sharing and discovering good practice;
- greater understanding of societal and cultural diversity; and
- more dynamic and committed professional environment etc.
For the participants, there is a formal labour contract and a wage in accordance with local laws, regulations and collective agreements. For work experience, the placement must include a solid learning and training component that will help young people to gain relevant skills for their professional, social and personal development.
Travel costs, organisational support (to participants, management costs), relocation allowance for the participants, linguistic and / or inclusion support and insurance are supported, as well as exceptional costs.
These projects last from six months to two years and can take place in the UK or in Europe. For young people, this experience could mean up to one year abroad.
Applicants must hold the appropriate Quality Label. There is no minimum number of organisations involved in a project, therefore a single organisation holding a Quality Label can submit an application. The applicant organisation can deliver the project by itself or in cooperation with associated partners, which are not required to have a Quality Label.
Types of activities
European Solidarity Corps Traineeships and Jobs projects can combine one or more of the following main activities:
This is a full-time work practice, remunerated by the organisation responsible for the participant’s traineeship. It should be based on a written traineeship agreement determined at the beginning of the experience. Traineeships must not substitute jobs and should be clearly separated from voluntary activities, both from a financial and organisational point of view.
Please note that a Quality Label holder for Traineeships must ensure that Quality Framework for Traineeships is respected, as well as applicable national legislation, in particular regarding remuneration. Therefore, European Solidarity Corps Traineeship activities taking place in the UK are available for young people aged 25-30 years old only, whilst Traineeship activities outside of the UK are available for young people aged 18 to 30 years old. For further information, please contact the European Solidarity Corps team.
Duration: from two to six months
This is a full-time work practice (in line with national legislation), remunerated by the organisation employing the participant. It should be based on a written employment contract. Jobs must include a learning and a training component to help the participant gain relevant experience with a view to developing competences useful for the participants’ personal, educational, social, civic and professional development.
Duration: from three to 12 months
Who can take part
Organisations: any public or private organisation from an EU Member State.
Young people: Aged 18-30 from an EU Member State. They must be registered on the portal to take part in occupational projects.
Additional resources
Check out our additional resources on Traineeships and Jobs:
- structure your project idea with our Traineeship projects planner (264 KB) and our Job projects planner (264 KB);
- check out videos from participants undertaking a Solidarity Corps Traineeship and a Job placements talking about their experience and their roles; and
- watch the module on Traineeships and Jobs available on ‘Ready, Set, Make the Change!’, a European Solidarity Corps free online course on the HOP platform.
Application process
Who can apply: any organisation holding the Quality Label for the occupational strand
How to apply: check the 'Open Calls' tab for the ESC21 Traineeships and Jobs web form, when available
Guidance for application (for reference purposes only):
- read the guide for applicants 2020 Call – Round 3 (726 KB)
- download the European Solidarity Corps National Funding Strategy for traineeships (248 KB)
- watch a tutorial on how to complete the application form
Deadlines: the 2020 deadlines have now passed (11 February, 7 May and 1 October, 11am UK time)
Read our webpage for the latest information on European Solidarity Corps and the EU transition period.