"Gaining from volunteering" is a long-term EVS project which aims at enhancing volunteering as a tool useful to have a positive impact on development of new generation of European citizens, not only in terms of human capital, through the acquisition of practical and cross-sector knowledge that facilitates access to labour market, but also in terms of social capital, due to the establishment of strong interpersonal and social relationships between direct and indirect beneficiaries of planned initiatives, and diffusion of principles of solidarity, respect toward diversity and interest in actively participating to community life.Indeed, the objectives of the project are the following:- Enhancement of competencies and skills useful for integrating young people in the labour market;- Fight to social and cultural marginalisation of youngsters with fewer opportunities;- Youth participation in building European identity and citizenship, and promotion of solidarity and multi-culturalism;- Enhancement of the role of NGOs and youth workers in socio-educational field.The project will involve 6 volunteers, and 9 hosting/sending organisations from Italy, Estonia, France, Latvia, Spain and Turkey, and Latvia, and it consists in 4 activities, each lasting 12 months.Two activities will involve two volunteers, from Turkey and Estonia, respectively from 06/10/2016 and 06/01/2017. They will support InformaGiovani staff in implementing promotional activities on volunteering and Erasmus+ programme, in planning and managing projects of International mobility, and also in all typical activities of the hosting organisation, such as placement of volunteers in International voluntary projects, dissemination ofnews targeted at youngsters, management og newsletter and IG social media.Third and fourth activities will involve 4 volunteers, from Latvia, France and Spain, starting from 06/10/2016, at the youth centre San Giovanni Apostolo and association Apriti Cuore. These activities are mainly oriented to the organisation and management of leisure activities aimed at youngsters with socio-econmic and cultural disadvantage. Indirect beneficiaries of these initiatives are young people living in peripheral and deprived suburb areas, young migrants hosted in residential communities, and young and adult people with sensorial disabilities.All activities have in common the fact that the learning process will be characterised by non-formal approach based on “peer education”, a method that stimulate volunteer’s personal development through a continuous exchange with people with whom they come into contact, both staff members, local volunteers, or beneficiaries of the social inclusion initiatives. Moreover, through “participatory” approach, it will be also possible for volunteers to develop their own creativity and sense of initiatives.The project will have on EVS volunteers a tangible impact in terms of acquired competencies. At the end of the learning process, indeed, volunteers will acquire practical knowledge on working methods and management aspect related to NGOs; improve their ICT skills and in the field of social communication/promotion; they will acquire non-formal methodologies to be used in the field of social animation targeted to disadvantaged youngsters. Also, they will increase their awareness of being part of a community, develop sense of solidarity and appreciate the diversity typical of multicultural contexts where they have operated. Similarly, hosting organisations, thanks to volunteers’ contribute in terms of feedback, will enhance effectiveness of their social intervention at local level. Finally, all partners will benefit from participation in the project in terms of reinforced partnerships at international level.In the long term, the project will trigger a virtuous circle such that an increasing number of young people in the local and international community will have an interest in being involved in social voluntary actions and in having experiences of international mobility. At the same time, the project will strengthen citizens’ perception of EU programmes as tools of social intervention, especially, for highly marginalised population groups.