In European Solidarity Corps (ESC) data from October 2019, the countries of destination with the most activities were Italy, Spain, Romania and Poland. The country data for the European Solidarity Corps comes from October 2019 and from the 2018 and 2019 calls. The European Solidarity Corps Report 2021-2023 has no data by country. Our guide on what the European Solidarity Corps is explains the programme.
Last updated: November 2026.
Where can young people volunteer with the European Solidarity Corps?
The European Solidarity Corps covers the EU Member States, the third countries associated to the programme and the third countries not associated to the programme:
🔹 EU Member States: Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.
🔹 Third countries associated to the programme: Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia and Türkiye.
🔹 Third countries not associated to the programme: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Norway, Palestine, Russia, Serbia, Syria, Tunisia and Ukraine.
In the European Solidarity Corps, for security reasons, young people from Belarus can be allowed to take part in mobilities, but no mobilities to Belarus are allowed. In the European Solidarity Corps, for security reasons, Russian young people can be allowed to take part in mobilities, but no mobilities to the Russian Federation are allowed. You may volunteer in a country other than the one where you live (cross-border) or in the country where you live (in-country). Our guide on which countries can take part explains the rules for each group.
Note: The two statements below appear in the official guides of the European Union. Youth Works Hub publishes them solely because the guides include them.
The designation Kosovo is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence. The designation Palestine shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue.
Which countries have hosted the most ESC activities?
In the October 2019 factsheet of the European Solidarity Corps, Italy had the most activities by country of destination, with 2 983. Activities by country of destination since December 2016, in data from October 2019, were:
🔹 2 130 to 2 983 activities (October 2019): Italy 2 983, Spain 2 649, Romania 2 234, Poland 2 130.
🔹 1 093 to 1 929 activities (October 2019): Portugal 1 929, France 1 816, Germany 1 492, Greece 1 411, Bulgaria 1 344, United Kingdom 1 188, Croatia 1 093.
🔹 532 to 803 activities (October 2019): Hungary 803, Türkiye 744, Belgium 729, Slovenia 707, Latvia 701, Netherlands 668, Czech Republic 666, Finland 639, Estonia 563, Austria 538, Slovakia 532.
🔹 9 to 489 activities (October 2019): Lithuania 489, Denmark 424, Sweden 395, North Macedonia 371, Cyprus 354, Ireland 302, Iceland 219, Norway 200, Malta 184, Luxembourg 100, Liechtenstein 9.
🔹 Partner countries neighbouring the EU (October 2019): 222 activities in the Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership countries, South-Mediterranean countries and Russian Federation.
The European Solidarity Corps Annual Report 2018-2019 gives a total of 10 544 for realised mobility, and the receiving countries with the most realised mobility were Spain (880), Romania (788), Italy (735), Poland (599), France (517) and Germany (511). In the European Solidarity Corps Annual Report 2018-2019, the sending countries with the most mobility were France (1 246), Spain (1 182), Italy (992), Germany (811) and Türkiye (694). Our guide on how to choose a project explains what to look at besides the country.
Where did young people go with Erasmus+ Youth in 2024?
In Erasmus+ Youth, which is not the European Solidarity Corps, the receiving countries with the most mobilities in 2024 were Poland (25 502), Italy (22 069), France (21 137), Germany (19 840) and Spain (16 204). The figures are the number of actual participants in mobility activities that took place in 2024, and should not be confused with the number of expected participants. Erasmus+ Youth had a total of 265 576 mobilities in 2024, of which 214 997 were mobilities for young people.
Mobilities in 2024 by receiving country:
🔹 10 237 to 25 502 mobilities (2024): Poland 25 502, Italy 22 069, France 21 137, Germany 19 840, Spain 16 204, Türkiye 13 020, Romania 12 773, Netherlands 11 956, Hungary 10 237.
🔹 5 217 to 9 115 mobilities (2024): Portugal 9 115, Denmark 8 996, Belgium 7 738, Bulgaria 7 631, Greece 7 019, Czechia 6 618, Croatia 6 411, Lithuania 5 734, Austria 5 621, Slovenia 5 482, Estonia 5 217.
🔹 1 188 to 4 519 mobilities (2024): Slovakia 4 519, Cyprus 4 480, Norway 3 377, Finland 3 258, Latvia 3 256, Ireland 2 793, Malta 1 710, Serbia 1 582, Sweden 1 414, North Macedonia 1 302, Luxembourg 1 188.
🔹 16 to 740 mobilities (2024): Iceland 740, Liechtenstein 16.
Mobilities in 2024 by sending country:
🔹 10 447 to 20 769 mobilities (2024): France 20 769, Italy 19 581, Poland 19 191, Spain 17 936, Germany 16 375, Romania 14 584, Türkiye 12 313, Netherlands 10 481, Hungary 10 447.
🔹 5 313 to 9 976 mobilities (2024): Portugal 9 976, Denmark 8 572, Greece 8 428, Bulgaria 8 408, Belgium 7 607, Lithuania 7 580, Czechia 7 437, Slovakia 5 852, Croatia 5 777, Estonia 5 664, Slovenia 5 313.
🔹 1 569 to 4 177 mobilities (2024): Latvia 4 177, Austria 3 865, North Macedonia 3 611, Finland 3 587, Serbia 3 357, Norway 2 926, Cyprus 2 901, Ireland 2 887, Malta 1 620, Sweden 1 569.
🔹 50 to 935 mobilities (2024): Iceland 935, Luxembourg 516, Liechtenstein 50.
🔹 Others (2024): Neighbourhood East 7 882, South-Mediterranean countries 1 881, Western Balkans 1 491, Russian Federation 9, Pacific 9, (Faroe Islands, Switzerland, United Kingdom) 8, Asia 3, Sub-Saharan Africa 1.
The figures cover mobility activities from a country to that same country, as in Austria to Austria 2 860, Germany to Germany 10 805, France to France 15 530, Italy to Italy 10 440 and Poland to Poland 13 189. Our guide on what Erasmus+ is explains the programme, and what a Youth Exchange is explains how one works.
What do volunteers work on?
In the European Solidarity Corps Annual Report 2018-2019, the most popular topics of volunteering activities were inclusion, youth work, education and training, culture, citizenship and democratic participation. The list below shows how many contracted Volunteering (SPV) projects from the 2018 and 2019 calls covered each topic, excluding Solidarity Projects (SPR), and a project can cover several topics:
🔹 Inclusion: 916.
🔹 Youthwork: 782.
🔹 Education and training: 633.
🔹 Culture: 612.
🔹 Citizenship and democratic participation: 600.
🔹 Equality and non-discrimination: 528.
🔹 Community development: 525.
🔹 Skills development: 433.
🔹 European identity and values: 430.
🔹 Climate action, environment and nature protection: 369.
🔹 Social assistance and welfare: 259.
🔹 Employability and entrepreneurship: 245.
🔹 Health and wellbeing: 208.
🔹 Rural development and urban regeneration: 194.
🔹 Human rights: 143.
🔹 Agriculture, forestry and fisheries: 75.
🔹 Reception and integration of third-country nationals: 69.
🔹 Physical education and sport: 59.
🔹 Territorial cooperation and cohesion: 45.
🔹 Research and innovation: 23.
🔹 Disaster prevention, preparedness and recovery: 9.
🔹 Transport and mobility: 2.
Over the reporting period 2021-2023, the most represented priorities were inclusion and diversity, followed by EU youth goals and participation in democratic life. The scope of Volunteering Projects is broad, covering a wide range of areas, such as environmental protection, climate change mitigation, greater social inclusion, integration of refugees, support for vulnerable groups, digital skills development, civic engagement, human rights, etc. Our guide on volunteering with animals and nature looks at one of these areas, and volunteering to teach English looks at another.
Where is it easier to get a place?
Demand is much lower, so the chance of being accepted is higher, in the Baltic countries, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary and North Macedonia, while everyone applying to Spain and Italy joins a long queue. The experience depends on the project and the team, not on the country. Many applicants look only at the country of the project and apply because the location appeals to them, without looking at the topic and the other details. Our guide on how to choose a project explains what to compare, and how to find projects shows where the offers are published.
Can you volunteer outside Europe?
Yes: Humanitarian Aid Volunteering takes place in third countries where there are ongoing humanitarian aid operations. In 2022-2023, the map of activities of young European Solidarity Corps volunteers in support of humanitarian aid operations showed Lebanon, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Armenia, Albania, Iraq, Morocco, Uganda, Mauritania, Tanzania, Colombia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Mozambique, Honduras, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Senegal, El Salvador and Guatemala. In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, each opportunity names the host country; the country is not fixed in advance. Humanitarian Aid Volunteering opportunities from the European Youth Portal also appear on Youth Works Hub in the ESC projects category. Our guide on Humanitarian Aid Volunteering explains this strand.
How many young people take part?
Over the period 2021-2023, the second generation of the European Solidarity Corps programme offered opportunities to more than 66 000 young people through volunteering or by setting up and implementing their own solidarity projects. At the end of 2023, the total number of registrations reached more than 850 000. Over the reporting period 2021-2023, supported Volunteering Projects offered opportunities to over 46 400 participants. The European Solidarity Corps has helped more than 100 000 young people to participate in initiatives addressing urgent social and global challenges. Participation of young people with fewer opportunities has steadily grown from 25% in 2018 to 40% in 2023. Our guide on what ESC volunteering means for you covers the experience behind the numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Which country is most popular?
In the October 2019 data of the European Solidarity Corps, Italy had the most activities by country of destination, with 2 983. Our guide on how to choose a project explains what to look at besides the country.
Can I choose my country?
Yes: you apply to the projects that are published. Many applicants look only at the country of the project and apply because the location appeals to them, without looking at the topic and the other details. Our guide on which countries can take part explains the rules for each group.
Does the country decide how good the experience is?
No: the experience depends on the project and the team, not on the country. Our guide on what ESC volunteering means for you covers the personal side.
Can I volunteer in my own country?
Yes: you may volunteer in a country other than the one where you live (cross-border) or in the country where you live (in-country). Our guide on what the European Solidarity Corps is explains the programme.
Does Match filter projects by country?
No: Match does not filter directly by country. Our guide on how to find projects shows where the offers are published.
Where do you go from here?
Youth Works Hub has a Match page that finds projects suited to you: it asks 8 questions and shows the results as a swipeable deck of cards, and using Match requires creating an account on the site. Our guide on how to find projects shows where the offers are published. Our guide on how to choose a project explains what to compare once you have a shortlist.
Related pages: which countries can take part · how to choose a project · how to find projects · Humanitarian Aid Volunteering · what ESC volunteering means for you
👉 ESC projects: youthworkshub.org/?tab=esc-projects
👉 Erasmus+ projects: youthworkshub.org/?tab=erasmus-projects
