At a glance…
- Available year-round
- 9 meaningful project options
- Projects based in and around Bogota and Cartagena
- Accommodation in a volunteer house or apartment
- Program fees include airport pick-up, orientation, accommodation, meals and 24/7 in-country support
- Program fees from US$270 (approximately CA$357) for 1 week
- Affordable Spanish language lessons available
- Between 10 and 40 volunteers start in Colombia each month
It was such a great experience for me to volunteer in Colombia - Bogota. It gave me an idea how life can be in Colombia and we learnt so much about the people and the country. I felt like I helped even when it was not a huge difference to their life but all help is needed and appreciated. Everybody should do something like this!
Volunteer opportunities in Colombia

Assist in busy childcare centers across Bogotá, helping with games, activities, lessons and meal times.
Childcare in
Childcare volunteers are in high demand in Colombia to ease the workload of local workers who care for children. Many of these children come from overcrowded living situations and are in desperate need of love and attention.
By assisting in childcare centers, you’ll be helping busy local staff to better provide attention, fostering positive development, education and happy, fulfilling days. Your help as a volunteer with group tasks, games, activities and at feeding time means children get better access to individual attention from staff members.
This project is best suited to enthusiastic volunteers who enjoy spending time with children. You should be open to helping in a fast-paced environment, and be willing to assist in whatever is needed at the time.
Project Highlights
What you need to know
- Volunteer in childcare centers across Bogotá
- Help to offer support and nurturing for local children
- Suited to enthusiastic, lively volunteers who work well with children
- Volunteer for up to 5 hours per day
Destination Highlights
Colombia at a glance
Also available in Colombia
Our project options
Childcare Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Childcare Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Community Volunteer Project in Cartagena - Colombia Construction & Renovation Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Elderly Care Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Feed the Homeless Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Sports Development Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Teaching English Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia English Teaching Volunteer Project in Bogota - ColombiaOther programs you might like
Our programs in South America
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For childcare volunteers in a tropical coastal setting, this is an ideal opportunity to spend time assisting daycare centers with routine lessons, activities and games for underprivileged children.
Childcare in
Schools in Cartagena are often very busy places, where local staff are far outnumbered by students and have to work hard to cater for their needs. Childcare volunteers provide a highly valued extra person, helping to ease the load of local staff and provide care and attention for the children.
As a Childcare volunteer, you’ll assist teachers in lessons and at meal times with a range of routine day-to-day tasks including with games, activities, learning and other chores. Volunteers can also help in a foundation for children with cancer, where you can play games, do arts and crafts and socialize.
This is an ideal project for energetic volunteers who enjoy spending time with children and encouraging their positive development. You’ll volunteer under the supervision of local staff, so don’t need to have prior childcare experience.
Project Highlights
What you need to know
- Volunteer in childcare {% tt terms.center %}s across Cartagena
- Help to offer support and nurturing for local children
- Assist with lessons, activities and routine daily jobs
- Suited to enthusiastic, lively volunteers who work well with children
- Minimum duration of 2 weeks
- Volunteer for up to 6 hours per day
Destination Highlights
Colombia at a glance
Also available in Colombia
Our project options
Childcare Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Childcare Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Community Volunteer Project in Cartagena - Colombia Construction & Renovation Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Elderly Care Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Feed the Homeless Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Sports Development Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Teaching English Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia English Teaching Volunteer Project in Bogota - ColombiaOther programs you might like
Our programs in South America
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For those wanting to help where it’s needed the most, this project involves assisting a wide range of community-based initiatives. Placements are allocated based on where there is the most urgent need for help, making it perfect for flexible volunteers.
Community in
This is the ultimate volunteer project for those who don’t mind what they’re doing, as long as it’s making a difference. As a Community volunteer, you can be contributing to one of a number of running projects - your placement is allocated based on where there is the greatest need.
Tasks include helping with building maintenance, helping in community gardens and beaches, teaching English and helping locals with computer literacy. You may also volunteer with at-risk youth and children with cancer doing various arts and craft activities as well as helping in the community gardens, helping the elderly at a local community centre, and cleaning the beaches of this beautiful coastal city!
This project is well suited to enthusiastic, flexible volunteers. It’s a great way to vary your time in Colombia and ensure you’re making the biggest contribution to the community.
Project Highlights
What you need to know
- Help on a range of community-based projects
- Assist with tasks including maintenance, gardening and teaching
- Placements based on projects that need help at the time
- Suited to enthusiastic volunteers who like working with others on grass-roots projects
- Minimum duration of 2 weeks
- Volunteer for up to 5 hours per day
Destination Highlights
Colombia at a glance
Also available in Colombia
Our project options
Childcare Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Childcare Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Community Volunteer Project in Cartagena - Colombia Construction & Renovation Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Elderly Care Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Feed the Homeless Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Sports Development Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Teaching English Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia English Teaching Volunteer Project in Bogota - ColombiaOther programs you might like
Our programs in South America
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Assist with community building and renovation projects in community homes, schools and hospitals. Your volunteering helps to create extra space for locals to use these vital services.
Construction and Renovation in
Some families, schools and even hospitals in Bogota cannot afford to pay for important building or renovation projects. With homes, classrooms, community centers and hospital wards bursting at the seams due to increasing numbers of children and patients, volunteers are sorely needed to assist. These projects are not only important for the people who work and live in these places, but also for other members of the community who will benefit from these extra facilities.
As a building volunteer, you’ll work with a local foreman on whatever project is being prioritized at the time. You can help on a number of tasks including knocking down walls, installing kitchens, fixing chairs, painting walls or renovating roofs.
You’ll be volunteering under the supervision of local staff, so you don’t need prior building experience, though you will need a reasonable level of fitness and willingness to help out with physically demanding roles.
Please note, the Construction and Renovation project has an extra cost of US$35 (approximately CA$46) per week for additional supervision, materials and logistics. This amount will be included in the Program Fee quoted to you by IVHQ when you apply.
Project Highlights
What you need to know
- Help with building and renovation projects in schools, homes and hospitals
- Assist with tasks that can include knocking down walls, installing kitchens, fixing chairs, painting walls or renovating roofs
- Suited to volunteers who enjoy physical work and using their hands
- Additional {% usd_approx 35 %} per week surcharge for the extra supervision, materials and logistics required
- Volunteer for up to 6 hours per day
Destination Highlights
Colombia at a glance
Also available in Colombia
Our project options
Childcare Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Childcare Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Community Volunteer Project in Cartagena - Colombia Construction & Renovation Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Elderly Care Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Feed the Homeless Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Sports Development Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Teaching English Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia English Teaching Volunteer Project in Bogota - ColombiaOther programs you might like
Our programs in South America
Argentina Brazil Colombia Ecuador Peru All South America
Volunteer in a community center for elderly women, many of whom cannot be cared for by their families. Bring caring and companionship by helping with routine tasks and giving social support.
Elderly Care in
In Colombia, the elderly get little to no financial assistance from the government as traditionally, the care of the elderly has always been left to younger generations of the family. Due to war, poverty and illness, many Colombian families are faced with crowded multi-generational households with no financial ability to care for the needs of their elderly family members.
Unfortunately, this has lead to high rates of abandonment among the elderly, many of whom are left to fend for themselves on the streets of Bogota with dementia, pneumonia or other conditions.
Volunteers on the Elderly Care project play an important role in centers that rescue elderly women from the streets and put them into care. In these centers, volunteers provide companionship, conversation, food, shelter and medication to the women while occasionally helping with cleaning and operational tasks.
This project is well suited to compassionate volunteers who enjoy helping vulnerable people. As you’ll be working under the supervision of local staff, you don’t need any prior experience volunteering with elderly people.
Project Highlights
What you need to know
- Volunteer in {% tt terms.center %}s for elderly women, many of whom have been abandoned by their families
- Assist with day to day tasks including helping with meals and medication
- Provide social support through simple means of having conversations and sharing your time
- Suited to caring and compassionate volunteers
- Volunteer for up to 5 hours per day
Destination Highlights
Colombia at a glance
Also available in Colombia
Our project options
Childcare Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Childcare Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Community Volunteer Project in Cartagena - Colombia Construction & Renovation Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Elderly Care Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Feed the Homeless Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Sports Development Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Teaching English Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia English Teaching Volunteer Project in Bogota - ColombiaOther programs you might like
Our programs in South America
Argentina Brazil Colombia Ecuador Peru All South America
Help in busy community centers serving up to 200 lunches a day for vulnerable local people. Volunteers assist with preparation, serving and cleaning up.
Feeding the Homeless in
As with many developing countries, Colombia struggles with problems associated with homelessness. Homelessness can affect people from all walks of life, leaving them vulnerable and requiring community support for basic daily necessities.
One of the biggest ways you can help the homeless is by giving them access to a good meal. As a volunteer, you’ll help local staff to prepare and serve lunch to up to 200 men, women and children every day. These meals are provided for free at a community center for vulnerable people who wouldn’t otherwise have access to a regular food supply.
This is a busy project for those who enjoy operating in a fast-paced environment, taking care of a range of tasks involved in serving nutritious, healthy food on such a large scale.
Please note, this project is only open for four days a week. Volunteers can join another project for one day a week. This can be arranged after you apply.
Project Highlights
What you need to know
- Volunteer in a community center, serving a daily lunch for the homeless community
- Help with all aspects of preparing and serving up to 200 lunches per day
- Suitable for proactive volunteers who enjoy being in a fast-paced work environment
- Includes the opportunity to contribute to other projects for one day a week
- Volunteer for up to 5 hours per day
Destination Highlights
Colombia at a glance
Also available in Colombia
Our project options
Childcare Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Childcare Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Community Volunteer Project in Cartagena - Colombia Construction & Renovation Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Elderly Care Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Feed the Homeless Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Sports Development Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Teaching English Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia English Teaching Volunteer Project in Bogota - ColombiaOther programs you might like
Our programs in South America
Argentina Brazil Colombia Ecuador Peru All South America
Help to organize and play games with local children outside school time. There’s a wide range of sports you’re able to play, including your own from home.
Sports Development in
For energetic children in Cartagena, the chance to take part in organized sports gives an outlet and chance for fun and activity. However, it’s not something that is able to happen without the structure provided by both local volunteers and those from abroad.
As a sports volunteer, you’ll help local children to play games, pick up new skills and learn about teamwork and sportsmanship. Volunteers assist in organizing and running games after school each day, developing skills in their favorite games and introducing new sports from your own home. You’ll be based in an at-risk neighborhood or a juvenile rehabilitation center, helping to teach respect, teamwork and sportsmanship.
This project is only limited by the availability of volunteers; so if you are interested in teaching a specific sport (whether it be football or swimming, or another sport such as gymnastics or volleyball), please let us know, so we can include this in the schedule. Variety is seen as a very good thing, so you’re encouraged to bring your own creativity to the project.
Those with coaching qualifications are welcomed, though it’s not considered essential. Similarly, a First Aid Certificate is preferable but not mandatory.
It’s important to note that you’ll only be volunteering for one to two hours a day from Monday to Thursday, but you’re encouraged to make the most of your time in Cartagena by contributing to another project outside these hours.
Project Highlights
What you need to know
- Help local staff arrange and run sports activities
- Play popular local sports or introduce your own games from home
- Suited to active volunteers who love playing games with children
- Minimum duration of 2 weeks
- Volunteer for up to 2 hours per day, using your spare time to assist on other projects
Destination Highlights
Colombia at a glance
Also available in Colombia
Our project options
Childcare Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Childcare Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Community Volunteer Project in Cartagena - Colombia Construction & Renovation Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Elderly Care Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Feed the Homeless Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Sports Development Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Teaching English Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia English Teaching Volunteer Project in Bogota - ColombiaOther programs you might like
Our programs in South America
Argentina Brazil Colombia Ecuador Peru All South America
Assist with English lessons in low income communities for students that range in age and ability. Volunteers act either as lead teacher or assist local staff.
Teaching English in
While many students in Colombia receive English lessons at school, a significant proportion do not. English is increasingly being seen as a valuable language to know, so by contributing your time you can provide lessons for those who wouldn’t otherwise have them.
Volunteer English teachers are in demand to help with classes in schools, daycares, foster homes and community centers. Students can range in ability and age from schoolchildren to the elderly. Volunteers also have the opportunity to give further lessons in mathematics, science, humanities, music, sports, dance and art.
This is a project that has great need, and there are many placements that you can assist on. It’s best suited to those with a flexible approach to helping where the need is greatest - whether it’s tutoring a small group before a test or being the lead teacher of a larger class.
Your volunteering is generally for a few hours each day, with time to allow for lesson preparation. Volunteers often work together to create lesson plans and are encouraged to be creative and bring new ideas to their placements.
As you’ll work with the support of IVHQ’s local team and placement staff, you don’t need to have prior teaching experience. However, we encourage you to come prepared by completing some relevant training, like a teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) course. Visit our Online TEFL Course page to learn how to gain an internationally-recognized TEFL certification at a discounted rate.
Project Highlights
What you need to know
- Help to teach English to locals in low income communities
- Students range in age from 8-80
- Suited to volunteers interested in education and teaching English
- Minimum duration of 2 weeks
- Volunteer for up to 5 hours per day
Destination Highlights
Colombia at a glance
Also available in Colombia
Our project options
Childcare Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Childcare Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Community Volunteer Project in Cartagena - Colombia Construction & Renovation Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Elderly Care Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Feed the Homeless Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Sports Development Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Teaching English Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia English Teaching Volunteer Project in Bogota - ColombiaOther programs you might like
Our programs in South America
Argentina Brazil Colombia Ecuador Peru All South America
Help in understaffed local schools or community centers, teaching English to students of all ages. Volunteers can either lead lessons or assist local teachers.
Teaching in
In Colombia, many schools are understaffed and under-resourced, and in many cases, run by enthusiastic locals who aren’t qualified as teachers. Volunteers are able to provide a valued perspective as a fluent English speaker to help enlighten students and ease the teaching burden on local staff.
You’ll volunteer in local schools and community centers, encouraging students to learn English and reap the benefits of being able to speak the language as they continue to grow up. Students range in age and English language ability, and you can either assist a local teacher or lead a lesson yourself.
This is a highly rewarding project and through sharing knowledge and life experiences, volunteers can demonstrate that with a bit of hard work, anything is possible.
Teaching volunteers who can speak Spanish to an intermediate level are also able to help teach other subjects, such as mathematics, science, humanities, music, sports and the arts.
As volunteers work with the support of IVHQ’s local team and placement staff, you don’t need to have prior teaching experience. However, we encourage volunteers to come prepared by completing some relevant training, like a teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) course. Visit our Online TEFL Course page to learn how to gain an internationally-recognized TEFL certification at a discounted rate.
Project Highlights
What you need to know
- Help to teach English to local children in schools and community {% tt terms.center %}s
- Assist local staff or lead lessons to students of all ages
- Suited to volunteers interested in education and teaching English
- Volunteer for up to 5 hours per day
Destination Highlights
Colombia at a glance
Also available in Colombia
Our project options
Childcare Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Childcare Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Community Volunteer Project in Cartagena - Colombia Construction & Renovation Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Elderly Care Volunteer Program in Bogota - Colombia Feed the Homeless Volunteer Project in Bogota - Colombia Sports Development Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia Teaching English Volunteer Program in Cartagena - Colombia English Teaching Volunteer Project in Bogota - ColombiaOther programs you might like
Our programs in South America
Argentina Brazil Colombia Ecuador Peru All South AmericaFill out the quick form below to find out what the Covid-19 restrictions and visa requirements are for Colombia, based on your country of residence.
- Most affordable fees - as the world leader in affordable volunteer travel, we’re able to keep our fees low by partnering with a local organization in Colombia to support meaningful community projects and local employment.
- Superior support - your experienced IVHQ Program Manager, teamed with our local team in Colombia will ensure you feel supported every step of the way - from planning to volunteering.
- Responsible projects - we’re dedicated to ensuring that our projects are responsibly run and have sustainable positive impacts that are supporting local needs.
- Online training - as soon as you register on an IVHQ program, you will gain access to our interactive volunteer training to ensure you’re well prepared for your program.
- Safety-first - volunteer safety is a top priority for IVHQ and we have clear standards for risk management on each program. You can feel confident that you are placed with trustworthy institutions, organizations and families that have been screened by our local teams.
- New friendships - as an IVHQer, you’ll always be in the company of friendly locals and like-minded volunteer travelers who will quickly become your life-long friends.
- Epic weekend adventures - you’ll have your weekends free to explore Colombia with your new-found friends.