Activating Citizens: Municipalities & Local Authorities Making Use of the European Solidarity Corps

The aims of the seminar

The main goal is to inspire and support municipalities and local authorities to use the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) as a tool for social inclusion and local engagement. The seminar will explore how the programme can help young people get involved in their communities through volunteering or solidarity projects and how this creates lasting, positive change in local communities.

Content of the seminar

During the seminar, participants will:

• Learn about funding opportunities available through the ESC and how the programme works in practice.
• Hear inspiring examples from Latvia, other European countries, and regional partner regions that show how municipalities and young people benefit from the ESC.
• See how ESC volunteering supports social innovation, inclusion, and creates sustainable results in communities.
• Join networking sessions to exchange ideas, share good practices, and get advice through small group work.
• Get information about other programmes, such as Erasmus+ and CERV, that can help strengthen local and international youth networks.

Target group

Who Can Apply?

This seminar is for:

• Representatives of municipalities and local authorities with experience in European projects, especially those wanting to involve young people more actively.
• Staff from youth work or civic engagement departments in municipalities who want to learn about funding for local projects.
• Youth organisations working closely with municipalities or local communities.
• Tandem applications (a youth organisation applying together with a municipality or authority) are highly encouraged.

Implementation of the seminar

How the Seminar Will Work

• Around 15-30 participants from across Europe and partner regions (Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership, South Mediterranean) will take part.
• The seminar will be online via Zoom, spread across two days: 6 and 7 November 2025, from 09:30 to 15:00 CET, including breaks.
• Hosted by the Latvian National Agency for Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps, in partnership with SALTO ESC Resource Centre and the European Goes Local network.

Background

This seminar builds on a format first piloted in 2020–2022 You can find outcomes from past seminars here: https://www.salto-youth.net/rc/solidarity/training-support-community/activatingcitizen/

More info on European Goes Local:

www.europegoeslocal.eu