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Social Inclusion & Community Volunteering in Valencia
Work alongside Valencia's community organizations supporting older people, those experiencing homelessness and newly arrived migrants — meaningful social-impact volunteering on Spain's Mediterranean coast, from two weeks upwards.
In Valencia, you are placed with a local charity that supports one of three groups: older people living alone, people experiencing homelessness, or newly arrived migrants and refugees. Depending on the placement, you might organize social activities and walks for elderly residents, help run a soup kitchen or sort donated clothing, or act as a Spanish-practice buddy for a refugee family finding their feet in the city. The program suits volunteers aged 18 and over with no previous experience required, including gap-year travelers, students of social work or psychology, and career-breakers.
Placements run for 2–8 weeks, with new starts every week (sundays) (next start 11 Oct 2026). You live with a host family in Valencia, who provide all your meals, or you can request a shared volunteer apartment. Prices start at $2,248 (deposit included), and the $249 is refunded if no placement can be offered. A particular reason to choose Valencia is the option to pair your placement with accredited Spanish lessons at an Instituto Cervantes-recognized school in the city center.
- Personalised placement with an established Valencian charity supporting older people, those experiencing homelessness, or newly arrived migrants and refugees
- Option to pair your volunteering with accredited Spanish lessons at an Instituto Cervantes–recognized school in the center of Valencia
- Hands-on social-work experience gained alongside local professionals — valuable for a CV, university application or a future career in the sector
- Flexible from 2 weeks to 12 months, with new volunteers able to start almost any Monday, year-round
- Live with a hand-picked Spanish host family or in a shared international volunteer apartment, with airport pickup, orientation and 24/7 support from our in-country team
- A superb base to explore — Valencia’s beaches, the City of Arts and Sciences, and weekend escapes to Madrid, Barcelona and Seville
Valencia is one of Spain’s warmest and most liveable cities — but behind the beaches and the buzzing Old Town, local organizations work every day to support the people who need a helping hand. The Social Inclusion & Community program connects international volunteers with these grassroots charities, so you can spend your time abroad making a genuine, human difference.
Working through our trusted local partner in Valencia, you’ll be matched with a non-profit whose work fits your interests and your level of Spanish. Some volunteers spend their days with older people who live alone; others help run a soup kitchen, sort clothing donations, or act as a friendly “buddy” to a refugee family finding their feet in a new country. Whatever the placement, the goal is the same: to reduce isolation and help vulnerable members of the community feel seen and supported.
This is a program built around flexibility. Placements run from two weeks to a full year, and because the projects are ongoing you can start on almost any Monday of the year. It suits gap-year travelers, students of social work, psychology or sociology, career-breakers, and anyone who wants their trip to Spain to mean more than sightseeing. No previous experience is required — just initiative, cultural sensitivity and a commitment of around 20 hours a week.
Our partner in Valencia is also an Instituto Cervantes–accredited language center, so you can add Spanish classes to your program and pick up the language while you volunteer. Even a few weeks of lessons will transform your day-to-day experience with the people you support.
Your role on this program
- Organize social games and activities for older people, or accompany them on walks and conversation
- Help older residents use phones and tablets to stay connected with family
- Support a soup kitchen or food bank, preparing and distributing meals
- Sort and hand out clothing and other essentials to people experiencing homelessness
- Assist migrants and refugees with day-to-day administrative tasks
- Offer informal buddy support so newcomers can practice Spanish and understand local services
- Support local staff by showing up reliably and respecting the community's customs and privacy
Exact duties vary with the placement's needs, the season and your experience.
Role boundaries
You support the local NGO's own staff and do not act as a qualified social worker, counselor, or medical professional, and you do not make decisions about a resident's or client's care. All activities are organized and supervised by the local coordinator and partner organization staff, and exact tasks may vary with the placement's needs.
A typical day and week
Your role
Your exact tasks depend on the partner organization you’re placed with, but volunteers typically help with:
- Elderly companionship & care — organizing social games and activities, accompanying residents on walks, sharing conversation, or giving basic help with phones and tablets so older people can stay connected to their families.
- Homelessness outreach — supporting a soup kitchen or food bank, preparing and distributing meals, and helping sort and hand out clothing and essentials.
- Migrant & refugee support — assisting with day-to-day administrative tasks and offering “buddy” support that helps newcomers practise Spanish, understand local services and settle into the community.
Across every placement you’re there to support the local staff and the people they serve — showing up reliably, bringing a positive attitude, and respecting the customs and privacy of the community you’re working with.
A typical week
Volunteers commit around 20 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Most social-care and NGO placements run a morning shift (roughly 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.), which follows Valencia’s relaxed Mediterranean rhythm and leaves your afternoons and evenings free. The day usually breaks for lunch — the main meal in Spain — and if you’re taking Spanish classes they can normally be timetabled around your placement.
Timings are the placement's usual pattern; the local team confirms your hours at orientation, and they can change with school terms, clinic rotas, weather and the project's needs.
Who can join and what you need
- Minimum age 18
- No previous experience required, but reliability, initiative, and cultural sensitivity are expected
- Basic Spanish is helpful but not essential; accredited classes are available as an add-on
- A clear criminal background check, issued within 12 months of your start date, is required for placements involving children or vulnerable adults
- Valid passport and completed application or CV
- Travel and medical insurance, either your own policy or one arranged through Volunteering Solutions
- Ability to commit around 20 hours a week to your placement
The placement, its limits and your part in it
Your placement is with an established Valencian charity working with older people, people experiencing homelessness, or migrants and refugees. The organization's own staff decide day-to-day priorities and direct the work; volunteers are matched to a placement based on interests and Spanish level, then join an existing team rather than run activities independently.
Because some placements involve contact with vulnerable adults or children, a criminal background check is required, and volunteers work under the supervision of local staff at all times. Your contribution is extra hands and company for people who might otherwise have less social contact or support that day, not a substitute for professional social work, medical care, or measurable outcomes.
Start dates
Weekly start dates, year-round — pick any week across the next two years.
Program fees by duration
Prices include your $249 booking deposit — which is deducted from your total program fee. Your deposit stays valid for one year, during which you may enroll in multiple programs. A 5% international banking fee applies to credit-card payments in USD or AUD.
| Duration | Total price | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 weeks | $2,248 | |
| 3 weeks | $2,698 | |
| 4 weeks | $3,198 | |
| 5 weeks | $3,698 | |
| 6 weeks | $4,148 | |
| 7 weeks | $4,648 | |
| 8 weeks | $5,148 |
Indicative conversion — your booking is charged in the currency you choose at checkout.
✓ What you're paying for
- Placement with a vetted local partner organization, matched to your interests and Spanish level
- Accommodation for the duration of your program (host family)
- All meals at the host family
- Airport pickup and transfer to your accommodation on arrival
- A city orientation and a full pre-departure information pack
- Walking tour through the center of Valencia
- A dedicated local coordinator and 24/7 in-country support throughout your stay
- A certificate of completion for your CV or studies
Not included
- International flights to and from Valencia
- Travel and medical insurance (mandatory — we can help you arrange it)
- Visa costs, where a visa is required for your nationality
- Spanish language classes (available as an optional add-on)
- Local transport, personal spending and weekend travel
Accommodation & meals
Airport Pickup
Pick up and transfer service (airport, train station or bus station of Valencia) is provided to the volunteers.
Orientation
The local team will provide a program orientation, followed by a walking tour of Valencia’s city center, including the main landmarks and historic squares of the Old Town.
Accommodation
Participants are provided accommodation with a Spanish host family. Our team members in Valencia have have years of experience working with a wide range of host families, all of whom have extensive experience hosting international students. They understand the cultural challenges, language barriers, and other difficulties that international participants may face when living in a new country and culture.
Homestay accommodation may include:
• A single room and shared living room.
• A shared room (*with another participant) and shared common areas.
*You must request this if you are coming with friends on the same or similar dates.
To find the right host family, we ask students to complete a questionnaire before we begin the search. This allows us to answer questions about your diet, family preferences, pets, hobbies, interests, and more. This helps us get to know you, consider your requirements, and place you with a family we believe will provide you with an optimal and
unforgettable Spanish experience!
Families are chosen for their hospitality and their experience of hosting international students, and they’re briefed on your dietary needs and interests before you arrive. Living with a host family means you speak Spanish from morning to night and always have someone local to turn to — the easiest way to settle in and beat any homesickness.
Meals
With a host family you will be provided with all home cooked meals everyday. Food allergies and dietary preferences can be taken into account.
A few local notes: in Spain clothes are usually air-dried rather than tumble-dried, and heating and air conditioning are used sparingly — fans are provided and the Mediterranean breeze does most of the work.
During your Free time
Valencia is compact enough to feel like home within days, yet packed with things to do. Spend your free hours on the beach, in the Turia Gardens, or exploring the tapas bars and markets of the Old Town, and use your weekends to discover the rest of Spain by high-speed train. Our local team also organises optional get-togethers so you can make friends with other international volunteers.
Life on the program
Getting there and who looks after you in Spain
Airport, train, or bus station pickup
You are met at Valencia Airport, the train station, or the bus station and transferred directly to your host family.
First night with your host family
You settle in with your Spanish host family, who provide all your meals for the length of your stay.
Orientation and Old Town walking tour
Your dedicated local coordinator runs a program orientation, followed by a walking tour of Valencia's Old Town landmarks and squares.
First day at your placement
You are introduced to the local NGO staff and begin your assigned tasks, with your coordinator and a 24-hour emergency contact available throughout your stay.
From volunteers in Spain
Frequently asked questions
What will I actually be doing day to day?
Your tasks depend on the partner you are matched with: they might include companionship and activities for older people, food and clothing distribution for a homelessness project, or administrative and buddy support for migrants and refugees, and duties may vary with the placement's needs.
Who is this program suited for?
It suits volunteers aged 18 and over, including gap-year travelers, students of social work, psychology, or sociology, and career-breakers, and no previous experience is required.
Do I need to speak Spanish?
No, many placements are possible with little or no Spanish, and you are matched accordingly, though basic Spanish helps with the people you support and accredited lessons are available as an add-on.
What are the hours like?
Most placements run Monday to Friday, approximately 10am to 2pm, for around 20 hours a week, leaving afternoons, evenings, and weekends free.
How long can I stay, and when can I start?
Placements run for 2–8 weeks, with new starts every week (sundays); the next available start is 11 Oct 2026.
What does the price include?
The program starts at $2,248 (deposit included) and covers your placement, host family accommodation and meals, airport or station pickup, orientation and walking tour, a local coordinator, 24-hour in-country support, and a certificate of completion; flights, insurance, visas, and Spanish classes are not included.
What happens to my deposit?
The $249 counts toward your total cost, is valid for a year, and is refunded if no placement can be offered.
Where will I live and eat?
You stay with a Spanish host family, who provide all your meals; a shared volunteer apartment may also be available depending on the program.
Will someone meet me on arrival?
Yes, you are picked up at Valencia Airport, the train station, or the bus station and taken directly to your host family.
Is a background check required?
Yes, a clear criminal background check issued within 12 months of your start date is required, since placements may involve contact with children or vulnerable adults.
What about insurance and visas?
Travel and medical insurance is compulsory, either your own policy or one arranged through Volunteering Solutions; visa requirements depend on your nationality and any specific guidance is sent before departure.
What kind of support do I get once I'm there?
A dedicated local coordinator provides your orientation and walking tour, and the local team offers 24-hour emergency contact throughout your stay.
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