Marine Conservation Volunteer Program in Spain - Barcelona
Ready to explore underwater worlds as a Marine Conservation volunteer in Spain? International Volunteer HQ’s Marine Conservation project is an exciting opportunity for volunteers to provide support to clean-up efforts that reduce ocean pollution and help protect the natural marine environment in Barcelona. Volunteers gain scuba diving and conservation experience while being actively involved in restoring the natural state of the marine ecosystem of Catalonia and the wider Mediterranean and helping make sure it can survive and thrive for many years to come.
Highlights:
- Programs start every second and fourth Monday of the month
- Affordable fees from AU$1437 for 1 week
- Includes accommodation, meals, airport pick up, orientation and 24/7 support
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Explore and protect the underwater worlds of Barcelona
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Scuba dive the majestic Mediterranean sea
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Stay in a modern, environmentally-conscious hostel
Who is this program suited to?
Key information
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
Environmental forecasts paint a grim picture for the long-term health of the ocean and predict that by 2025, there could be more plastic than fish in the sea. Marine Conservation volunteers in Spain have the unique opportunity to scuba dive to reduce ocean pollution and conserve marine life.
As Marine Conservation volunteer, you’ll be based at a local dive club, using and improving your scuba diving skills while being actively involved in efforts to clean up the ocean and protect the marine environment. You’ll help to:
- Collect trash from the sea
- Log information on items collected
- Learn more about the marine ecosystem and how to protect it
- Observe and identify fish and other marine wildlife
- If you’re volunteering in summer, you can also help children from disadvantaged backgrounds learn to dive and help the environment.
For safety, all diving is weather dependent. Volunteers are required to be flexible if diving cannot be carried out due to bad weather.
Please note: Commuting from the volunteer accommodation to the diving center can take from 50mins to 1h 25mins via public transport, depending on the traffic.
Why do Marine Conservation volunteering in Barcelona with IVHQ?
As a Marine Conservation volunteer in Spain - Barcelona you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Supporting local efforts to clean up the ocean
- Learning about marine conservation and ecosystems
- Developing your communication skills
- Practicing your Spanish
- Gaining scuba and conservation experience
- Immersing yourself in the Spanish way of life
- Exploring Spain’s Mediterranean coast
Volunteer requirements
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When applying for the Marine Conservation project, please note any current dive certifications you have. If you do have certifications already, you will need to send a copy of these along with your diving log book through to our local team in Barcelona prior to your program starting.
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It is mandatory that all volunteers provide a medical certificate that clears them for scuba diving in order to join the program.
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Volunteers need to be 18 years or over to participate in this program. If you are under the age of 18, IVHQ offers alternative volunteer opportunities for teens. Visit our High School Volunteer Abroad page to learn more.
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All volunteers are required to speak fluent English, have adequate volunteer travel insurance and provide a criminal background check to IVHQ before departure.
Spain photo gallery
Scuba diving certification
All volunteers on the Marine Conservation project in Spain complete internationally-recognized CMAS diving certifications. The diving certification you complete will depend on your current diving experience and the length of your stay. The courses are suitable for all levels including beginners and range from Open Water Diver through to Advanced Open Water Diver, and specialties such as Marine Ecology and Fish Identification.
Your Program Fee covers the cost of all required online and in-person training, the use of full scuba equipment and volunteer supervision from an experienced dive instructor.
It is recommended that you participate on this project for a minimum of 2 weeks in order to take part in the conservation activities, as you will spend your first week gaining a diving certification.
”My favorite moments were seeing all the aquatic life and meeting all the people who run the placement and all the new friends I made from the hostel. My scuba instructors were super nice and the sea life was amazing, it made me very happy to know I was helping clean their home and now I also have some new friends from cool places! The entire experience will be what you make it, there's plenty of freedom to do stuff after the placement is over so plan what you want to see!”
Carling, Canadian, 23
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Location
Catalonia is a region in northern Spain with its own distinct culture. Barcelona is its capital and melds millennia of history with modern life in a way that creates a vivid, stylish city with a vibrant atmosphere. It’s rich with the art and architecture of Gaudi and Picasso; home to FC Barcelona - one of the world’s best football teams; loaded with remnants of its ancient Roman past; stacked with beautiful beaches and parks and known for its mouth-watering cuisine. The IVHQ Spain volunteer program in Barcelona hosts a popular range of meaningful volunteer work. The dedicated local team supports volunteers 24/7 as they’re immersed in local life, helping you to develop an authentic understanding of this iconic destination. Volunteer placements are located throughout the wider city area of Barcelona. Some placements are up to a 90-minute commute, which can be on different means of public transport.
Arrival and orientation
The program orientation begins on the second and fourth Monday of every month, and volunteers need to arrive in Barcelona on the Sunday before orientation.
After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at Barcelona–El Prat Airport (BCN). Your airport pick-up is included in your program fee.
When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and transported via Metro to the volunteer accommodation. Your accommodation is covered by your program fee and includes the night before your program orientation.
If you are travelling in Spain prior to your volunteer program and arriving overland, we will provide you with a time and place to meet the local team in Barcelona on the day before your program orientation.
Orientation is hosted by our Spain team in Barcelona. It begins the morning of your chosen start date and lasts for a full day. The orientation covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Spain – an introduction to Spain and Barcelona, culture and customs, rules and expectations, safety, travel opportunities, an introduction to project and placement as well as a tour of the local area and a basic Spanish language lesson. The orientation will also give you a chance to sign up for additional Spanish language lessons and to meet other volunteers with whom you can swap contact details for weekend travel and socialising .
Volunteer schedule example
Weekdays:
After the initial orientation, you will have a morning, afternoon or evening shift at your placement and will work for approximately 3 to 5 hours per day. Please note that start times and daily workload depends on the specific project that you are participating on.
A typical daily schedule is as follows:
| 7:00 - 10:00 AM | Breakfast at the volunteer accommodation. |
| 8:00 AM | Volunteers with a morning shift travel to placement to join local placement staff and begin work on their project. |
| 1:30 - 3:30 PM | Lunch is served at the accommodation. |
| 2:30 PM | Volunteers with an afternoon or evening shift travel to placement to join local placement staff and begin work on their project. |
| 8:00 - 10:00 PM | Dinner at the volunteer accommodation. After dinner you will have the remainder of the evening free to relax and use as you wish. |
Weekends:
On your free weekends in Spain, visit Gaudi’s unfinished yet still iconic La Sagrada Familia church, catch a football match, try a local paella, sunbathe on an incredible beach or wander the streets of Les Ramblas to Barcelona’s city centre.
Volunteers staying for longer durations, or who wish to travel before or after their program, can visit areas further afield in Spain including; Granada, Valencia, Madrid and many other places. Volunteers can make travel arrangements once in Barcelona, with the advice and guidance of our local team.
Accommodation and WiFi
Volunteers are accommodated in a dormitory-style hostel about 10 - 15 minutes from the city centre of Barcelona. You can expect to share a room with up to seven other volunteers of the same gender. The hostel also caters to independent travelers and groups who book rooms from time to time for varying lengths of stay. Every volunteer will have access to their own locker to store valuables and other personal belongings. The hostel has shared bathrooms equipped with western toilets and showers in each room. Bedding and towels are provided for each volunteer. Volunteers can also enjoy a shared living room, kitchen and large outdoor terrace. There is staff who clean the accommodation throughout the week; however, volunteers are required to keep their rooms tidy.
WiFi is available in the volunteer accommodation and can be accessed from many cafes and restaurants in the area. A local SIM card with data can also be purchased for unlocked phones.
Private rooms in the hostel with shared or private bathrooms can be arranged upon request for an additional cost, subject to availability.
Meals
Volunteers are provided with breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day.
Breakfast is self-serve at the volunteer accommodation and includes fruit, bread, jam, cereal, milk, tea, and coffee. Lunch and dinner are provided in the accommodation according to a fixed menu. Meals will include pasta, rice, meat, seafood, vegetable and salad dishes as well as some typical Spanish dishes.
Volunteers who wish to spend the day in the city and require a packed lunch can request this the day prior.
Tap water is fine to drink in Spain; however, bottled water is readily available if you prefer and you should budget approximately US$5 (approximately AU$7) per week for this.
Pricing
Duration |
Program FeeDue 30 days before you start, or within 48 hours if you register inside of 30 days. Covers the cost of hosting you.
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| 1 week | AU$1425 Equivalent to AU$204/day |
| 2 weeks | AU$2355 Equivalent to AU$169/day |
| 3 weeks | AU$3286 Equivalent to AU$157/day |
| 4 weeks | AU$4216 Equivalent to AU$151/day |
| 5 weeks | AU$5146 Equivalent to AU$148/day |
| 6 weeks | AU$6076 Equivalent to AU$145/day |
| 8 weeks | AU$7937 Equivalent to AU$142/day |
| 10 weeks | AU$9798 Equivalent to AU$140/day |
| 12 weeks | AU$11658 Equivalent to AU$139/day |
- Accommodation
- Meals
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Airport pick-up
- Personalized preparation tools, guides and check lists
- Access to IVHQ’s preferred insurance and flights partners
- Certificate of International Volunteering
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of AU$452 in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services. IVHQ fees are priced in USD but you may elect to pay in AUD.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Additional things to budget for include: Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check, public transport to and from your placement each day and return to the airport when your program finishes.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in Spain generally find US$80 to be sufficient for weekly expenses including transportation and miscellaneous spending.
- Please note: You will need to budget an extra US$10 per night for the Barcelona City Tax, paid directly to the accommodation upon arrival.
Language lessons in Barcelona
Spanish language lessons are available for all volunteers in Spain regardless of their ability. Volunteers are strongly encouraged to take advantage of these lessons to allow them to work and communicate more effectively during their program. The language lessons are tailored to each volunteer’s current level of Spanish and are taught by professional Spanish teachers. Classes run Monday through Friday, the cost is very affordable and offered exclusively to IVHQ volunteers.
- 1 x 1 hour class = AU$66
- 10 x 1 hour classes = AU$493 Spanish lessons can be booked through IVHQ once you have been accepted onto the Barcelona program.
Check what's required to visit Spain
Check out the widget below to find out what the Covid-19 restrictions and visa requirements are for Spain, based on your country of residence.
Safety and support
IVHQ follows best practice and industry-leading health and safety procedures, which are regularly reviewed and optimized as part of the B Corporation recertification.
- All volunteers encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training.
- All local teams trained on best practice volunteer management & First Aid.
- All IVHQ programs are required to adhere to IVHQ's Risk Management Policy.
- All volunteers have access to 24/7 in-country support from our local team.
Protecting against COVID-19:
Volunteers tested for COVID-19 within 72 hours of travel
Health & safety information provided during orientation
Strict disinfecting standards for programs & accomodation
Greater physical distance between volunteers
Essential country information
| Capital | Madrid |
| Population | 46.9 million |
| Languages | Spanish |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 |
Weather and climate: Being such a large country, the climate of Spain is very varied. Barcelona and its metropolitan area has a Mediterranean climate, with mild winters and hot summers. Its average annual temperature is 21.2 °C (70.2 °F) during the day and 15.1 °C (59.2 °F) at night. In the coldest month, January, the temperature ranges from 12 to 18 °C (54 to 64 °F) during the day and 6 to 12 °C (43 to 54 °F) at night. In the warmest month – August, the temperature ranges from 28 to 32 °C (82 to 90 °F) during the day and about from 20 to 24 °C (68 to 75 °F) at night. Large fluctuations in temperature are very rare.
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