Would you like to spend a few weeks or several months volunteering abroad without paying for accommodation, while receiving food support and pocket money? The European Solidarity Corps (ESCESC, the European Solidarity Corps, is an EU programme supporting young people in volunteering and solidarity projects, with programme-specific funding, support and participation conditions.) offers young people aged 18–30 the chance to take part in international projects with their basic living costs covered. We have selected four opportunities in Türkiye, the Netherlands and Sweden for 2026 and 2027, ranging from animal welfare and environmental education to sustainable farming and regenerative living. All four accept applicants legally residing in Italy, although eligibility and experience requirements vary between projects.
Information reviewed: 13 November 2026. These opportunities are advertised on the official European Youth Portal. Application deadlines, available places and project conditions may change. The selection of projects is independent of the organising organisations.
International volunteering doesn’t always require spending your savings on accommodation, meals, and everyday expenses. Through the European Solidarity Corps, young people can contribute to projects abroad while receiving practical and financial support for their stay. For some, it is a way to gain experience in a field they already know. For others, it offers a chance to learn new skills, discover another country and participate in activities that benefit local communities or the environment.
The four projects below offer quite different experiences. One involves working with animals under veterinary supervision in Türkiye; another focuses on environmental education and zero-waste initiatives; the two longer placements take place on a Dutch farm and at a regenerative retreat centre in rural Sweden. These are funded volunteering placements, not salaried jobs. The ESC programme supports accommodation, food or food allowances, pocket money, and eligible travel costs. Volunteers do not pay a participation fee, although travel funding follows programme limits and personal expenses outside the agreed arrangements may still apply.
Four ESC opportunities for 2026 and 2027
The Dutch farm project closes applications on 30 November 2026, while the Swedish programme closes on 25 November 2026. The two projects in Türkiye do not list a formal deadline, but their starting dates are approaching. Applicants should check whether places remain available before making travel arrangements.
1. Care for around 110 cats in Sinop, Türkiye
Project: Be There for Them – Volunteer with Animals in Sinop
Dates: 15 December 2026 to 11 February 2027 (8 weeks).
Imagine spending eight weeks helping care for rescued cats and dogs while learning from veterinary professionals. This is the experience offered by Sahipsiz Hayvanları Koruma ve Yaşatma Derneği, an animal welfare organisation based in Sinop, on Türkiye’s Black Sea coast. The organisation looks after approximately 110 cats and several dogs living in its patient room, village house and garden. Some animals are sick, disabled, recovering from treatment or orphaned. Volunteers help with feeding, cleaning, general care, medication and health monitoring. A significant part of the placement also takes place at the Gerze Municipality Stray Animal Care Centre, where participants work alongside veterinary professionals.
Depending on their experience and the guidance provided, they may observe or assist with examinations, treatments, parasite control, and care before and after surgical procedures.
Who can apply?
This opportunity is particularly suitable for veterinary students, young veterinarians and veterinary nurses. The organisation also considers previous practical experience gained in animal shelters, rescue organisations or similar environments. However, it explicitly states that simply owning pets is not sufficient experience. Applicants must be prepared for physically and emotionally demanding situations, including cleaning, caring for sick animals and following veterinary instructions. Clinical and surgical activities take place under professional supervision.
Accommodation, food and pocket money
Volunteers stay in a furnished shared house in Sinop, with Wi-Fi, heating, hot water, a kitchen and basic household facilities. Short-term participants may share a bedroom. The programme provides a €6 daily food allowance and €6 daily pocket money, paid in cash. Local transport between Sinop and the activity locations is covered. International travel expenses are reimbursed according to ESC rules and the required documentation.
The official listing does not specify an application deadline. Because the project starts on 15 December 2026, applicants should check availability promptly.
2. Promote zero waste with young people in Eskişehir, Türkiye
- Project: Green Youth – Environment and Sustainability in Eskişehir
- Dates: 1 December 2026 to 1 June 2027 (26 weeks).
If you are interested in sustainability, recycling and environmental education, this six-month project in Eskişehir, Türkiye, may be worth exploring. The programme is organised by the Eskişehir Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports through its youth centres. Volunteers help young people understand environmental challenges and develop more sustainable everyday habits. Activities include recycling and reusing materials, zero-waste initiatives, environmental awareness workshops, nature-based events and intercultural activities.
The work combines environmental education with youth engagement, encouraging participants to develop ideas, communicate with local communities and help organise practical activities.
Do you need previous experience?
No previous professional experience in environmental projects is required.
The organisers are looking for motivated young people who enjoy teamwork, creativity, communication and working with other young people. No specific foreign language is required in the official announcement. Participants receive an introduction to the project, training in environmental education and youth work, ongoing guidance and mentoring. This makes the opportunity more accessible to beginners than the specialised animal welfare programme in Sinop.
Accommodation, food and pocket money
The volunteer stays in a student dormitory managed by the Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports.
Food support and pocket money are provided according to the ESC rules and the approved project budget. The official listing does not specify the food allowance amount or the exact pocket money payment. For reference, the ESC 2026 daily pocket money rate for Türkiye is €6. Applicants should confirm the amount applicable to their placement directly with the organisers. Necessary local transportation and eligible international travel costs are supported according to programme rules.
The opportunity does not list a formal application deadline, but the advertised start date is 1 December 2026. Anyone interested should confirm immediately whether the organisers are still accepting participants.
Explore the Green Youth project
3. Live and learn on a biodynamic berry farm in the Netherlands
- Project: Green Future
- Location: Ingen, Netherlands.
- Dates: 1 March to 31 October 2027 (35 weeks).
- Application deadline: 30 November 2026 at 12:00.
Would you enjoy living on a farm, growing fruit and learning about sustainable agriculture? The Green Future project, organised by Stichting Explosief Natuurschoon, offers an extended ESC experience in Ingen, a village in the Dutch countryside. The main activities take place on an organic, biodynamic soft-fruit farm. Volunteers participate in everyday agricultural tasks while learning about ecological farming and sustainable food production. In addition to farm work, participants are encouraged to develop their own small sustainability-related projects. These might involve organising community events, creating environmental education activities for children or exploring another subject connected with nature and responsible living.
The project combines practical work with opportunities for creativity, initiative and personal development.
Who is this project for?
The organisers welcome EU residents aged 18–30 who are interested in sustainable agriculture, outdoor activities and community life. No previous farming experience is required, but volunteers should be physically active and comfortable with manual work. The announcement makes clear that farm work can be demanding. Participants must be willing to take responsibility, cooperate with others and contribute to both practical tasks and personal learning projects.
Accommodation, food and pocket money
Volunteers live on the farm in private bedrooms, with shared kitchens and bathrooms. The organisers describe the accommodation as a simple, communal, camping-style environment. Participants receive a monthly food allowance, allowing them to buy groceries and prepare their own meals. The exact amount is not stated in the announcement. Participants also receive pocket money. The 2026 ESC reference rate for the Netherlands is €7 per day, but the volunteering agreement should confirm the exact amount. Bicycles are provided, along with a Dutch public transport card for project-related travel and personal trips. International travel support follows ESC rules.
The programme includes guidance, language learning opportunities, and training in sustainable agriculture and community activities.
Explore the Dutch farm opportunity
4. Learn regenerative living at a forest retreat in Sweden
- Project: Regenerative Hospitality & Rural Living
- Location: Mundekulla, near Långasjö, Sweden.
- Dates: 30 March to 15 November 2027 (35 weeks).
- Application deadline: 25 November 2026 at 23:59.
For people interested in community living, ecological hospitality and the natural environment, this ESC programme offers an opportunity to spend several months in rural Sweden. The project takes place at Mundekulla, an ecolodge and retreat centre surrounded by forests and countryside. Participants contribute to a regenerative enterprise that combines environmental care, hospitality and community activities. The aim is to learn how ecological, social and economic sustainability can work together in practice. Volunteers can focus on one or more of five learning areas: regenerative gardening and biodiversity, circular gastronomy and food processing, regenerative hospitality, eco-building and maintenance, and sustainable forestry.
Activities may involve caring for gardens, growing or preparing food, assisting with guest experiences, helping maintain buildings or participating in forest-related work. Specific tasks depend on seasonal needs, personal interests, and the learning plan agreed with the organisers.
Who can apply?
The programme welcomes ESC-eligible young people aged 18–30 who are motivated to learn and participate in a shared living environment. No formal qualifications are required. Interest in sustainability, gardening, hospitality, vegetarian or vegan food, ecological building or forestry is particularly relevant. Volunteers should be comfortable living and working with an international group of approximately eight participants and able to commit to the agreed long-term placement.
The organisers also welcome applicants with fewer opportunities, including those facing economic, educational, social or other barriers.
Accommodation, food and pocket money
Participants receive accommodation either in the volunteer building at Mundekulla or in a house in a nearby village. Each volunteer has a private bedroom, while kitchens and bathrooms are shared. The village accommodation is approximately five minutes away by bicycle or fifteen minutes on foot. A bicycle and helmet are provided. The centre serves vegetarian and vegan food. Meals may be provided through its restaurant or prepared by volunteers themselves. The public announcement does not explain exactly how groceries or ingredients are supplied when volunteers prepare their own meals. Applicants should confirm these arrangements with Mundekulla before accepting a place. Pocket money is included under ESC rules.
The 2026 reference rate for Sweden is €7 per day. Travel support follows the programme’s funding arrangements. Other benefits include mentoring, hands-on training, language support and opportunities to visit sustainability initiatives in the region.
Explore the Mundekulla opportunity
How does European Solidarity Corps funding work?
The European Solidarity Corps is a European Union programme that supports young people taking part in volunteering and solidarity activities in Europe and certain neighbouring countries. Unlike conventional employment, ESC volunteering does not provide a salary. Instead, participants receive support intended to cover their basic needs while volunteering.
Individual volunteering placements generally include accommodation, food or food allowances, pocket money, insurance, training and eligible travel costs. The exact arrangements vary between projects. Some organisations provide prepared meals, while others give volunteers money to buy and cook their own food. Accommodation may involve shared houses, dormitories or private bedrooms in communal facilities.
Pocket money is separate from food support and covers personal expenses.
According to the official 2026 ESC rates, daily pocket money for the countries featured in this article is €6 in Türkiye and €7 in both the Netherlands and Sweden. Each participant’s volunteering agreement should confirm the final amounts and payment arrangements.
ESC travel funding is based on programme rules and eligible travel distances. This does not mean that any travel arrangement chosen by a volunteer will necessarily be reimbursed in full.
Do volunteers have to pay a fee?
No participation fee or compulsory donation is required to join an ESC volunteering project.
Applicants should be cautious if someone asks them to pay a recruitment fee to secure a place in one of these programmes. Some personal costs may fall outside the agreed funding arrangements. Before travelling, participants should clarify any additional expenses, travel contribution limits and payment schedules with the hosting and supporting organisations.
Who can join the European Solidarity Corps?
For ordinary ESC volunteering activities, participants must be 18–30 years old when the activity begins. Registration is possible from age 17, but participation cannot start before the person’s eighteenth birthday.
Eligibility is based primarily on legal residence in a participating country, not simply on holding an EU passport. Residents of EU Member States can apply for projects that list their country among the eligible locations. Some activities also welcome residents of other participating and partner countries.
However, not every ESC project accepts applicants from every country. Applicants should check the eligible countries listed on each official opportunity page. Previous ESC participation can also affect eligibility for further placements, particularly where the programme’s cumulative volunteering limits apply.
Can beginners apply?
Yes, but it depends on the activity.
The environmental education project in Eskişehir, the Dutch farm and Mundekulla do not require previous professional experience. They place greater emphasis on motivation, teamwork, learning and suitability for the daily activities.
The Sinop animal welfare opportunity is different. It is intended for applicants with relevant veterinary studies or demonstrated practical animal-care experience.
Choosing a project that matches your interests, physical abilities and existing skills is more important than simply choosing the most attractive destination.
How to apply for an ESC volunteering opportunity
Applications are managed through the European Youth Portal.
Young people must register for the European Solidarity Corps using an EU Login account and create their participant profile. Once registered, they can explore opportunities and apply to projects for which they meet the eligibility criteria.
The four buttons above link directly to the official announcements. Applicants may need to sign in before the portal confirms whether they can apply.
For individual volunteering abroad, a hosting organisation and a supporting organisation are generally involved. The supporting organisation helps participants prepare for their experience, while the host organisation coordinates activities and support at the destination.
Selection is managed by the participating organisations, and registering for the European Solidarity Corps does not guarantee a placement.
Before accepting, applicants should request clear information about their tasks, schedule, accommodation, food arrangements, pocket money, insurance and travel reimbursement. Volunteering should include appropriate guidance and learning activities, rather than replacing regular paid employment.
Which of these four opportunities would you choose?
These projects demonstrate how varied European Solidarity Corps experiences can be.
The Sinop programme offers specialised animal welfare experience. Eskişehir provides a more accessible route into environmental education and youth work. The Dutch project is particularly suited to people who enjoy practical agriculture and outdoor activities, while Mundekulla combines ecological living with hospitality and community learning. The shorter Turkish placements may appeal to people who cannot commit to most of a year abroad. The Dutch and Swedish programmes require a longer commitment but offer more time to develop practical skills and experience everyday life in another country. None of the four is a free holiday. Each involves responsibilities, agreed activities and participation in a structured volunteering programme.
For young people who want to travel responsibly, learn new skills and contribute to a project without bearing the full cost of living abroad, the European Solidarity Corps can offer a valuable opportunity.
Interested candidates should check the official announcements and apply while suitable places remain available.
Sources and further reading
- European Youth Portal: Be There for Them, animal welfare volunteering in Sinop.
- European Youth Portal: Green Youth, environmental volunteering in Eskişehir.
- European Youth Portal: Green Future, sustainable farming in Ingen.
- European Youth Portal: Regenerative Hospitality & Rural Living, Mundekulla.
- European Youth Portal: What ESC volunteering includes and how it works.
- European Youth Portal: Eligibility, participation and general programme rules.
- European Solidarity Corps: 2026 applicable rates, including pocket money by country.
Editorial review: 13 November 2026. All four opportunities were checked against the European Youth Portal. Listing visibility does not guarantee that vacancies remain available. Participation conditions, dates and allowances must be confirmed with the relevant organisations.
Contact details 📧🔍
These four projects are published through the European Solidarity Corps and are managed by their respective hosting organisations. Voluntouring.org does not organise the placements or select volunteers.
To apply, register on the official European Youth Portal and follow the application instructions on the appropriate project page.
The official announcements are:
- Animal welfare volunteering in Sinop, Türkiye.
- Green Youth environmental education in Eskişehir, Türkiye.
- Green Future biodynamic farm in Ingen, Netherlands.
- Regenerative Hospitality & Rural Living at Mundekulla, Sweden.
Check each project’s eligibility requirements and application status before submitting. Registration and applications are handled through the official ESC system.
This is an independent editorial selection of opportunities found on the European Youth Portal. It does not represent a partnership, endorsement or recruitment request from the hosting organisations. Voluntouring.org does not verify individual participation arrangements or guarantee selection.
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