Greece Volunteer Programs | Most Affordable & Trusted

At first my father was worried about my safety because my parents thought China was the safest country and Greece was not very safe. But this trip changed my parents' minds. Greece is safe (not absolutely, because there is no absolute security in the world), and I am worried that the people I meet are not very friendly. But the friendliness and enthusiasm of the people broke my worries and my nervousness about coming to a new place. Get along with them, I learned a lot of things, other countries' culture, customs.

From the start everything is well managed. I was in touch with the local team before I arrived, and when I did they were on time and professional. The accommodations were comfortable, and all of the information you need to travel from place to place is provided quickly and easily. In no time at all I was living like a local.
This is far better then just touring, as you really experience the local atmosphere and culture by being far from the regular tourist spots. No matter where you work, you will have opportunities to visit places on your own time.

My journey volunteering with Ivhq aboard was most enjoyable incredible experience meeting new people from all over world - is exciting getting know them as also developing friendships - meeting local team the guild as long the way - volunteer job was so fun helping out shelter with animals was fun - cleaning and feeding them was great way connect with people at shelter and touching animals that you don’t often work with is great experience as well - volunteering and traveling is good way to gain independence and getting of your comfort zone . Anyone who wants to should just do it do not over think it !

Before I left for Greece I was super anxious and afraid of the unknown. I was nervous it was going to be a big mistake or not what I expected. 12 weeks later and I can confidently say it was the best experience of my life and I have never been more sad to leave something/somewhere.

The local team was amazing the whole 12 weeks I was there. They were so welcoming and constantly checking in on us, wanting to hear feedback, and making sure we were having a good time. They were always there for any question, comment, concern, or even recommendations of things to do. I even had a unique situation where I unfortunately had to go to the hospital for a week, but the local team was so helpful and there for me every second, bringing me there, bringing me items I needed, and constantly checking in. I’m so thankful to have had them with me during my time in Greece.

Everyone at the dog shelter was also super welcoming and friendly. You can see how much every volunteer loves the dogs and how hard every one of them works to keep them happy, healthy, and well trained. It was so heartwarming to see a dog being adopted, or for one to come in so afraid and then seeing them come out of their shell playing with another dog and being so happy, or even seeing them improve with training or when they wouldn’t react to something they would’ve before. I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to volunteer with this shelter.

The accommodation where the volunteers stay was also very good. You stay in a hostel that’s open to everyone, not just volunteers. It’s a really great way to meet so many people from all over the world. The staff at the hostel are the most incredible staff I’ve ever met anywhere. They are all super friendly, fun to talk to, and there for anything you need. The manager's are also very approachable, friendly, and there for any question or concern you may have. The cleaning people go to your room everyday and if you want/need your sheets changed they will do it for you if you ask them directly or reception.

The location of where you’re staying is also really nice because you’re so close to the metro, and popular places like Monastiraki, Plaka, The Acropolis, etc. You also get free time on your weekends and it’s very easy to travel to other locations or islands if you’d like to!

The meals we’re provided are good and come in good sized portions. The only thing is there’s not a big variety for what you can order, but I was also there for so long so I kept getting the same things. Sometimes the volunteers would eat 2/3 free meals and the last meal we’d treat ourselves and go out for it. I felt it was really nice to have those prepaid meals to rely on though.

All in all, I had the most amazing time. This trip was so rewarding and impactful and if I could go back in time and do it all over again, I 100% would. I am already registered for another trip with IVHQ with a volunteer I met on my trip!

I am so grateful I got to go to Greece and meet the amazing people. I got to do some amazing work that helped the community and in that process I got to work with so many other volunteers. There are some things that could've been better such as the transportation or an easier way to get to our shifts because not all places were completely safe and for a foreigner to be thrown in to that is a little hard but other than that I loved my time at Greece with all the wonderful people that I met along the way.

From turning something off my bucket list into a reality. This program was such a breathtaking experience, from the culture to the people to the set up of the program So happy I found IVHQ to help make my volunteer trip as easy as possible when it came to traveling solo for the first time. Taking pages from my textbooks and putting it right in front of me! My favorite part of the trip was being able to make friends from different parts of the world, walking along the coast of Chios, learning about the culture and helping around the school distract during their summer vacation. Not only did IVHQ allow me to be apart of something meaningful it allowed me to grow as a person and gave me the confidence to continue to travel solo later down the road!

I spent a week doing food outreach on Chios island in Greece through IVHQ. The support from staff provided clear expectations and helpful info. They were available daily if needed. It was great to help out and yet have time to experience the culture of the island. I had a great group of roommates and enjoyed getting to know people from all over the world. The project was rewarding and the staff was very helpful. I enjoyed having the opportunity to help out and learn about their program. I also enjoyed afternoons enjoying this beautiful island. The people that lived in the village where our accommodation was located were friendly and we enjoyed spending time with them as well. Enough free time to travel and explore. I will definitely be signing up for another project!

Being a fifteen-year-old from India, where volunteer travel is sparse, I knew several curious friends and relatives would soon flood me with questions about my trip. I deliberated hard to think of just one word to describe my trip. The word that immediately came to my mind? Surreal. It seemed truly fantastical that I was half-way around the world, with a chicken living under my bed, waking up to rainbows and private beaches next to strangers that I felt like I had known for months.

Naturally just like any other holiday, I had a moment of hesitation before making my decision to go. Would I fit in being the youngest and from a diverse country? Was it safe? Was it worth it? Dear volunteer friends, if there is one thing I hope you would take back from this review, it would be to let nothing hold you back from this other-worldly adventure. 'Madagascar'-the name itself has a magical tinge to it. Not a place that is commonly visited, but take it from me, now that I'm back, a part of me will always belong there. Trust me, I did not feel homesick for a second.
Contributing to the forest conservation program, many exciting activities awaited me.

Working all day at an agro-forest was one of my first tasks there. Hard at work, it was so fulfilling to learn that the work all us volunteers had accomplished in a matter of four hours, the farmer would take around a month to complete by himself. Hiking to the local village everyday and having numerous local children running around me in circles, so full of life, enthusiastically trying to interact and use the english taught to them brought back this child-like joy that I thought the city had robbed me of. Their lives are so basic, but they are so, so happy, and that is one big take away from this program. We also performed transects and quadrats to record the herpetofauna in the Sambirano forests, in addition to lemur behavioral surveys. Without giving away too much, I was actually stunned to see before my own eyes, lemurs becoming more and more domesticated and the consequences on their health. I was also honored to be a part of a new program, encouraging the distribution of bamboo straws to bars in order to reduce plastic straw waste in the oceans.

Also, Malagasy lessons after dinner had us all in fits of laughter, while weekend travel with my newly-found friends was something I find hard to even describe. Nosy Iranja is considered the second most beautiful place in the world. However, when I was there under the sky studded with a million stars in the clear sky, all I could think was that my newly-acquired friends there were the only factors that could make the island any more beautiful.

My favourite memory? It was the last day, and I sat by myself on a rock on the private beach. It was almost sunset, and the clouds in the distance had this divine parting to make way for the sun. The big golden ball of fire lit an entire pathway on the ocean that appeared to come straight to me where I was sitting. And in that moment, the island was mine. The people there were my family, I found friends, I found love, and I had made up my mind as to what made me happy. I now knew what I wanted to do with my life. I had never felt more blessed.
All my life I've been an introvert behind a computer screen. I've had a fondness for conservation ever since I was little, but I never felt like it was a valid interest. At Madagascar, more than the sizzling Instagram beach snaps I got, I learnt to believe in myself all over again. With each volunteer I befriended and each intellectual discussion with the staff about conservation, I learnt to be confident again and believe in my passion because it was significant, even if no one I knew believed it was.

If my application works out, who knows, maybe I'll be the youngest ambassador there's ever been for IVHQ. All I'm saying is Madagascar gave me a new purpose. So so much more than just a volunteer trip, it's allowed me to be a part of something so much bigger, so much better, in our own small way, we made the world a better place. And that, in my opinion, is the epitome of bliss :)