Stichting Tur Cos Ta Posibel is preparing to host Under the Hood II, an ESC Volunteering Teams activity in Sint Maarten (Dutch part), following the success of its current ESC team, Beneath the Cover, renamed Under the Hood. On this project you will have the privilege of stepping inside Point Blanche Prison and the Miss Lalie Juvenile Detention Centre, where you will work with six prison residents who will be ESC team members alongside you, completing the small Solidarity Corps team that will work with the wider prison population to bring non-formal learning opportunities to Sint Maarten prisons.
This initiative is implemented under the Detention Sector Reform Programme (DSRP), with joint funding from the European Solidarity Corps and from the Ministry of Justice of Sint Maarten and the Government of the Netherlands. It is delivered through a partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The activities focus on the Nelson Mandela Rules, which are the official United Nations guidelines for the fair, humane, and safe treatment of prisoners. This is not a generic project; the organiser describes it as probably one of the 10 best ESC team activities ever offered.
🧭 New to this format? Read our guide first: What Are ESC Volunteering Teams? A Complete Guide → https://youthworkshub.org/esc-volunteering-teams
Accommodation, Food and Transport
🏠 You will stay in a two-bedroom apartment with two male English trainees delivering sport in a parallel programme. The accommodation has two double beds; however, floor mattresses can be added if you prefer not to share. The accommodation is very close to all amenities, supermarkets, the beach and social life.
🚐 Transport will be a mixture of lifts, buses, local rides and walking, and you may also have an opportunity to ride a bike. The island is small and easy to navigate.
Training During the Activity
Training will be delivered in two ways. You will receive training on the project itself, and you will also co-deliver training in your own fields of skill.
🧭 Orientation
🔒 Training in prison protocols
⚖️ Training around prison reform
🎨 You will co-deliver training in different fields; for example, if you are a skilled artist, photographer or writer, the organiser wants you to train others in your skills and also learn from other volunteers, Point Blanche and Miss Lalie Centre residents, international volunteers and UK trainees
🎯 Want to strengthen your application before you send it? Read this: How to Prepare a Strong Erasmus+ and ESC Application: 10 Tips → https://youthworkshub.org/erasmus-application-tips
Participant Profile
The organiser is searching for two unique individuals. Do you consider that a man is not defined by his biggest mistake? Do you feel it would be a privilege to work with the amazing people they are in contact with in the Sint Maarten justice system? Are you ready to give unconditionally, expecting nothing in return, but then receive everything you get back with humility and grace? Are you ready to push boundaries and encourage tough guys to bake cupcakes, experiment with perspective, and go deeper into their feelings with poetry? Are you ready to share of yourself, be vulnerable, and accept the friendship offered to you? Are you resilient and adaptable, and can you keep a positive attitude when systems don't work, your ride is late, or you don't have the resources you need? Do you believe in transformation through non-formal learning and solidarity? Then maybe you are who they are looking for. The organiser asks: what could you offer to make Under the Hood II better than the first edition?
🗺️ Also open right now: ESC Volunteering in 🇮🇹 Italy at a Community and Youth Social Centre → https://youthworkshub.org/21561
Who Can Apply
The organiser will consider volunteers aged 23 and over. This activity is open to participants from the following countries: 🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇧🇬 Bulgaria, 🇭🇷 Croatia, 🇨🇾 Cyprus, 🇨🇿 Czechia, 🇩🇰 Denmark, 🇪🇪 Estonia, 🇫🇮 Finland, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇬🇷 Greece, 🇭🇺 Hungary, 🇮🇸 Iceland, 🇮🇪 Ireland, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇱🇻 Latvia, 🇱🇹 Lithuania, 🇱🇺 Luxembourg, 🇲🇹 Malta, 🇳🇴 Norway, 🇵🇱 Poland, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇷🇴 Romania, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇸🇪 Sweden.
🔎 Another one worth exploring: ESC Volunteering in 🇬🇪 Georgia in Youth Work, Communications and Project Management → https://youthworkshub.org/20296
What's Covered
As an ESC Volunteering Teams activity, this project is fully funded: accommodation, food and transport arrangements are provided, in line with European Solidarity Corps support, which also covers a volunteer allowance (pocket money) and insurance for the duration of the activity.
The Details
📆 Activity dates: from 10 October 2026 to 7 December 2026
🔹 Age: 23 and over
📍 Location: Point Blanche Prison and Miss Lalie Centre, Point Blanche, Sint Maarten (Dutch part)
🗂️ Activity type: Volunteering Teams
🏷️ Activity topic: Citizenship and democratic participation
How to Apply
Do not apply via the ESC Portal; applications submitted through the Portal will not be considered and will be automatically deleted. The organiser will only consider applications submitted on time through their own application form, together with a motivation letter. Please send your completed application and motivation letter to the organiser by email, with the subject heading UNDER THE HOOD II APPLICATION. Please also note the organiser's warning: if you are tempted only because the activity is in the Caribbean and you saw the offer on a platform using a palm tree as the advert, that advert is not from them and does not reflect the reality you will live.
Deadline
⏳ 29 August 2026
Links
🔗 Official project page: https://youth.europa.eu/solidarity/opportunity/53940_en
🔗 Application form: https://turcostaposibel.eu/beneath-the-cover/
📧 Application email: info@turcostaposibel.eu
⚠️ Important Notice
Youth Works Hub is not the organiser, partner, or representative of the listed projects. This listing is shared for information only, based on details from the source. Deadlines, eligible countries, dates, and other details may change or be withdrawn at any time, and all funding, reimbursements, and allowances are set by the project coordinator or National Agency. Applications go directly to the coordinator or hosting organisation through the official link. Listings may include third-party links (ESC Portal, infopacks, forms) that Youth Works Hub does not control. Always verify the details on the official project page before applying.
