The Action Plan of the Youth Strategy 2022-2024 (Estrategia de Juventud Plan de Acción 2022-2024) reinforces support for volunteering and solidarity initiatives, including international volunteering pathways linked to European and development cooperation programmes.

International volunteering complements the domestic volunteering framework outlined in Chapter 2.

Intercontinental youth work cooperation

Erasmus+ Capacity building in the field of youth 

Capacity Building in the Field of Youth ais an Erasmus+ initiative supporting cooperation between youth organisations in Europe and partner countries across other continents. 

Promoter / authority: European Commission (DG EAC) with the Spanish National Agency for Youth & Sport (INJUVE) involved in implementation. 

Objectives & timeframe: Strengthen multi‑continental cooperation in youth work during the 2021–2027 Erasmus+ programme period, supporting partnerships between organisations in EU/associated countries and third countries (e.g., Western Balkans, Neighbourhood East, Southern Mediterranean, Sub‑Saharan Africa). 

Target group: Youth organisations and young people, with a focus on inclusion and participation of those with fewer opportunities. 

Structure & means: Competitive calls fund cooperation projects, non-formal learning tools, training, and pilot mobility with partner countries beyond Europe. Spanish organisations may act as coordinators or partners. 

Main outcomes: Improved organisational capacity, new youth work methods and strengthened cooperation networks between Spanish and intercontinental youth organisations. 

Funding & source: EU‑funded under Erasmus+; no Spain‑specific budget line is published.

Euro‑Latin American Youth Centre (CEULAJ) 

The Euro-Latin American Youth Centre (CEULAJ) is Spain’s Euro‑Latin platform for training and cooperation.

Promoter / authority: INJUVE (CEULAJ, Mollina, Málaga). 

Objectives & timeframe: Provide a permanent platform for Euro–Latin American youth cooperation, training and exchange among youth workers, organisations and policy actors (ongoing). 

Target group: Youth workers, youth organisations and young people engaged in international/youth‑work cooperation between Europe and Latin America. 

Structure & means: Residential training courses, seminars and network events held in Spain with Euro–Latin participation (e.g. annual University of Youth and Development cycles hosted at CEULAJ). 

Main outcomes: Strengthened intercontinental youth‑work networks, co‑designed non‑formal learning practices, and sustained cooperation agendas with Euro–Latin partners.

Funding & source: Public facility and programmes coordinated by INJUVE; no disaggregated, public budget line is published at programme level.

For its training and awareness‑raising dimension, see Chapter 9.4.

Development cooperation activities

European Solidarity Corps (ESC) – Humanitarian Aid strand 

The European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps  enables young volunteers to support needs‑based humanitarian and resilience actions in countries outside the EU.

Promoter / authority: European Commission (Regulation (EU) 2021/888); INJUVE acts as part of Spain’s National Agency for ESC/Youth & Sport. 

Objectives & timeframe: Enable young people (18–35 for humanitarian aid) to volunteer in needs‑based humanitarian operations in third countries, strengthening resilience, disaster preparedness and dignity of affected communities (2021–2027). 

Target group: Young volunteers (with a quality‑labelled organisation); priority to inclusion and participation of youth with fewer opportunities. 

Structure & means: Calls/Work Programmes (e.g. 2025 Humanitarian Aid call for and “Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas”). Placements include insurance, travel, subsistence and support. Organisations require an ESC Quality Label. 

Main outcomes: Spain‑based organisations participate in humanitarian aid deployments and host volunteers in global solidarity projects. The 2025 Interim Evaluation highlights its strong impact on youth engagement, inclusion and solidarity. According to the evaluation, 71% of participants would not have accessed similar opportunities without the ESC, participation of young people with fewer opportunities rose from 25% to 40%, and the humanitarian aid strand received nearly 200,000 expressions of interest, far exceeding available placements. The programme is considered cost‑effective and successfully supports skills development, although challenges remain around administrative complexity, digital tools and visa arrangements

Funding & source: EU programme budget €1.009bn (2021–2027); managed at EU level with National Agency implementation; no Spain‑specific allocation published. 

INJUVE International Workcamps

The International Workcamps programme (Programa de Campos de Voluntariado Internacionales, SVI) coordinated by INJUVE, offers young people short‑term volunteering placements in community and development projects worldwide.

Promoter / authority: INJUVE (national coordination), with participation by Autonomous Communities’ youth bodies. 

Objectives & timeframe: Offer short‑term international volunteering (typically 2–3 weeks) in community, cultural heritage or environmental projects abroad; annual calls (e.g. 2025 season). 

Target group: Young people 18–30 (age limits may vary by destination). 

Structure & means: Spain coordinates a places‑exchange system with partner organisations; Autonomous Communities (e.g. Andalusia, Navarra) act as intermediaries. Participants usually cover travel and a small fee, with basic board and lodging provided. For destinations not covered by the European Health Insurance Card, INJUVE arranges travel and health insurance through the SVI programme, provided an individual policy can be issued under the annual contract.

Main outcomes: Entry‑level exposure to development‑relevant contexts (community development, heritage, environment), intercultural skills, and pathways to longer intercontinental engagement. 

Funding & source: Coordination by INJUVE; participants contribute fees/travel; insurance covered by INJUVE for eligible destinations; no dedicated national budget line is publicly available for SVI. (regional pages specify participant fees rather than public budget lines).

Regional development‑cooperation placements

Several Autonomous Regions have launched programmes to promote the cooperation of young people in different sectors. Below are some examples of existing programmes.

The Autonomous Regions' Youth Cooperation Program

The Juventud Asturiana Cooperante programme provides funded short stays for young people from Asturias to participate in development cooperation projects in partner countries.

Promoter / authority: Asturian Agency of Development Cooperation as part of the Ministry of Social Rights and Welfare of Asturias (Agencia Asturiana de Cooperación al Desarrollo). 

Objectives & timeframe: Short professional stays (2–3 months) in partner‑country projects to build global citizenship and competencies for youth; annual call (e.g. 2024–2026). 

Target group: Young people 21–30 registered as living in Asturias, per call rules. 

Structure & means: Competitive selection; preparatory training; assignment to projects (Latin America/Africa, etc.) with local non-governmental development organisation partners; scholarship covers travel, accommodation, subsistence, insurance. 

Main outcomes: 16 placements in nine countries (2025 call); structured exposure to development cooperation practice.

Funding & source: Public call €74,500 (2025) — regional budget line for the programme (BDNS 826848).

Extremadura Youth Cooperation Programme

The Jóvenes de Extremadura en Organismos Multilaterales initiative offers young professionals from Extremadura paid placements within United Nations bodies and other international organisations.

Promoter / authority: Extremadura Agency for International Cooperation for Development (Agencia Extremeña de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo, AEXCID), with Fundación Jóvenes y Deporte.

Objectives & timeframe: Provide paid professional experiences for young people in UN agencies/other multilaterals (several months), creating career pathways in development cooperation; ongoing editions (≥ seven). 

Target group: Young graduates/professionals from Extremadura. 
Structure & means: Training + placement agreements with agencies (e.g. UNDP, UN Women, FAO, UNESCO); ~36 placements to date; 100+ youth trained. 

Main outcomes: Strengthened youth talent pipeline into multilateral cooperation; intercontinental professional networks. 

Funding & source: Regional public funding (AEXCID); the decree and annual cooperation calls indicate overall envelopes (e.g. €6.3m to cooperation aid lines in 2025), but specific budget for this youth scheme is not published. 

Other Autonomous Communities run similar youth‑cooperation placements. Calls vary by year.

These regional schemes illustrate Spain’s decentralised approach to youth involvement in development cooperation.