One of the key features of the European Solidarity Corps is the training and evaluation it provides, guiding young participants through a learning process before, during and after their period of activity. Training providers can link the different training and evaluation stages and can thus help create a continuous learning process for the participants before, during and following their activity period. The European Solidarity Corps provides a range of quality and support services for participants and participating organisations. Your project does not end when you come home, and the steps below cover what happens after a European Solidarity Corps activity, not after an Erasmus+ activity. Our guide on what Erasmus+ is covers the Erasmus+ programme itself. Our guide on what Youthpass is explains the certificate that comes out of all this, and preparing before you go covers the other end of the same journey.
Last updated: October 2026.
What should you do in the first weeks after your project?
In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, after the activity you fill the volunteer survey, request your Youthpass certificate, check out the General Online Training after-activity modules, attend events or post-volunteering meet-ups if organised by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), the Commission or National Agencies, and check the European Solidarity Corps community on the European Youth Portal.
๐ Volunteer survey: in Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, after the activity, fill the volunteer survey.
๐ Youthpass certificate: Every young person taking part in European Solidarity Corps activities is entitled to go through the Youthpass process and receive a Youthpass certificate at the end of the process. Our guide on how to put Youthpass on your CV and LinkedIn shows what to do with it once you have it.
๐ป General Online Training: in Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, after the activity, check out the General Online Training after-activity modules.
๐ช Events and meet-ups: The European Solidarity Corps event is an opportunity to bring together former, current and potential participants in Volunteering, Humanitarian Aid, Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas and Solidarity Projects. In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, if organised by EACEA/the Commission or National Agencies, attend events or post-volunteering meet-ups. Our guide on what National Agencies aredescribes the national bodies behind these meet-ups.
๐ Community: in Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, check the European Solidarity Corps community on the European Youth Portal. Our guide on Erasmus+ and ESC alumni networks covers the networks former participants join.
What certificates do you get at the end?
At the end of a European Solidarity Corps volunteering activity you can receive a Youthpass certificate at the end of the Youthpass process, and a certificate of participation provided that the activity is finalised and that participants have submitted their participant report.
๐ Youthpass certificate: Every young person taking part in European Solidarity Corps activities is entitled to go through the Youthpass process and receive a Youthpass certificate at the end of the process. Youthpass identifies and documents the competences developed during the project. In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, the Youthpass certificate can help you when applying for other opportunities and jobs after the European Solidarity Corps experience. In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, do not forget to request your Youthpass certificate at the end of your activity. Our guide on what Youthpass is walks through the process step by step.
๐ Certificate of participation: The certificate of participation is a certificate to support the visibility of the participation in volunteering activities of the European Solidarity Corps. At the end of their volunteering experience, participants are entitled to receive a certificate of participation, issued in the European Solidarity Corps portal provided that the activity is finalised and that participants have submitted their participant report. In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, having a proof of the activities you have implemented in the European Solidarity Corps will be a valuable addition to your curriculum vitae (CV).
๐งญ Europass: Depending on the nature of the recognition needs and the individual solidarity activities, other tools can also be used such as Europass. Our guide on how to prepare your Europass CV explains that document.
How is your learning recognised?
The competences, the combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are the non-formal and informal learning outcomes gained in the solidarity activities, shall be identified and documented, in particular through EU level recognition tools such as Youthpass and Europass. The identification and documentation of learning outcomes is offered to participants on a voluntary basis and to participating organisations as mandatory, if the participant requests it. Every young person taking part in any European Solidarity Corps activity can benefit from a process and certificate that identifies and documents individual learning outcomes. It is recommended to embed the educational approach of Youthpass from the start of the project and to use Youthpass during the project activities as a tool to help participants to become more aware of, reflect on and assess their learning process and outcomes. Our guide on getting your learning recognised (ECTS + Youthpass) covers the academic side, and what non-formal education is explains the kind of learning these tools describe.
What is the volunteer survey and do you have to fill it in?
In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, at the end of your activity you should complete a volunteer survey, and while abroad you should give the support organisation regular feedback on your experience. In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, after your return, EACEA will send you by e-mail a link to an online questionnaire. In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, filling in the online questionnaire should not take longer than 10 minutes. In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, the survey is a chance to give feedback to the EACEA about your experience and to help improve the programme for future participants.
๐ Participant report: The certificate of participation is issued provided that the activity is finalised and that participants have submitted their participant report. Our guide on ESC volunteering from start to finishfollows the whole activity from the first application to the last form.
What is the annual European Solidarity Corps event?
The European Solidarity Corps event is an opportunity to bring together former, current and potential participants in Volunteering, Humanitarian Aid, Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas and Solidarity Projects. The event is organised by the National Agencies or SALTO (Support for Advanced Learning and Training Opportunities) Resource Centres (SALTOs). SALTO Resource Centres are structures mainly supported through the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Programmes aiming to improve the quality of projects in the field of youth and education. The event may serve as an evaluation meeting, alumni meeting and/or promotional event. The European Solidarity Corps event is particularly important as an opportunity for those who have finished their solidarity activity during the past year to discuss and evaluate their experiences and to pass them on to current and potential participants. Attending the annual event is not mandatory, however it is highly recommended.
By the end of the event, each participant who has finished their activity during the past year should have evaluated their experience.
๐ค Cooperation and support: the cooperation between the participant and the participating organisations, and the personal support and supervision received.
๐ก Your own contribution: your personal contribution to the activity.
๐ Learning achievements: the overall pedagogical approach and your own learning achievements, personal, professional and social, including being aware of your personal capacities and skills and, if relevant, having finalised your Youthpass and Europass.
๐ Europe and diversity: your increased knowledge about Europe, changes in your attitude towards Europe and your greater understanding of diversity.
๐ฃ๏ธ Sharing with peers: having shared your experience with peers. Our guide on what National Agencies are explains who invites you, and Erasmus+ and ESC alumni networks covers the groups that keep meeting between events.
What can you do next?
In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, topics in the General Online Training include options after the volunteering experience.
๐ป General Online Training: In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, the General Online Training is a set of optional training modules for young people interested in volunteering, provided on EU Academy and accessed via the European Solidarity Corps Portal. In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, you can access the General Online Training via your Corps profile, by clicking on the ribbon "Online training".
๐ค Passing on your experience: The European Solidarity Corps event may be a chance for potential participants and participating organisations to meet experienced participants, including participants having implemented Solidarity Projects, a networking event to explore and develop new projects and other ways of using your experiences, and a showcase for successful projects. Our guide on what ESC Solidarity Projects are explains the projects young people run themselves.
๐ Another project or a job: Our guide on doing ESC more than once works through the time limits, and from volunteer to professional together with whether Erasmus+ or ESC helps your career look at what the experience does for your work.
Frequently asked questions
Do you get the certificate of participation automatically?
At the end of their volunteering experience, participants are entitled to receive a certificate of participation, issued in the European Solidarity Corps portal provided that the activity is finalised and that participants have submitted their participant report. Our guide on how to register on the ESC Portal explains how to set up the account you use there.
Is the Youthpass certificate automatic?
Every young person taking part in European Solidarity Corps activities is entitled to go through the Youthpass process and receive a Youthpass certificate at the end of the process. In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, do not forget to request your Youthpass certificate at the end of your activity. Our guide on what Youthpass is explains each step of the Youthpass process.
Is attending the annual event mandatory?
Attending the annual event is not mandatory, however it is highly recommended. Our guide on Erasmus+ and ESC alumni networks covers other ways to stay in touch with former participants.
Who sends you the volunteer survey?
In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, after your return, EACEA will send you by e-mail a link to an online questionnaire. In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, filling in the online questionnaire should not take longer than 10 minutes. Our guide on what Humanitarian Aid Volunteering is explains the strand this survey belongs to.
Can you still use the General Online Training after you come home?
In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, after the activity, check out the General Online Training after-activity modules. In Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, you can access the General Online Training via your Corps profile, by clicking on the ribbon "Online training". Our guide on ESC volunteering from start to finishplaces the training in the whole volunteering journey.
Does your organisation have to document your learning?
The identification and documentation of learning outcomes is offered to participants on a voluntary basis and to participating organisations as mandatory, if the participant requests it. Our guide on getting your learning recognised (ECTS + Youthpass) explains the tools used to document it.
Keep the proof, then keep going
Every young person taking part in any European Solidarity Corps activity can benefit from a process and certificate that identifies and documents individual learning outcomes. Our guide on how to put Youthpass on your CV and LinkedIn shows how to turn the certificate into something a recruiter understands, and coming home is the hard part is there for the weeks when the return feels harder than the departure did. The related pages below from Youth Works Hub cover each part of this guide in more detail.
Related pages: what Youthpass is ยท how to put Youthpass on your CV and LinkedIn ยท getting your learning recognised ยท Erasmus+ and ESC alumni networks ยท doing ESC more than once ยท coming home is the hard part
๐ ESC projects: youthworkshub.org/category/esc-projects
๐ Erasmus+ projects: youthworkshub.org/category/erasmus-projects
