ESC
The European Solidarity Corps is an EU funding programme for young people wishing to engage in solidary activities in a variety of areas. These range from helping the disadvantaged to humanitarian aid, as well as contributing to health and environmental action across the EU and beyond.
The European Solidarity Corps finances volunteering (including humanitarian aid) and solidary projects. It is open to individuals aged 18 to 30 (35 for humanitarian aid) and to organisations in EU and partner countries.
UniGrowth Development Center has quality label as support organization for Armenian volunteers who want to embark ESC journey in programme countries. Since 2017 we supported more than 30 volunteers in their ESC and former EVS projects.
ESC Success Stories
When Milena decided to spend a year volunteering abroad, she couldn’t have imagined how deeply this experience would shape her. Her European Solidarity Corps journey took her from Armenia to Riga, Latvia, a country of green forests, snowy winters, and warm-hearted people.
For the past year, Milena volunteered at the Youth and Family Social Support Center “Ziemeļi”, where she supported children through creative and educational activities. What began as a new adventure soon became one of the most meaningful chapters of her life.
Working with children brought Milena a sense of purpose and fulfillment she had never experienced before. Every day offered new lessons about empathy, patience, and the joy of seeing children grow and smile.
Outside her volunteering work, Latvia itself became a source of inspiration. The calm rhythm of nature, the kindness of people, and the beauty of simple everyday life made Milena feel at home far from home.
But the highlight of her ESC year was the people she met along the way. Sharing a house with six other volunteers turned into a lifelong friendship, a small international family that supported each other through every challenge and celebrated every success together.
Her year in Latvia was not just about volunteering, it was about personal growth, cultural exchange, and discovering how powerful solidarity can be when people come together for a common good.
I’m Nane, from Goris. Last year, I discovered the volunteering opportunities offered by the European Solidarity Corps. After applying and being selected, I started my project in Romania
Volunteering is often described as a journey of self-discovery, and my experience in Romania was no exception. As an Armenian girl stepping into a new culture and environment, it was both exciting and a little intimidating. This journey not only broadened my worldview but also changed my understanding of community, resilience, and the power of human connection.
When I arrived in Romania, I was immediately impressed by the vibrancy of its culture, its rich history, and the warmth of its people. The first days were filled with new experiences tasting traditional Romanian dishes, learning local expressions, and exploring the area. Every interaction with locals helped me discover their culture, which, to my surprise, shared many similarities with my Armenian roots. This cultural exchange helped me deeply appreciate diversity. I learned to value our differences while recognizing the shared values that unite us family, friendship, and the pursuit of a brighter future.
The volunteering project focused on non-formal education in schools, where I worked with teenagers. Through teaching, organizing activities, and communicating with young people, I discovered the real power of empathy and a human-centered approach. Many of them simply needed someone to believe in them. That realization changed my mindset, reminding me that sometimes, just listening and believing can be the greatest form of support. My time in Romania was more than just volunteering — it was a transformative journey that gave me a renewed sense of purpose: to continue walking my path by sharing the positivity I have received.
Hello, I am Nona Khachatryan First of all, I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity and I want to share my first volunteering experience
Within the framework of the project, we had various responsibilities that provided an opportunity to get acquainted with Bulgarian culture, customs and local residents
We had the chance to meet children with disabilities several times and to participate in the New Year's event organized for them and also attended by the mayor. The event was organized according to Bulgarian traditions
Part of the project was the preparation and summarization of a presentation about our country through a quiz. It was a great opportunity for cultural exchange between the two countries
The program was not limited to work with children and teenagers. Within it, we managed to be in the regional historical museum of Vratsa, we were in one of the oldest cities in Europe - Plovdiv, and almost recently, together with Diana and Nikola, we were in the cities of Ciprovtsi and Belogradchik. There we visited the historical museum of Chiprovtsi and Belogradchik rocks. Bulgaria has rich nature, ancient history, interesting cuisine and unique cities
My volunteer experience here made me think about organizing similar programs among teenagers in my own country and also about my dream that I want to make the world a better place and I will start with myself
Hello, I'm Lia, a historian. I have always been interested in volunteer work, especially abroad. In 2023, thanks to the European Solidarity Corps (ESC), I was given the opportunity to do volunteering in Vratsa, Bulgaria for 3 months
I worked at a center for children with special developmental needs, where we prepared traditional Bulgarian dishes with them and did various decorative works, etc. The purpose of all this was to make their everyday life more fun and to develop different skills
My job included not only all the above mentioned, but also organizing various activities for teenagers and young people in the Youth Center, such as board games, quizzes, and informal educational seminars. I specifically want to highlight the events dedicated to Armenia and our culture As a historian, I could not skip the preparation of the cultural evening dedicated to Armenia and our culture, where we also tried a number of traditional Armenian dishes
Being a tapestry weaver, I organized several group meetings teaching young people how to make tapestry with Armenian patterns
Wrapping up my volunteering experience in Bulgaria, I can say that it was such a valuable and unforgettable experience. It allowed me not only to share my love for Armenia and its culture, but also to make an impactful difference in the lives of others. I'm extremely grateful for the friends I've made, the skills I've developed, the travels I've made and the unforgettable memories
Volunteering has revealed the true power of compassion and solidarity to me
It’s been 10 months since I have started this wonderful project of volunteering in Riga municipal children and youth centre. I am very grateful to my younger self for making this decision. No other experience can be compared to it, where I
meet people from many other countries,
face new cultural challenges,
explore the world and
have my own contribution in someone else's life.
During this time I improved my language skills, travelled, talked and played with children of my organization, became an elder brother for those who didn't have parents, shared a house with 6 other volunteers and arranged my everyday life with them under one roof. This program enriched my knowledge on European values which were not familiar to me before, such as climate change, trash collection, women's rights and diverse communities. These all will come out one way or another in future to have a positive impact on our world and particularly on my community.
This one year of my life was a once in a lifetime experience for which I am very grateful to my organization
Hello, my name is Mariam, I am a psychologist and I have been working in my favorite profession for a long time. Three months ago I decided to make a change in my life and that desire brought me to Bulgaria.
Thus I became a European Solidarity Corps (ESC) volunteer in a small town in Bulgaria called Vratsa.
I volunteered in the city's youth center there, where I had the opportunity to participate in various cultural and youth events, discussions, play board games with children and young people (by the way, this was my favorite part, as I create board games myself).
Another part of my volunteer work was at a center for children with developmental disabilities. We tried to make our small contribution there as well and color the day of these children as much as we can.
So, if you ask me what volunteering means to me, my answer will be: it's about meeting new people, making new friends, feeling like a kid while playing with kids, learning a new language, representing my country and culture, discovering a new country and culture, traveling, feeling useful by helping others and ultimately having a new experience.