How does it work?

The ESC is a solidarity programme that helps young people take part in projects that benefit communities, either abroad or in their own country. These projects are a great opportunity to help where needed, learn new skills and a new language, spend time abroad – and definitely come back with unforgettable memories. Here at Orfeas, our projects last from 8 weeks (short-term project) up to 8 months (long-term projects). As a volunteer, you can work in the fields of youth and culture, social services and environmental protection.

A ESC programme is a partnership between two or more promoting organizations. These organizations are responsible for recruiting volunteers for their projects and provide support to them before, during and after the activity. The volunteers need a sending organization based in their home country, and a hosting organization, which is going to receive them during their project.

Free accommodation, insurance and food and pocket money are provided. The expenses of your travel are also covered by the program, according to the policy of the distance between your home city and the receiving organization’s address. At the end of your ESC, you will receive a certificate confirming your participation and describing your project and the activities you have made – the Youthpass.

European Solidarity Corps

Do you love travelling and meeting new people?

Learning about new cultures and see the world with different eyes?

Are you willing to spend 2-8 months abroad as a volunteer, working in the field of youth and culture, social services and environmental protection?

If the answers to these questions are yes, then you are ready to become a member of the ESC community!

Accreditation Number: 2017-1-EL02-KA110-003427

The Youth Information and Media Project takes place in the office of Orfeas, in Xylokastro-Evrostini municipality. Throughout the office, we aim to provide the young people of the region with informal intercultural learning experiences, encourage their social interaction, their active participation, increase their employability and give them the possibility to show solidarity with other young people from different countries. Furthermore, it is our goal to promote the ESC and the Erasmus+ programmes, in order to show the youngsters all the opportunities they can benefit from.

The Office Volunteers will assist the staff of Orfeas Organization in the daily work. This includes the facilitation of effective communication and coordination between the volunteers and the organization, the support of volunteers in practical needs of everyday life, and the dissemination of information, updates and proposals for future initiatives to partner organizations and prospective volunteers. Moreover, the Office Volunteers manage the organization’s social media and website, which includes the creation and publishing of posts for Instagram and Facebook, and the writing of articles for Orfeas’ newsletters. There is also the opportunity to plan, disseminate and implement events, activities and workshops, both between the volunteers and between the volunteers and the community.

Our purpose, throughout these activities, is to assist with the development of the volunteers’ sense of responsibility, creativity, knowledge and skills. Additionally, we like to give the volunteers the opportunity to develop their own personal projects or workshops based on their interests and talents.

Download the Infopack for "Youth Information Office"

Accreditation Number: 2017-1-EL02-KA110-003428

The Youth Centre project takes places in the Centre of Creative Work with Children (Κ.Δ.Α.Π.), in Xylokastro, that hosts children from the age of 5 to 12 years old.

In this project, the ESC volunteer will provide additional support and help in the everyday work of the Centre. This includes doing theatrical workshops, games, music-kinetic workshops and handcraft with the children, playing with them in the free time, helping the teachers to prepare materials and the room for the activities, and avoid possible conflicts between the children. The volunteers will also have the opportunity to organize their own small workshops, depending on his/her skills and ideas (e.g. music, handcraft, theatre etc).

The main goal of this project is to promote and develop the contact of the future volunteer with the community of Xylokastro, especially the children, and with the other volunteers. The volunteers will have the possibility to broaden their horizons by living in a foreign country and leaning about the culture and the language. In addition, they will develop their soft skills, by working as a team with the educators and working with the children, and their artistic abilities, which may prove helpful in their professional future.

Moreover, our aim in hosting a volunteer is to develop the understanding of the European and International cultural context, to provide informal education, encourage social integration and active participation, and to offer them new means of expression and communication through music, art, etc.

Download the info pack for "Centre of Creative Work for Children"

Accreditation Number: 2017-1-EL02-KA110-003428 / 2017-1-EL02-KA110-003430

The Kindergarten projects take place in 4 kindergartens, in the Municipalities of Xylokastro-Evrostini and Velo-Vocha, which host children from 2 to 5 years old.

Our motivation to host ECS volunteers is to support and help in the everyday work of the kindergarten. This includes helping in the childcare tasks, such as feeding the children, and assist in the art workshops, painting lessons, theatrical workshop and playing games with the children. Another important aspect of this project is to give the volunteer the opportunity to put his/her ideas into the practice, and develop their sense of responsibility, creativity, knowledge and soft skills. Moreover, our aim in hosting a volunteer is to develop the understanding of the European and International cultural context, to provide informal education, encourage social integration and active participation, and to offer them new means of expression and communication through music, art, etc, as well as to expose the children to international and intercultural understanding, from a young age.

Download the info pack for "Kindergarten Project in Velo - Vocha"

Download the info pack for "Kindergarten Project in Xylokastro - Derveni"

Accreditation Number: 2017-1-EL02-KA110-003428 / 2017-1-EL02-KA110-003430

Help at home’ is a social service program that aims to provide organized and systematic support to elderly and people with special needs. The profile of the program is like the ‘home care’ of dependent people who are supported by the social services of the municipality.

We provide advice and psychological support to elderly, nursing, housekeeping support, company, shopping, paying bills, medical support and other services. These services are provided with regular visits in the home of the elderly according to their needs. The program addressed in particular elderly people and people with special needs with priorities:

  •  they cannot support themselves totally
  •  they needs special treatment
  •  they live lonely and isolated
  •  they don’t have enough economical sources

The main goal of ‘Help at home’ program is that these people to be able to stay in their everyday life in their environment and to increase their quality of life. The volunteers will also join the activities of the ‘center for elderly’ (KAPI) like choir, handcraft, traditional arts, excursions.etc. They will provide assistance to the staff of the center according to the needs.

Download Info pack for "Help at home"

Accreditation Number: 2017-1-EL02-KA110-003428

In this project, the volunteers will spend two months in Xylokastro supporting the environmental protection of the beaches, forests and streets of Xylokastro- Evrostini municipality.

In particular, the volunteers will work on:

  • The protection of the forest: the volunteers will take care of the forest of Xylokastro, particularly by picking up the trash that pollutes it;
  • The protection of the seaside: similarly, the volunteers will pick up any pollution that is in the seaside, in order to maintain our beaches clean;
  • The volunteers will also participate in other activities, so as to support the municipality, such as repairing and painting the benches and tables from the forest, take care of the parks, the small harbour, the squares, and the playground in the forest.

Moreover, the Short-Term volunteers will also have the opportunity to support and participate in events and activities of the youth information office, promoting the ESC program, and activities prepared for and by the local community, according to the seasonal needs (summer festivals, Christmas activities, school fairs). There is also the possibility for the volunteers to propose their environmental activities and organize their personal projects related to the main goal of the project.

Download the info pack for "Environmental Project"