Special Needs Support Volunteer Program in Greece - Chios

The IVHQ Greece volunteer program is located in Chios, the 5th largest island of Greece. Volunteer placements are located throughout communities on Chios island.

The Greece program begins on the second and fourth Monday of every month and volunteers can choose to volunteer for durations ranging from 2 weeks to 12 weeks.

The program orientation begins on the second and fourth Monday of every month, and volunteers need to arrive in Chios on the Sunday before your program start date.

After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at Chios Island National Airport (JKH). 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.

If you are traveling in Greece prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up from a prearranged location in Chios on the day before your program orientation.

Orientation will be held on the Monday morning of your volunteer program. The orientation which is run by the local team will include an introduction to the IVHQ Greece Program and Experimental, rules and expectations, health and safety, do’s and don’ts in Chios, basic Greek language lesson, cultural knowledge and a brief city tour. Orientation will also give you a chance to sign up for Greek language lessons and to meet other volunteers with whom you can swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing. You will also be introduced to your specific placement during the orientation.

On your first day of volunteering, you will be escorted to your placement by a local team member and introduced to the placement staff you will be working with.

You will have a morning or afternoon shift and will work for approximately 3 to 5 hours per day. A typical morning schedule is as follows:

7:30 AM Breakfast at the volunteer apartment

8.00 AM Travel to placement to join local placement staff and begin work on your project. Please note that start times and daily workload depends on the project that you are participating on.

1.30 PM Work at the placement usually ends.

2:30 PM You are free to plan for the following day’s activities or use your free time as you wish. This could include sightseeing, some shopping or taking Greek language lessons.

Please note this schedule will vary depending on the needs of your particular project and the time of year you are volunteering.

On the Greece program, volunteers are accommodated in a volunteer house or apartments. The volunteer house is a dormitory-style volunteer house located in Vrontados. This volunteer house can accommodate up to 12 guests and volunteers can expect to share a room with up to 4 other volunteers of the same gender. The volunteer apartments in central Chios are also dormitory style, and can accommodate up to 7 volunteers.

All accommodation options have shared western bathrooms and bedding is also provided. Towels are not provided so volunteers need to bring their own towels. WiFi is also available at the volunteer accommodation. It is the responsibility of the volunteer to ensure their rooms is kept tidy during their time on the program. Volunteers are also responsible for cleaning the dishware, glassware, cutlery and cooking utensils that they use.

Private room upgrades are also possible for an additional cost, subject to availability. The cost for a single room is $35 per person, per night. A double room is $25 per person, per night and a triple room is $15 per person, per night. This can be arranged with the local team directly, once registered.

It’s important to note that the Greece program has quiet hours each day in which volunteers must ensure not to make excessive noise, to respect others who live in the community nearby to the accommodation. The quiet hours are from 3pm to 5:30pm and from 11pm to 8am.

Volunteers are provided with breakfast each day. Breakfast is self-serve at the volunteer accommodation with ingredients provided for volunteers to prepare their own breakfast as needed including bread, milk, cereal, marmalade/jam, tea and coffee. Lunch and Dinner are not included in your program fee and we recommend heading out for these meals to try the many delicacies that Greece has to offer. Alternatively, you can prepare your own meals using the kitchen facilities in the accommodation. It is not possible to drink the tap water in Greece, however, bottled water is readily available and you should budget approximately $10 per week for this.

“It went amazing! Words cannot describe it. It would be a dream to just be able to extend to stay another week. It’s been absolutely amazing and I can only think of next year and saving as much money as I can so that maybe I can go on another trip. It’s been nothing short of perfect. It’s exceeded my expectations. Thank you so much!” - Gabrielle Grove (Kindergarten Support Volunteer in Greece)

Read more reviews from IVHQ volunteers in Greece here.

Volunteers have the weekends free and there is no shortage of great things to see and do in Chios and wider Greece! The country is overflowing with history, culture, cuisine and natural beauty! Volunteers can fill their free time in Chios Island visiting the many historical sites, beautiful beaches, dining on incredible food or even taking a day trip to Turkey. Volunteers can experience ancient and unique medieval villages such as Anavatos, Mesta and Pyrgi as well as many monasteries, museums and archeological sites throughout the island. Nature buffs can also enjoy the many hikes, diverse flora and fauna and the amazing coastline that the island has to offer. Volunteers staying for longer durations, or who wish to travel before or after their program, can visit areas further afield in Greece including Athens, the many Greek Islands and so much more! Volunteers can make travel arrangements once in Chios, with the advice and guidance of our local team.

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

Weather and climate: The climate in Greece is a very typical Mediterranean climate: mild and rainy winters and hot and dry summers with long periods of sunshine and no rain. Weather in Chios, where the IVHQ volunteer program is based, is pleasant throughout the year. During January, the average temperature in Chios is around 50°F (10 °C) and 81.5°F (27.5 °C) in July. In the Summer months there is generally no rain, however during December the average rainfall is 5.3 In (135mm). You can expect windy days all year round is Chios.

Volunteers need to be 18 years or over to participate on this program, unless volunteering 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 to learn more.

Volunteers must speak fluent English. Volunteers on the Special Needs Support and Food Outreach projects must have relevant experience and stay for a minimum duration of 2 weeks. All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance and provide a recent criminal background check to IVHQ after registering on the program.

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.

Volunteer Language Lessons

We recommend that volunteers take advantage of the very affordable Greek lessons offered exclusively to IVHQ volunteers by our program staff in Greece. These language courses are organized during your program orientation and are tailored to each volunteer’s current level of Greek. We believe that taking these lessons can help you immensely with your day to day volunteer work and communicating with local people.

• 5 hours of group lessons: US$84 per person (minimum 4 people)
• 5 hours of private lessons: US$112