EUROPEAN SOLIDARITY CORPS – EUROPEAN VOLUNTEERING PROJECT

In 2023, Protagon e.V. was awarded a Quality Label from the European Commission as a host organisation. This label certifies the ability and the will to carry out

high quality solidarity activities in compliance with the principles, objectives and quality standards of the European Solidarity Corps.

In 2024, the association started to implement volunteering activities all along the year. Long-term individual volunteering activities and several volunteer team activities of two to four weeks.

Through their participation in the European Solidarity Corps, international volunteers get the chance to live in another country, get to know a new culture and a new language. They make new friends – within and beyond the organisation. Not only will they provide a service to the benefit of the organisation and the local community, but they also develop their own personal, social, and professional skills.

The specific objective of the Programme is to provide young people, including young people with fewer opportunities, with easily accessible opportunities for engagement in solidarity activities that induce positive societal changes in the Union and beyond, while improving and properly validating their competences, as well as facilitating their continuous engagement as active citizens.

The European Solidarity Corps aims to promote social inclusion, tolerance, human rights and the value of differences and diversity of all kinds and to provide all young people equal access to opportunities offered under its Actions.

The program focuses on three core areas of action: Engage, Connect, Empower

The 11 EU Youth Goals are set as followed:

1. Connecting EU with Youth
2. Equality of All Genders
3. Inclusive Societies
4. Information & Constructive Dialogue
5. Mental Health & Wellbeing
6. Moving Rural Youth Forward
7. Quality Employment for All
8. Quality Learning
9. Space and Participation for All
10. Sustainable Green Europe
11. Youth Organisations & European Programmes

To access the European Youth Portal, go to: https://youth.europa.eu/
Every year, protagon e.V. is planning to welcome around 50 European-residents volunteers under the age of 30 years old to take part in a volunteering team in winter for the Winterwerft festival, in summer for the Sommerwerft Festival, and/or in September for the International Frauen* Theatre Festival. It also gives the opportunity for two people to join the association for a longer volunteering period of time along the year.
The main idea of this project is to give the possibility to people who have less opportunities than others concerning culture and arts: people who have not had the chance to get closer to this kind of material, because of social, geographical, health or economical reasons. The second main idea is also to bring together people in the same living space, people who have a very different background and who will start a dialogue as they share the work and their daily life.