🏢 About the local organisation
Arci Catania is a social and cultural promotion organisation that coordinates the different organisations joining the network Arci in the city of Catania and in its district. The organisation is active in the field of cultural promotion, education and training, social anti-mafia, social and youth activities on both a local and international scale, promoting, designing, managing local, regional, national and European initiatives aiming at promoting active citizenship and democratic participation processes for all people; with a special attention to those people who have fewer social opportunities in order to promote their autonomy, emancipation, equal dignity and their social inclusion.
Some of the main purposes of the Arci Catania are:
- the promotion of culture, its forms of expression, creativity and creative attitudes, spaces for cultural expression, training, creation, production and fruition;
- the recognition of cultural rights, the promotion of universal access to knowledge, education, culture, the use of new communication technologies, the promotion of digital inclusion;
- the promotion of volunteering as democratic participation in actions of solidarity, cooperation and citizenship, both locally and internationally;
- the promotion of a gender approach in the society, the full exploitation of the potential of women, their needs and their role as a founding element of a just and better society for all, the fight against all forms of discrimination and violence;
- education in civil responsibility and citizenship, the promotion of participation, inclusion and social cohesion, democracy and rights at national, European Union and international level;
- the affirmation of the culture of legality and the fight against mafias, all organized crime, corruption and abuses of power, including through the social use of confiscated goods;
- the promotion of the leading role of the new generations and youth associations;
- the promotion of rights and the development of forms of prevention and fight against all forms of exclusion, marginalization, discrimination, racism, xenophobia, homotransphobia, sexism, intolerance, violence and censorship;
- the promotion of an open and multicultural society, where diversity and multiculturalism are a resource.
-The promotion of the protagonism and self-organization of migrants and minorities.
Main activities of the organisation are connected to the coordination as umbrella organisation of the 10 local ngos belonging to Arci network in Catania and in its district. Our local ngos are mainly youth , cultural or community centres and our role is mainly to support them in order to be more effective, sustainable and performing.
💼 What the programme involves
Arci Catania is a cultural and social organisation operating in the city of Catania; as well as an umbrella organisation of a large network of local, youth and cultural associations. The main activities of the organisation are related to the coordination of these associations and their support. The volunteer will help us through various activities: *communication support (social media and website management, content creating); *editing and publishing of a webzine; *collaboration in webradio and editing programmes; *support to the management of European projects (logistic and administrative tasks); *welcome desk and general support in the office; *taking care of Arci's spaces; *welcoming and orientating international youth mobility groups; *creation of personal projects and activities through our network (book club, theatre lab, cineforum..); *sustaining campaigns and manifestations about the phenomena of LGBTQIA+ human rights; *social antimafia activities addressed to young people.
🏠 Accommodation on site
The three volunteers will share a flat located in the centre of Catania at walking distance from the Arci Catania office. The flat is composed of three single rooms, a common kitchen, a washing machine, a bathroom, a living room and a large balcony. All costs related to the house such as bills, taxes and commodities will be covered by the receiving organisation.
The volunteers will monthly receive food and pocket money (total of about 340 €/month).
🎒 Leisure activities
The volunteers will be able to use the official Online Linguistic Support (OLS) provided by the European Commission. Additionally they will have free access to Italian language courses provided by Catania's public library (to A1 to B1) or directly in the office (from B2 to C2). They will also have the opportunity to take part in an official certifying Italian language exam for free, since Arci Catania is a decentralised CELI exam centre.
Volunteers will also have two mandatory trainings in Rome with other ESC volunteers that are in Italy, one on arrival and one mid term training project.
⚠️ Requirements
The Participant profile: We would like to welcome volunteers who show a strong interest in the main themes of the project and the main areas of activity, who have organizational skills, who are willing to learn and who propose ideas to develop within the association. Administrative skills are also required to support technical/bureaucratic work in the office. Editing video and podcasts skills to support radio programs and content creation skills are also evaluable. Previous organisational experience in social cultural organisations or in the field of other NGOs, and knowledge in the above mentioned issues will certainly help volunteers in a full integration into the project, but these are not essential and necessary to be selected as volunteers. The specific motivation to participate in this project that volunteers can express is as important as its consistency with personal life experience and future plans. Arci Catania is a safe space for Queer and minority groups, a place where we not only fight discrimination but also value every identity and individuality.
Deadline: 22/07/2026 00:00
ℹ️ Additional information
The project is implemented under the European Solidarity Corps Programme, financed by the European Commission.
The participating organisations have to be mindful of these needs as they are responsible for providing a respectful and trusting hosting environment. At the same time, the organisations participating in the initiative devote a great deal of time, energy and resources to set up a high-quality activity; they should therefore expect that European Solidarity Corps participants show a similar level of respect for the local communities and the people that are directly concerned by the activities (
https://youth.europa.eu/solidarity/mission_en).
What do we provide ?
- Training before and after the project
- Health insurance during your project
- round-trip travel reimbursement
- accommodation and food
- pocket money
- language course
- Return Week-end
- Youth Pass and SVI international Volunteer passport
Before applying for this volunteering project, you need to enroll yourself at European Solidarity Corps Platform (
https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity_en) and specify your European Solidarity Corps Participant Number (PRN).
This organisation holds a European Solidarity Corps Quality Label.
Contact the ESC coordinator at +32 2 888 67 13 to get more informations.