1. Organisational Need & Local Community Challenge

Explanation

This phase asks the most important starting question: Why do we want to host or coordinate ESC volunteers, and what real need should the project address? The project should not begin only because a funding opportunity exists, because the organisation hosted volunteers before, or because there is a general wish to “have international people around”. A strong ESC project starts from a real organisational, local or societal need.

The need can come from staff reflection, local partner input, young people, schools, municipalities, previous volunteers, community feedback, SWOT analysis, focus groups, evaluation reports or direct observation of local realities. In practice, many organisations do not use one formal needs-assessment tool. The focus group material shows that organisations often combine SWOT analysis, strategic planning, ongoing internal evaluations, feedback analysis, community interaction and direct stakeholder input; flexibility and regular internal review are especially important because community needs and volunteer profiles change over time.

For EVoly, this phase should help organisations turn informal experience into a structured project basis. The coordinator should be able to document what the need is, who confirmed it, why ESC is a suitable response, and what kind of volunteer contribution would be meaningful. This also protects the project from job substitution. A volunteer should not be used to replace missing staff or carry routine work with low learning value. The need should be suitable for solidarity activity: useful for the community, realistic for the volunteer, connected to learning and within the organisation’s support capacity. The ESC Guide frames the programme around accessible, high-quality solidarity activities addressing societal and humanitarian challenges, with a focus on social inclusion, equal opportunities and positive societal change.

Role perspectives

Organisation: The organisation defines the need and checks whether the project fits its mission, goals and purpose. It should avoid creating activities only because funding is available. It is responsible for making sure that the project responds to a real organisational or community challenge.

Coordinator: The coordinator gathers input from staff, partners, previous volunteers and local community actors. They turn informal feedback into a structured project idea. They also check whether the organisation has enough capacity to support the role properly, and if there are other organisations in the local community interested to have a volunteering project.

Volunteer: The volunteer should later understand why their role exists and who benefits from it, it is not just a volunteering project, but there should be real impact. Their tasks should feel meaningful and connected to real needs. They should not feel like they are filling a staff gap or doing random tasks.

Community: The community should be more than a passive beneficiary, rather to be engaged in the activity, or to learn about the impact. The community needs, challenges and feedback should shape the project idea. For good ESC quality, the community should experience real added value from the activity and be actively engaged with it.

Differences by ESC model

Long-term volunteering: The need must justify a longer engagement, usually several months up to a year. The role should allow the volunteer to grow gradually and take more responsibility over time. The project should combine community contribution with a clear learning journey.

Short-term volunteering: The need must be focused and realistic within a short timeframe. Tasks should be concrete, easy to understand and achievable quickly. There is less time to correct misunderstandings, so the need and role must be clear from the start.

Volunteering teams / group volunteering: The need should fit collective action, not only individual support. It works best for campaigns, events, community actions, renovation, festivals or visible local initiatives. The community impact should be clear and achievable by a group working together.

Questions & answers

Can we start from available funding?

Funding can support the idea, but the project should be justified by real need.

What if the need changes?

The role should be reviewed through monitoring and adapted where needed, but it is not a big challenge.

Who should be consulted?

Staff, local partners, previous volunteers, young people, beneficiaries and community actors.

Documents for further reading

• Ocean Znanja_Focus Group.docx — needs assessment, strategic planning, internal evaluation and community input.
• VCS_Focus group.docx — informal needs assessment, feedback loops and community input.
• NaturKultur_Focus Group.docx — coordinator experiences with needs, role changes and adaptation.
• EVoly_ESC_Implementation_Phases_Draft_0_1.docx — phase logic for project need and readiness.
• European_solidarity_corps_guide_2025.pdf — ESC objectives, priorities and solidarity logic.