MELANGE is a program for European Solidarity Corps individual volunteering projects in Vienna. The program is run by the organization Grenzenlos in close cooperation with WIENXTRA for the city of Vienna. The MELANGE program provides special support to volunteers and host organizations that participate in European Solidarity Corps volunteering activities in Vienna.

The European Solidarity Corps is an EU funded program for young people wishing to engage in different forms of solidary activities, one of them being volunteering projects. As a participant of a European Solidarity Corps volunteering project, youngsters between the age of 18 and 30 can go abroad from 2 to 12 months for long-term projects, and in special cases from 2 weeks to 2 months for short term projects and contribute voluntarily to a non-profit organization in a host country of their choice. An overview of all participating programs and partner countries of the European Solidarity Corps can be found here.

The main target group of the program are youngsters with fewer opportunities, e.g. young people who are facing barriers in their life due to for example health problems, disabilities, educational difficulties, discrimination, geographical or economic obstacles, etc.

The administration of the EU funding for European Solidarity Corps volunteering activities in Austria is the responsibility of the Austrian National Agency OeAD. The agency acts on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Family and Youth and the European Commission.

In each federal state of Austria there is a regional office, which provides information about the program and advises on the application process.

In Vienna, WIENXTRA is the regional office. Since 1998 Grenzenlos coordinates the European volunteering project (previously European Voluntary Service, now European Solidarity Corps) in cooperation with WIENXTRA and the city of Vienna.

Grenzenlos is a lead organization within the European Solidarity corps and within the MELANGE program acts as coordinating, hosting, and sending organization and has the responsibility to apply for funding, take care of administration, and the implementation of ESC volunteering projects in Vienna, as well as the support and networking of European Solidarity Corps volunteers in Vienna and abroad.

The services offered to volunteers within the program MELANGE are, for example: reimbursement of travel costs, accommodation, meals, local transportation, monthly pocket money, language course, insurance, accompanying training and orientation days, leisure time activity program, networking opportunities, as well as a mentor and contact person.

The MELANGE program gives special support to volunteers for example with administrative matters and integration in Austria. Grenzenlos through the MELANGE program organizes a monthly leisure time program to the volunteers, and can also sometimes offer non-formal courses for volunteers, returnees and other people involved or interested in MELANGE, for example Youthpass workshops, mentor trainings, etc.