Volunteering programs in Europe have sparked a lot of interest because of the incredible opportunities and fine experiences of meeting new cultures, traditions, countries, life, and ecosystems.
Working with local communities to see that a need is met and the goal achieved by Volunteering has for long been normal in the whole of the European continent.
Volunteers help out people and are in turn helped in diverse ways enough to deem unimaginable. Most Volunteers change their environment all thanks to Volunteering, experiencing a fresh mental atmosphere for them and also for those whose needs are met, considering the nature of world events which have triggered a lot of mental unrest.
The more help rendered to people, the healthier they become mentally, and the more frequently, tension and unnecessary anxiety are interrupted and suspended.
Europe has many individuals, organizations, communities, and countries that are in dire need of Volunteers in almost every work area which can benefit each volunteer.
These places do not just wait on Volunteers to take up the opportunities open to them but also have something unique to teach each Volunteer that will benefit them and put them at the forefront of employment selection.
There is a wide range of things and skills like Communication, Leadership, Problem-solving, Time management, Teamwork, and Compassion Ethics to be learned during Volunteering programs in Europe. This helps to develop you as you continually gain hands-on experience even as a virtual Volunteer.
Whether looking for a Volunteering program that fits you in Europe both as a resident and an international visitor shouldn’t be much of a problem as there are countless Volunteering opportunities programs in Europe.
As much as there are many opportunities, not all are for you because you’ll have to consider factors like climate zones like the extreme coldness in Northern Europe, health challenges like allergies, etc.
Also, while eyeing an opportunity in one of the Volunteering programs in Europe, you should make sure to pay attention to every detail about official requirements like paperwork, vaccines, visas, country-specific language introductory courses, etc.
Considering the cost of living is of great importance as some of the European countries have a very high cost of living, while some don’t. A typical example is the difference in living costs between France and Romania which has very distinct differences in their Living costs.
21 Qualities And Skills a Volunteer Must Possess
Volunteering is giving and receiving. It’s like giving for a cause and accepting the goodness of the cause.
Before you’re enlisted as a volunteer, some qualities and skills which revolve mostly around people skills are being required of you and some others are being imparted to you.
- Ethics
- Empathy
- Reliability
- Mentoring
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Confidence
- Social skills
- Adaptability
- Fundraising
- Compassion
- Management
- Communication
- Public speaking
- Problem-solving
- Decision-making
- Customer Service
- Time management skills
- Conflict resolution skills
- Relationship Building skills
- Improved Interpersonal Skills
Whether you had some of these skills and qualities or not before being enrolled, you definitely will have gained them during this program.
Benefits Of Volunteering In Europe
There are lots to benefit from volunteering as you seek volunteering opportunities in Europe. Nobody has given to a course and met a need through volunteering without being imparted in one way or another.
These benefits can be in different forms and benefit in multiple ways that will help you even after the duration of your Volunteer work and they are :
- Strong networking Opportunities
- Volunteering gives a sense of belonging
- Respect and appreciation of new cultures
- Teamwork development
- Open to learning new languages
- Opens the mind to new possibilities
- Volunteering gives a great sense of accomplishment
- Your employability ratio is boosted in your favor
- Grant to new Learning Access
- Taste of group movement
- Feel and develop the spirit of giving
- Free travel
Many of these benefits either in a personal or professional way and sure will go a long way to develop you as a person in all aspects of your life endeavors.
Roles In Volunteering
Volunteering is mainly and solely about helping out in any way possible and mostly in practical ways. There would be different roles to take on in industries like arts, leisure, social care, health, etc.
These roles are nothing different from normal jobs and formal roles, the only distinction between the two is the voluntary and paid nature surrounding both aspects of the same roles. Except that, there are zero differences even in the outlook on skill sets.
- Manager in Hostels
- Help in Animal farms
- Help in Conservation projects
- fundraising for communities
- handling funds for organizations
- organizing Community events
- management of charity movements
- Offering counseling in health facilities
- Writer for community broadcast
- Agent roles
- Social support roles
- Consultation roles
- Web developer for organizations
- Legal advisory
- Sports events coordinator
- Help in Animal rescue centers
- Teacher
Reasons To Volunteer
Over time, there have been different reasons why people enroll in volunteering. Even in Europe and outside, people have mostly personal and professional reasons why they volunteer.
These reasons nevertheless are not selfish as they give back to society what it must have offered to them either as individuals, organizations, or the government.
These are some of the reasons why people volunteer:
- To help the elderly
- Focus to help patients with special needs
- To make an impact in the lives of people
- To gain experience
- To get inspired
- To obtain a qualification
- To give back to the society
- To make a change in the world and teach future generations
- To learn about people
- To give their time when they can’t help financially
- To get closer to people of a particular sect.
- To expand their comfort zones
- To share their talents etc
The list above is mostly packed with reasons tied to humanity and a propelling spirit to help out people. Some people can’t stand an old lady walking alone on the walkway or through traffic, some can’t help but shelter a wandering pet and think about thousands of pets without proper care. We have our different reasons why we volunteer and the list above is just but a few of them.
The List of 20 Volunteering Programs In Europe
There are countless volunteering programs in Europe and the whole world at large as the needs of people are never-ending.
So for those wanting to get into one of the Volunteering programs in Europe, we’ve made a list of 20 Volunteering programs in Europe.
Most of the sources of these programs are from volunteer application websites so we’ll make sure to leave references.
#. Homeless Support Volunteer Program- Lisbon
Daily work time: 3-5 hours daily
Duration: 1-12 weeks
Program fee: $505
Accepted age: 16 plus, along with their families
Location: homeless centers in Lisbon
Aim: to improve health and wellness
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#. Inclusive Agriculture Volunteer
Daily work time: 3-5 hours daily
Duration: 1-12 weeks
Program fee: $505
Accepted age: 16 plus, along with their families
Location: organic non-profit farms in Lisbon
Aim: Community Development Support
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#. Wildlife Conservation volunteer- Miranda do Corvo
Daily work time: 8 hours daily
Duration: 2-12 weeks
Program fee: $877
Accepted age: 18 plus
Location: Wildlife Conservation Park
Aim: protect animals
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#. Wolf Conservation Volunteering- Mafra
Daily work time: 5-8 hours daily
Duration: 2-4 weeks
Program fee: $882
Accepted age: 18 plus
Location: Wolf Conservation Center
Aim: protect Animals (wolves)
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#. Youth Support Volunteer- Lisbon
Daily work time: 3-5 hours daily
Duration: 1-12 weeks
Program fee: $505
Accepted age: 16 plus, along with their families
Location: after-school programs
Aim: Increase Educational Access
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#. Animal Care Volunteer- Lisbon
Daily work time: 3-5 hours daily
Duration: 1-12 weeks
Program fee: $505
Accepted age: 18 plus
Location: Animal Shelters In Lisbon
Aim: Protect Animals
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#. Environmental Scuba Diving Volunteer
Daily work time: 4-6 hours daily
Duration: 1-8 weeks
Program fee: $905
Accepted age: 16 plus along with their families
Location: local diving school in Lisbon
Aim: conserves the environment
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#. Food Rescue
Daily work time: 3-5 hours daily
Duration: 1-12 weeks
Program fee: $505
Accepted age: 16 plus, along with their families
Location: local community initiatives
Aim: improvement of health and well-being
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#. Forest Conservation
Daily work time: 3-5 hours daily
Duration: 2-12 weeks
Program fee: $777
Accepted age: 18 plus
Location: natural parks in Lisbon
Aim: conservation of the environment
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#. English Teacher In Sicily
Duration: 1-2 weeks
tax-deductible price: $2972
Location: Italy
Project types:Community Development, Service Learning, Youth Education, Teaching
Information: globalvolunteers.org
#. Volunteer Teaching English In Germany
Daily work time: 3 hours weekly
Duration: 1-12 weeks
Program fee: 275€
Accepted age: 18-75
Location: Halle, Germany
Information: eceurope.org
#. Animal Care – Split, Croatia
Daily work time: 3-4 hours daily
Duration: 1-12 weeks
Program fee: $549
Age: 16 plus, along with their families
Location: Animal-Based Shelters In Split, Croatia
Aim: protection of animals
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#. Special Needs Support- Split, Croatia
Daily work time: 3-4 hours daily
Duration: 2-12 weeks
Program fee: $819
Age: 18 plus
Location: Care Centers around Split, Croatia
Aim: Improvement Of Health And Wellness
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#. Marine Conservation in Omiš
Daily work time: 4-6 hours daily
Duration: 1-8 weeks
Program fee: $925
Age: 16 plus
Location: Dalmatian Coast, Omiš
Aim: environmental conservation
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#. Volunteer on NGO Support Project in Brussels
Daily work time: 3-5 hours daily
Duration: 1-6 weeks
Program fee: $645
Age: 18 plus, lesser ages would require a guardian
Location: Brussels
Aim: Community Development Support
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#. Community Outreach In Brussels
Daily work time: 3-5 hours daily
Duration: 1-6 weeks
Program fee: $645
Age: 18 plus, lesser ages would require a guardian
Location: Brussels
Aim: Community Development Support
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#. Animal Care- Athens
Daily work time: 3-5 hours daily
Duration: 2-12 weeks
Program fee: $915
Age: 18 plus
Location: local animal shelters in Athens
Aim: protect animals
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#. Creative Technologies In Athens
Daily work time: 3-5 hours daily
Duration: 2-12 weeks
Program fee: $1255
Age: 18 plus
Location: based with a local NGO in Athens
Aim: supports Community development
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#.Volunteer on the Sports & Arts With Refugees project in Greece, Athens
Daily work time: 3-5 hours daily
Duration: 4-12 weeks
Program fee: $1595
Age 18 plus
Location: host centers for refugees
Aim: Increased access to Education
Information: www.volunteerhq.org
#. Volunteer as an English Teacher in a public school – Italy
Daily work time: 18 hours weekly
Duration: 3 months
Program fee: $1790
Min Age: 19
Location: Italy
Information: greenhearttravel.org
Reference: www.volunteerhq.org – this website has over a hundred volunteering opportunities and programs in Europe.
Do You Need A Visa To Volunteer In Europe?
Yes, you do need a visa to be one of the volunteers in Volunteering programs in Europe but some countries within the European Union necessarily do not need a Schengen Visa to stay for a specified period of 90 days.
You’ll be required to apply for a visa personally at the embassy of your residence.
This usually takes up to a month to process from the date of application and has an attached fee to the visa application.
How Much Does It Cost To Volunteer In Europe?
Volunteering programs in Europe do not have any fixed price as there are very clear distinctions between them.
If you do want to know the cost, you should start by finding out the fees attached to the visa application, accommodation, and feeding.
Although, there are free volunteering opportunities in Europe available to those unable to sponsor themselves.
Is Volunteering Relevant In a CV?
Yes, it is, it is a great way to showcase your talents and skills provided your volunteer work is related to the role you’re seeking employment in.
Also, mentioning volunteer work in your CV shows that you’ve given back to society selflessly and such traits in a person, no company will overlook In their hiring process.
Conclusion:
Volunteering programs offer both the young and old a lot of varying possibilities at the European and international levels which helps them receive the many benefits which are everything but monetary rewards and also helps them professionally and personally.
Every sector needs volunteers and industries are constantly looking for volunteers in different areas of specialty, and they even provide fully funded volunteer work for those who are unable to afford the expenses.
We Also Recommend
References
- www.privacysense.net – what is a voluntary sector
- www.gvi.co.uk – 12 excellent reasons to volunteer
- www.open.edu – week 7: the role of Volunteering
- www.volunteerhq.org – volunteer in Europe
- www.volunteerhq.org – volunteer opportunities in Europe