When a young person has fled a war, joining a group of strangers in another country is a brave step. What they need first is not to tell their story, but to feel safe, useful and free to choose. This is the starting point of the Handbook on the inclusion and involvement of young people fleeing armed conflict in short-term ESC Teams, published by Associazione Joint APS.
Since 2022, many young Ukrainians have had their studies, work and plans interrupted by war. A short-term European Solidarity Corps Team can offer them a few weeks of safety, nature and community, and a first step towards new opportunities. Including them well, however, requires attention before, during and after the experience.
What the handbook is based on
The handbook collects what was learned in the six Teams of Team for Healthy Life 3 (T4HL3), held in Italy between March and December 2025. Out of 109 volunteers, 18 were young people fleeing the war in Ukraine, selected together with the Ukrainian Supporting Organisation Centre for Euroinitiatives. Some were 18 or 19, at their first experience away from home.
It is organised around the three phases of a Team, with concrete examples and activities you can replicate:
- Before departure – most obstacles are practical: long overland journeys with no flights from Ukraine, residence permits, bank accounts that cannot receive pocket money, and preparing the group when volunteers come from backgrounds that may create tension.
- During the Team – one principle came first: the war is never imposed as a topic. Volunteers decide when, how and how much to talk about it. Concrete tasks in small groups, nature, movement and shared meals gave rhythm and calm; a language rule decided by the group and mixed rooms helped everyone feel included.
- After the Team – follow-up with the Supporting Organisations and a look at what came next: at least five young Ukrainians started new ESC or Erasmus+ projects, and others found a new direction in education, psychology or the social field.
When they lead
The most meaningful moments were those proposed and led by the volunteers themselves: a workshop on Ukraine with their own photos and testimonies, a documentary followed by a moderated debate, vareniki cooked with the whole group for Ukraine’s Independence Day, ceramics with young refugees of the territory. The handbook describes each one step by step, together with the small details that make a difference, such as warning volunteers before village fireworks or planning time to stay in touch with family.
It closes with lessons learned, what to avoid and a checklist for organisations that want to include young people fleeing conflict in their Teams.
Who is it for?
The handbook is for ESC Hosting and Supporting Organisations, youth workers and mentors who work, or want to work, with young refugees and displaced young people. Its message is simple: what helps them most is what helps every volunteer, done with a little more care.
Download the Handbook on the inclusion and involvement of young people fleeing armed conflict in short-term ESC Teams
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
