Trail Angels 2026 | ESC Volunteering Team in Tuscany, Italy (Fully Funded)

An open call for 32 participants from all over Europe who are looking for an opportunity to contribute to help the community in Italy. If you like nature and outdoor activities, then this is your chance to join the ESC volunteering team "Trail Angels 2026". This volunteering project will take place in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Italy, from 1-31 May 2026. This volunteering project is organised by "National Center for Volunteering - CNV" and funded by the ESC Program of the European Union.

About the Project

Trail Angels 2026 is a one-month Team volunteering project that brings together 32 participants from all over Europe to Tuscany, where natural routes are a precious asset. These routes create a bond between people and nature, and encourage a deep curiosity and passion for the environment and physical activity. However, they need regular and dedicated maintenance in order to be available and comfortably traversed by visitors all year round. In Trail Angels, teams of volunteers will be hosted in Tuscany to take care of different routes within the areas of Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Massarosa, and Fucecchio, and will help and meet the local communities during their period of service.

Participants will have free days to explore the region or travel independently. At the beginning, social activities will help the group integrate. Throughout the project, there will be opportunities to discover the Tuscan countryside and nature.

Main activities during the project are:

- outdoor tasks such as hiking and collecting waste (equipment provided)

- Maintenance and improvements of local trails and natural areas.

- Support in communication activities (e.g. Social media content )

- Visits to the organisation's office in Lucca and city exploration.

- Meetings with local partners to learn about the community initiatives.

- Participation in a learning programme about the EU and EU-funded opportunities.

Eligibility | Who can apply?

- Young people aged between 18 and 30 by the first day of the project and livining in one of the following countries ( Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine).

- Volunteers should be creative, open-minded, proactive, motivated, have leadership skills, and be sensitive to nature.

- There are no conditions regarding English or Italian language skills.

Expenses and Benefits

- The volunteers will live in Fortezza di Mont'Alfonso, located in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, which is a small town in the province of Lucca.

- The accommodation will provide shared bedrooms and bathrooms. It also has many spacious living spaces that cover all the volunteers' necessities 

- It also has many spacious living spaces that cover all volunteers' necessities and are perfect for group activities.

- There will also be a washing machine and a kitchen to share with the other volunteers, and a dining room.

- Each volunteer will receive 150 euros per month as pocket money and 150 euros per month as a food allowance. 

-  Each volunteer is entitled to get a travel reimbursement for (one return journey) up to the maximum cost as stated in the ESC programme rules, according to the following limits:

Note: If you travel green (e.g., no planes at all), the travel cost limit raises and you can travel longer (max 3 consecutive days in one way), as long as the travel is connected to the activity.

• from 10-99 km: standard travel (28 EUR), green travel (56 EUR)
• from 100 - 499 km: standard travel (211 EUR), green travel (285 EUR)
• from 500 - 1999 km: standard travel (309 EUR), green travel (417 EUR)
• from 2000 - 2999 km: standard travel (395 EUR), green travel (535 EUR)

Practical Conditions

- There will be approximately 8-9 outdoor working (clean-up) days during the project.

- Some activities involve hiking distances of around 10-15 km.

- The work may require moderate physical effort (walking, carrying light materials, working outdoors)

- Accommodation is in shared rooms with a varying number of people (Min. 5 people per room).

Timeline

Application deadline: 20 April 2026

Arrival day: 1 May 2026

Departure day: 31 May 2026

How to apply?

Step 1: Sign in to your account on the European Youth Portal. If you don't have an account, create an account  as a YOUNG PERSON from HERE

Step 2: Visit the opportunity page on the portal and click "Apply" from this page. You must write your motivation letter in English.

Step 3: Fill out this application form, no later than 20 April 2026.

More details

For more details about the volunteering opportunity, check the info pack from (link). If you still have any questions, contact the organizers at esc@centrovolontariato.net

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Opportunity Website⇗

By applying for this volunteering project, you take responsibility and risks. Inform yourself about the regulation and potential risks. "Opportunity 4U" cannot be held liable for any of the potential risks, and this post is only for informative and popularising purposes.