Most Affordable & Trusted Volunteer Programs in Belgium from $645

I had an amazing time volunteering with IVHQ Belgium and Serve the City Brussels. My overall experience on this international volunteer program was 100% worth it. I have never been outside of the United States and it was my first ever experience in another country unlike my own. I learned to adapt in Brussels very quickly and learned to just go with the “Brussels Freestyle” as my project coordinator Annelise described the city. Staying in Brussels for six weeks, I never felt lost. I felt right at home, especially while working on the projects and connecting with the refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants I had met during my time on these projects. It never was difficult for me to understand the cultural as well as the languages (French and Dutch). I was able to grasp it and adjust to it. It has also helped with learning French more too. Just volunteering with STC and then participating at the Council of Europe conference gave me a better understanding of the refugee crisis in Europe.

It is truly rewarding when you can actually get to see, help, and communicate with refugees is Brussels. Talking with them and knowing their stories are really eye-opening.

When we finished serving coffee and tea for refugees on the first day, the local team leader using his body language and speaking some simple English words to ask us if we paid money to help them, and we nodded. He said that we are all angles. I literally cried a little bit at that time. Also, I remember help the clothes distribution program in local NGO, that is the most meaningful thing I’ve ever done.

Besides, we can also explore the city when we were done the volunteer work. Most importantly, I knew some cool volunteers all over the world and we talked about our stories and did a lot of fun things. This is the experience that I could never had without doing volunteer work. They are the treasure of my life.

I love this program and every single one I knew during this journey.

I left a piece of my heart in Brussels.

IVHQ and Serve the city in Brussel are like a big family helping people who need help. As a one-week volunteer, I just thought I could only do some basic work for them, but to my surprise, Aneles was such a good leader not only explain the whole organization to us in detail but also introduce us some history about people we help with. Also, there were some other nice people there to help us answering our questions and guided us to places we did our volunteer work. I like the whole project a lot and it taught me a lot of meaningful things I have never known before when I was in China.
Actually, we don't have refugees or people without paperworks much as in Belgium, so I basically know nothing about this area, but after the whole week, I had so many feelings about this. Especially after the day we helped with making breakfast and serving them, there was a man from Syria we had a little chat when I was working, and after I finished my work I met him on the tram. I asked him some questions about why coming to this country and his plan about future. This was my first time to talk to people like him face to face. He was just like everyone else, no different, but he had to leave his country because of the unsafe circumstances in his country and find a place to stay. He also showed me his son's picture on his phone. I could see how much he loves and misses his son, but he couldn't go back. After talking with him, I felt so upset and even cried on the tram, I felt it was so hard for me to imagine people's lives under such circumstances. More I thought, more upset I got. But at the same time, it made me so powerful to continue me volunteer work there, because that was the only something I can do for those people.
So, the volunteer program is wonderful and meaningful, the friends I knew from this program are nice and friendly. I really want to recommend this to all my friends!

I cannot say enough positive things about my experience volunteering with IVHQ! This is such an excellent way to travel the world, do a little good, and meet other amazing humans! The support I received both before and during my trip was exceptional. IVHQ guided me step by step to get ready for the trip. They made it so easy!

The program in Brussels was incredibly fulfilling and really left a mark on my heart. I was able to participate in projects to help feed migrants, refugees, and homeless throughout the city of Brussels. The best part was actually being able to interact with these lovely humans because they were so grateful. It was incredibly grounding. It was such an interesting way to get to know Brussels and really opened my eyes to the issues surrounding the migrant population in Europe.

I will absolutely volunteer with IVHQ again and again!

My trip to Brussels was better than I could've ever hoped for. I worked with amazing people (a few who I still keep in touch with), and heard some inspiring stories. On average, we worked for about half the day and had the other half to ourselves to explore Brussels which was exactly what we wanted. The hostile I stayed at was generally pleasant apart from the breakfasts since there weren't too many options (which honestly didn't bother us too much since we were never so hungry at 6am), but everything was well kept and it was fun to get to know the people with whom I shared our room. I certainly recommend a trip like this through IVHQ if you've got at least a week to go where you please. They organize pretty much everything for you such so it makes getting around very easy.

My experience with IVHQ and Serve the City was great. The support I got from both IVHQ members and the STC team was so great. The preparation for the trip was very helpful and great.
I had been a little skeptical as well as hesitant because I had never traveled on my own before, but a lot of that was taken away the first day I arrived at Brussels. I was met with a team member and he showed me to ropes to traveling around via the metro system there and that was super helpful.
I was able to connect with the other IVHQers I met in Brussels and that made the trip so much better as well. We got to see a lot of the city and I definitely did not think the STC team asked too much of us.

The Food Outreach program I participated in was absolutely amazing! I fell in love with Brussels the first day I was there. There is so much to do and see, and the people are so incredibly friendly! The Serve the City team was so supportive throughout the entirety of my trip, and were extremely realistic of expectations. They flourish based on the idea of “empathy and enjoyment.” They want you to be able to serve the city with empathy, and enjoy yourself while doing it! Not only was Serve the City amazing, but the rest of the IVHQ team that I volunteered with. Although we were very different in many ways, we were also very like-minded. We connected very early on, and spent our free time together exploring the city of Brussels. I would recommend this project over and over again!!

Unexpectedly, the activities are pretty various and interesting, even though volunteers all have their own projects, working team also arrange the timetable according to what we prefer, and everyday we will be led by experienced volunteers.
The accommodation was surpriingly good and tidy.
The language will not be the obstacle, even we cannot speak French, we can also have happy work. Every place we helped is organized and people there are friendly.
The project I chose was Education support, all the kids I met were quite adorable, I really enjoyed lovely time with them.