Food Outreach Volunteering in Brussels

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The IVHQ Belgium program is located in the capital city of Brussels, which is a popular tourist gateway for exploring the rest of Europe. Volunteers are required to fly into Brussels Aiport (BRU), which is a 7 to 9 hour flight from most major airports in Canada. Volunteer placements are located throughout the wider city of Brussels and its neighborhoods and the volunteer accommodation is located just 5 minutes from the city center.

The program begins on the second and fourth Monday of every month. Volunteers can choose to volunteer for periods ranging from 1 week to 6 weeks.

The program orientation begins on the second and fourth Monday of every month, and volunteers need to arrive in Brussels no later than the Sunday before orientation.

After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at Brussels Airport (BRU). Canadian travelers are eligible to gain a 90 day tourist stamp on arrival. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from date of entry and you need at least two free pages in your passport reserved for immigration authorities.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 to the volunteer accommodation. Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the night before your program orientation through to (and including) the Friday night of your final week.

If you are traveling in Belgium prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up from any of the main stations in Brussels on the day before your program orientation.

Orientation is hosted by our Belgium team on the morning of your chosen start date. The orientation covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Belgium – Introduction to Belgium, Culture and Customs, Rules and Expectations, Safety, Travel Opportunities, Introduction to Project and Placement as well as a brief city tour of the area surrounding the hostel. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers with whom you can swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.

Your daily schedule will vary depending on the project you choose. You will receive a weekly schedule at Orientation that will cover your first one or two weeks. If you are staying longer, the local team will work with you to place you to select a placement that you wish to invest your remaining time in.

Start times and daily workloads will vary depending on needs of the project you are participating on, but we aim for an average of 4 hours per day volunteering. Some projects, such as the Food Outreach breakfast, start very early in the morning; some others take place in the afternoon. If you need to do more hours per day for a particular requirement, please let us know ahead of time so that we can schedule your volunteer project accordingly. Outside of projects, you are free to use your time as you wish.

Volunteers are responsible for their own dinner. You will have the evening free to go out for dinner, relax and use as you wish. Very occasionally, you may be asked to assist with a special event on an evening or a Saturday, in which case our local team will arrange another day off for you to make up for the time. However, if this conflicts with other plans, just let our local team know so they can make other arrangements.

You will be accommodated alongside other volunteers in a hostel in Brussels. The hostel also caters to independent travelers who book rooms from time to time for varying lengths of stay. The hostel is about 5 minutes from the center of Brussels via Tram or Metro.

You can expect to share a room with up to 6 others and can also expect to share a communal bathroom with toilets and showers. Bedding and a bath towel are provided. It is the responsibility of the volunteer to ensure their room and shared bathroom is kept tidy during their time on the program.

Free WiFi is available at the volunteer accommodation.

Private room upgrades are also possible for an additional cost, subject to availability. The cost is about US$60 (CA$78) to US$90 (CA$118) per night, depending on the upgrade. This can be arranged with the local team directly, once registered.

Please note that during busy periods, the accommodation can vary slightly to the description above due to additional hostel accommodation being used and occasionally rooms of mixed gender also need to be utilized.

As a volunteer you will be preparing your own meals while on the program. The hostel has cooking facilities to prepare meals and there are nearby shops to purchase food. You can also head out for meals to try the many delicacies that Brussels has to offer.

Tap water is fine to drink in Belgium, however, bottled water is readily available if you prefer and you should budget approximately US$10 (CA$13) per week for this.

“The local team were very supporting and welcoming. I absolutely loved working with them! My favorite moment was interacting with the refugees. IVHQ gives you a smooth, seamless, enjoyable and satisfactory volunteering experience. Right from registering to reaching your destination and flying back, everything is made absolutely comfortable for you. I’d trust them with my eyes closed.” - Sahil Salunke (NGO Support Volunteer in Belgium)

Read more reviews from IVHQ volunteers in Belgium here.

Volunteers have the weekends free and there is no shortage of fascinating sites to see and places to explore in Brussels and wider Belgium!

Brussels is a bustling, multicultural city with mouthwatering cuisine, including frites, waffles and chocolate! The city is packed with interesting events, architecture, historical sites and art work, so you will never be short of activities to fill your free time. When you’re not indulging in the local delicacies, you can check out historical sites, such as La Grand Place, Parc du Cinquantenaire, and the unique Atomium landmark building. Your weekends can also be spent visiting areas further afield in Belgium, including the beautiful city of Bruges, the ancient cities of Ghent (and its castle) or Antwerp, the Belgian coastline and so much more!

If time allows, you’ll also want to take advantage of visiting nearby countries, such as France, Germany and the Netherlands. You can make travel arrangements once in Brussels with the advice and guidance of our local team.

See our Belgium Travel and Tours page for more volunteer travel options in Belgium!

Weather and climate: Belgium usually has cold winters and comfortably warm summers. The average temperature is around 37°F (3°C) in January, and 64°F (18°C) in July with average rainfall being 2.6 in (65mm) in January, and 3.1in (78 mm) in July.

Volunteers need to be 18 years or over to participate on this program, however 16 and 17 year-olds can volunteer with a parent or guardian. 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.

Volunteers must speak fluent English. All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance and provide a recent criminal background check and a copy of their passport to IVHQ’s partner organization staff in Brussels.

Free Interactive Volunteer Training - All volunteers are encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training, which is available exclusively to registered IVHQ volunteers. The training is designed to build an understanding of important aspects that need to be considered before embarking on an IVHQ program. It helps volunteers to prepare in the right way by providing advice on what it takes to be a safe, responsible and valuable volunteer. Try a sample of the training here.