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Community Support Volunteer Project in Spain - Barcelona
Purpose
Help tackle poverty and inequality
Start dates
Programs start every second and fourth Monday of the month
Duration
Choose from 2-12 weeks
Volunteer hours
Up to 5 hours a day
Age
18+
Accommodation
Dormitory-style hostel
Who is going?
Group video calls
Once you have secured your place, join regular video calls to meet your Program Manager and other volunteers before your trip.
This program is ideal for:
Compassionate volunteers who want to share their skills and interests, be it through teaching a new skill, languages, sports, cooking, or organizing facilities/donations. Being able to speak Spanish is an advantage, as this will help you communicate.
Project details
Want to help support marginalized communities in Spain? International Volunteer HQ’s Community Support project is a unique opportunity to volunteer with nonprofit organizations in Barcelona to help improve the lives of those living in poverty and facing inequalities, such as refugees or those battling addiction. As an IVHQ volunteer, you’ll help empower these individuals by teaching them new skills, improving their access to basic services, or helping integrate them socially, such as through sports.
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
In the vibrant urban landscape of Barcelona, the stark realities of inequality and poverty are unmissable. For those grappling with life’s harsher challenges—limited access to social services, economic instability, inadequate housing, or the elusive search for employment—the path to dignity and stability is steep.
There’s no universal remedy for poverty or social risk, no “one size fits all solution”. That is the philosophy of the Community Support project in Barcelona!
As a volunteer on the Community Support project you will assist with offering a range of support, from free basic amenities like food, clothing, and medical care, to empowering individuals through football, or even teaching languages.
By partnering with dedicated non-profit organizations across the city of Barcelona, you will not only help to alleviate hardship, but also to improve quality of life.
Depending on your skills, experience, and passions, there’s a place for you to make an impact. Some of the tasks involved on the Community Support project may include:
- Supporting a local host center by preparing meals and serving food to homeless people.
- Managing facilities, sorting donations, contributing to educational and language training initiatives, and generally helping to support people to regain confidence and learn new skills.
- Teaching languages by sharing your linguistic talents to teach English or Spanish in a nurturing, supportive environment. Helping marginalized communities to voice their needs.
- Assisting with sports teams focused on integrating young immigrants, refugees, and individuals battling addiction.
Why do Community Support volunteering in Barcelona with IVHQ?
When you volunteer on the Community Support project in Spain you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Learning about how nonprofits work in Spain
- Directly helping refugees, migrants and those battling addiction
- Developing your communication skills
- Practicing your Spanish language skills
- Immersing yourself in Catalan culture
- Exploring Barcelona’s fabulous buildings, culture, and history
Volunteer requirements
Volunteers must be 18 years or older to participate in this program. If you are under 18, IVHQ offers alternative volunteer opportunities for teens. Visit our High School Volunteer Abroad to explore these options.
All volunteers over the age of 18 on their start date are required to provide a clear criminal background check to IVHQ before departure.
Volunteers are required to have a conversational/intermediate level of Spanish language ability.
All volunteers must speak English and have adequate volunteer travel insurance.
Are you eligible to volunteer?
Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.
Who is going?
Group video calls
Once you have secured your place, join regular video calls to meet your Program Manager and other volunteers before your trip.
Spain photo gallery
IVHQ Community Support project
IVHQ Community Support project
IVHQ Community Support project
IVHQ Community Support project
IVHQ Community Support project
IVHQ Community Support project
IVHQ Community Support project
IVHQ Community Support project
Exploring Barcelona during an IVHQ weekend
Exploring Barcelona during an IVHQ weekend
Exploring Barcelona during an IVHQ weekend
Exploring Barcelona during an IVHQ weekend
Exploring Barcelona during an IVHQ weekend
Exploring Barcelona during an IVHQ weekend
Exploring Barcelona during an IVHQ weekend
Exploring Barcelona during an IVHQ weekend
Academic course credit
Academic course credit
Gain course credit from your college or university and meet your academic requirements when completing a volunteer abroad program with International Volunteer HQ!
Learn about course creditLocation
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 car transfer or taxi 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 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. 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 socializing .
Volunteer schedule example
Weekdays:
After the initial orientation, you will have a morning or afternoon shift at your placement and will work for approximately 2 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. |
| 1:00 - 3:00 PM | Lunch at the volunteer 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 | Volunteers usually have dinner around this time. Please remember that you will need to purchase your own dinner from a local restaurant or supermarket. |
Please note that the schedule may occasionally change due to weather, public or school holidays, or other unforeseen events that could affect your placement. We recommend checking in advance whether your intended travel dates coincide with any public or school holidays.
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 center.
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.
Looking for more ideas of things to do in Spain? Check out our Spain Tours & Experiences!
Accommodation and WiFi
Volunteers in Barcelona stay in a modern and comfortable hostel just outside the city center, offering the perfect balance of convenience and relaxation. The hostel is a 45-minute trip from central Barcelona and only a 10-minute walk from the nearest metro station, with supermarkets, cafés, ATMs, and pharmacies nearby.
Accommodation is in shared dormitory-style rooms with up to six same-gender volunteers per room. Each room is equipped with an ensuite bathroom, air conditioning, reading lamps, and personal lockers for secure storage.
The hostel features spacious communal areas, including a cozy lounge, a dining area, an outdoor terrace, and a seasonal swimming pool—perfect for unwinding after a day of volunteering. Free WiFi is available throughout the property, and bike rentals make it easy to explore the surrounding area. Towels are provided, but you’re welcome to bring your own.
Please note that the hostel accommodates both independent travelers and groups. This offers a fantastic opportunity to meet people from around the world and exchange travel experiences!
Meals
Volunteers are provided with breakfast and dinner every day.
Breakfast is self-serve at the volunteer accommodation, typically offering fruit, bread, jam, cereal, milk, tea, and coffee.
Lunch is not included in your program fee, so you will need to purchase it independently. You can expect to budget approximately $11 to $23 per lunch, though prices will vary. Alternatively, you may opt to have lunch at the volunteer accommodation for an additional fee.
Dinner is served at the volunteer accommodation’s restaurant on a fixed menu, which typically includes pasta, rice, meat, seafood, vegetables, and salads.
Tap water is safe to drink in Barcelona; however, if you prefer bottled water, it is readily available. Volunteers should budget approximately $5 to $8 per week if they plan to consume about two liters of bottled water per day.
If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know when submitting your application so we can make appropriate arrangements. While living and volunteering abroad may differ from your usual routine at home, our local team will do everything possible to ensure you are well taken care of.
Volunteer social area
Typical volunteer bedroom
Accommodation outdoor area
Typical volunteer bedroom
Volunteer dining area
Typical volunteer meals
Typical volunteer meal
Typical volunteer meal
Typical volunteer meal
Pricing
Secure your place for just US$329 (approximately $329), pay your Program Fee later.
Spots are limited. For a Registration Fee of just US$329 (approximately $329) you secure your spot and unlock all our preparation and training tools.
You don't need to worry about paying your Program Fee until you get closer to your start date.
|
Duration
|
Program Fee
Due 30 days before you start, or within 48 hours if you register inside of 30 days. Covers the cost of hosting you.
|
|---|---|
| 2 weeks | $1,250 Equivalent to $89/day |
| 3 weeks | $1,710 Equivalent to $81/day |
| 4 weeks | $2,170 Equivalent to $78/day |
| 5 weeks | $2,630 Equivalent to $75/day |
| 6 weeks | $3,090 Equivalent to $74/day |
| 8 weeks | $4,010 Equivalent to $72/day |
| 10 weeks | $4,930 Equivalent to $70/day |
| 12 weeks | $5,850 Equivalent to $70/day |
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of US$329 (approximately $329) in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Breakfast and dinner
- Airport pick-up
- Accommodation
- 24/7 in-country emergency support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Personalized preparation tools, guides and check lists
- Access to IVHQ’s preferred insurance and flights partners
- Comprehensive in-country day to day support and guidance
- Discounts on language lessons
- Discounts on travel, tours, and experiences
- Certificate of International Volunteer Service
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
- Transport to and from your placement each day
- Return to the airport when your program finishes
- Lunch
- US$10 per night for the Barcelona City Tax, paid directly to the accommodation upon arrival.
- Flights
- Visa (if required), travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check.
- Personal spending money for snacks, laundry, public transportation, drinks and leisure activities during your free time.
Popular tours & experiences in Barcelona
Take your volunteer experience to the next level with these popular tours and experiences. Explore your options below and learn how to book them once you've been accepted onto the IVHQ Barcelona program.
Barcelona Food Tour
Try authentic Spanish Tapas and meet fellow foodies in the Catalan capital
$95
Barcelona Walking Tour
Enjoy an Immersive Tour of Barcelona’s Must-See Sites
$25
Stand Up Paddle Boarding
Paddle along Barcelona’s stunning coastline and soak up epic Mediterranean views!
$40
Check what's required to visit Spain
Entry requirements can change at any time, so it's important you monitor this right up until you depart for your trip.
Safety and support
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.
Essential country information
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.
What recent volunteers said about their IVHQ experience
HH
Haya Hawamdah
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RM
Raghad Murad
The experience was everything I expected and more, this is my first volunteer abroad experience and I learned so much about the culture, lived like a local, I got to travel there while still respecting the locals and the culture. Made new friends and met people with different backgrounds from all over the world.
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WC
Will Catling
I was hesitant to go through with volunteering due to it being such a big leap going to a foreign country by myself and be surrounded by complete strangers. But I’m so glad I did! I feel it’s given me a lot of confidence to be more independent in my own life.
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AW
Ashley Wiedow
I have always loved working with children of all ages and I knew immediately that this was something I wanted, and needed, to do. The entire experience was inspiring itself- such a parade of bright, heartfelt people sharing their knowledge, and the volunteering has been rich. I continue to volunteer yearly as a way to give back and meet people in their time of need by giving them as much of myself as I can. I come away from these experiences feeling I’ve gained at least as much from the time spent as the people may have. For the few hours a week I spend at this, the impact is disproportionately fulfilling and purposeful for me.
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To read all reviews, visit our reviews page.
Apply to check if you're eligible!
