Volunteer in Spain

Programs start from $962 for one week in Barcelona, deposit included, covering accommodation, food, airport pickup, induction, training and materials, placement and 24-hour support. Valencia programs are priced from two weeks with a host family and all meals. The weekly rate falls the longer you stay and each program page shows the full week-by-week total. Flights, insurance, local transport and personal spending are extra.

EU and Schengen citizens do not. UK, US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passport holders can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, subject to the EU's entry requirements at the time of travel. Other nationalities should check with the nearest Spanish consulate. Passports need six months' validity beyond your return.

Yes — Spain is one of the safest destinations we offer. The main nuisance is pickpocketing, especially in Barcelona's metro, on Las Ramblas and at the beach: carry a zipped bag in front of you and keep phones off cafe tables. You are met at the airport, housed in accommodation run or vetted by the local NGO, and have a coordinator reachable 24 hours a day.

18 on most programs. The Barcelona community program accepts volunteers from 16 with a signed parental consent form, the underwater conservation program from 17, and families with children aged 14 and over are welcome on the underwater program. There is no upper age limit.

Barcelona programs run from one week (community: up to 24 weeks; underwater and disability: up to 8 weeks); Valencia programs run from two to eight weeks on the standard price table, with longer stays available on request. All programs start on Sundays throughout the year; the next available start is 27 Sep 2026.

In Barcelona, in a sustainable hostel or a shared same-gender apartment run by the NGO, with shared kitchens and bathrooms and the option of a private room at extra cost. In Valencia, with a carefully matched Spanish host family (single room, or shared if you travel with a friend), or in a shared international volunteer apartment on request.

Yes. In Barcelona food is provided throughout and volunteers cook together from the supplies given, sharing a communal lunch — it is part of the community-living ethos of the project. In Valencia all your meals are with your host family. Tell us about dietary needs when you apply.

Yes. In Barcelona a representative meets you at El Prat Airport with a name sign between 10am and 6pm on your Sunday arrival date and takes you to your accommodation. In Valencia the team collects you from the airport, the train station or the bus station. Return transfers are not included.

Not for most placements: the Barcelona community and underwater programs work in Spanish or English, and the Valencia team matches you to a role that fits your level. The disability day-hospital program does need basic-to-intermediate Spanish. Spanish classes are included on the Barcelona community and disability programs and available as an accredited add-on in Valencia.

No — only routine vaccinations should be up to date. Spain has excellent healthcare; carry an EHIC/GHIC card if you are eligible and comprehensive travel insurance in all cases, and take the summer heat seriously.

Late spring and early autumn — April to June and September to October — are warm, sunny and less crowded. Summer is hot and Barcelona is very busy; winters are mild and quieter, with festivals such as Las Fallas in Valencia (March). Programs run all year. Note that between late June and early September the Barcelona community program revolves around its summer school for children.

Comfortable clothes for practical work, a swimsuit and reef-safe sunscreen, a refillable bottle (both cities have public fountains), a zipped cross-body bag against pickpockets, a basic first-aid kit and any regular medication (pharmacy prices are higher than at home), and a light jacket for evenings outside summer. Divers with advanced certification should bring their own flashlight for night or deep dives.