Most Affordable Volunteer & Gap Year Programs in Italy with IVHQ

How did it all begin…
“I’m so busy… should I sign up for another project… without even being paid for it…” – this was going on in my mind when I was deciding to go or not to go… well I decide to go. And it was the BEST EXPERIENCE ever!
July 11, 2022, I arrived in Rome for my two weeks of volunteering in the Creative Technology Program with Impactrip. I was a bit anxious. The last day before my departure I asked myself – Why, please, remind me again? Instead of enjoying your summer vacation (I’m a secondary school teacher and I have two-month summer vacation) you decided to go to a new place, in a hot Italian city, where you don’t know anybody, to do who knows what with who knows who… This is so out of your comfort zone… Why are you doing it? I was anxious about the camping place I’ll be at, the roommate, the job location, even the language.

Arriving…
Arriving at the airport I was greeted by a big smile. This was Mortez - a volunteer himself, who was at the airport specially for me. He walked me to the parking, and there another volunteer – Juliana – drove me to the campsite. It’s like I’m a VIP. ☺ The camp was a luxurious one, with a pool and restaurant. It was clean and spacious with a shower, toilet and AC in each room and only two people per room.
Next day came the orientation. Nice icebreaking games, a lot of new information, lunch and walk around the city. It is a bit hot, but hey – this is Rome in July! I still didn’t know who I’ll be working for and what I’ll be doing.
Third day was the “dive in” one – I met with my “boss” - the “engine” of the organisation Dario Dongo. He is one of the moving forces behind the social movement in Rome and Italy in general for variety of projects with a high social impact and definitely one of the most inspiring people I ever met in my life. From this meeting I learned about the situation of the people with disabilities and specifically of those with motor disabilities in Rome. Over the next few days I’ll be meeting with different people in their homes and making videos about their personal stories. Living with disability – what are the architectural barriers they need to overcome in their daily life. I’ll be also working on another mini documentary for the accessibility of the Rome’s metro…. And so it began…

The result…
The result of my work, as well as the links to some of the videos you can see here: https://www.egalite.org/la-vita-a-roma-con-una-disabilita-motoria-i-nuovi-video-di-egalite/
Here is the mini documentary, that we produced with some of the other volunteers: https://youtu.be/FTiSVgfatwU

Besides making the videos…
I was going to peoples’ homes and I was listening to their stories. Talking to me, they were going back in time and they were reliving their accidents or reflecting on their lives… I got to know people that went through incredible hardship and adversity. Some had the family at their side, some didn’t; some had multiple years-long debilitating diseases, some had one life changing accident. And instead of whining, instead of blaming destiny, instead of being defensive and bitter, they found the strength and the resilience to keep going and to build a new productive life for themselves. They connected with others and stood up for themselves, they work for the common good and keep giving to the society and inspire the people around them.

What does it mean for me…
I felt connected with that network of amazing role models and I felt I can help a bit to have impact on the community they live in. I realized how fortunate I am and it made me grateful for what I have.
I felt appreciated for what I did. My knowledge in video editing and my experience in filmmaking were applied for a society needed project. I felt respected and valued for my volunteer work.
I made new friends among the other volunteers too. We were visiting historic places and tourist attractions, we were attending concerts and singing in karaoke bars. We travelled to Naples, swimming in the pool, and having fun together. The volunteer coordinator - Paule Yao was one of the most fun loving and supporting people. She is a perpetual mobile communicator – interconnecting business with volunteers, helping on each site, accompanying young lost souls, boosting the energy when the heat melts volunteer motivation, transmitting of ideas, joining people and ideas, and leading and inspiring all of us – the visitors of the old city. She was texting/informing/calling/meeting until midnight and from 6 a.m. I’ve know what does it mean to be busy, with three jobs, two kids and volunteer work, but Paule raises the bar for sure ☺. In brief – I’m looking forward having more fulfilling activities and adventures with all those amazing, like-minded people that I met during these two week.

In conclusion…
We, as human beings are all hard wired to be connected to each other and being helpful, being appreciated, delivered to me immense pleasure. I was happy to have this experience. I feel grateful for all that have and blessed to live the live. ☺

P.P. If you want to see more of my stay in Italy – visit my blog:
https://valexy.blogspot.com/

The program gave me an opportunity to become more independent. I was able to gain confidence and I made a lot of new friends. The volunteer opportunity to work with young children was fulfilling beyond my expectation. It also helped me learn patience. I was able to play music for the children and they absolutely loved it. The big thing I would say before going is do lots of research about the program and make sure it’s something you really want to do. I enjoy performing music and hanging out with children so it was an unforgettable experience. Doing research on the destination is also essential because you want to find a destination that you feel comfortable going to. As a young female traveler, I felt so safe going to Italy. However, anything can happen anywhere so always go with an open mind and research all about the program you plan on doing. I would highly recommend the youth support program in Italy.

This program was beyond amazing! I had the time of my life working with cats at the animal shelter in Rome. I really felt like I was making a difference in there lives. Not too mention being able to see a lot of Romes attractions along with other cities in Italy. This experience also taught me how to be more responsible and how to work with other people well. It is definitely an experience that without a doubt I will remember for the rest of my life and I would recommend this project to anyone who is interested in working with animals.

My time in Naples, Italy with IVHQ was wonderful. I met friends from all over the world and getting to work with the children was really special. The project wasn't exactly as I imagined, but still very meaningful. The kids were so loving and excited that we came there to work with them. Overall, the program was very safe and the staff were nice. It is located in the most ideal area as well! I went to Rome and the Amalfi Coast on my weekends, and Pompeii, Procida, and around Naples during the week after my program. It was so beautiful and relatively cheap to get there as well. I came alone, so they were really fun places to visit with my new friends. I would definitely recommend this program to solo travelers, as most people I was there with came solo as well. The accommodation is also walking distance from anything you could need and the many famous Italian food places.

I had such a magical time in naples Italy with IVHQ. The volunteer coordinator were very communicative and always willing to help. Once I got there the people at my placement were always there to answer all my questions from where the best places to eat certain foods were, how to get to work using public transportation and so much more. I felt extremely safe and would love to volunteer with them again. Anytime I felt uncomfortable they would ease my stress. They walked me to work and back the first day to make sure I was comfortable with my surroundings and everything that went into traveling alone to my volunteer placement. My placement itself was awesome, the people were so welcoming, by the end they felt like family and we still keep in touch!

I volunteered with Arcigay Napoli for a month in Naples, Italy. Arcigay Napoli is a gay rights organization. It was very interesting to learn about the people who were traveling to Italy from other countries to seek refuge from the dangers they faced because of their sexuality. The program was only a few hours a day for four days a week - this provided me with plenty of time to explore the area, scope out some great places to eat, and learn more about the country that my grandmother grew up in. At fist I was a bit nervous about the idea of sharing a room with a bunch of people I had never met but everything worked out fine and my roommates were great. Having lunch catered was nice and they even had options for my roommates that were vegetarian. Ever since I left Naples I've been dying to go back since I am familiar with the area now and know where everything is.

I volunteered in Rome from April - June and I can't express enough how amazing this experience was. Meika from IVHQ helped me with any queries during the registration process, she was fast to reply to emails and always very friendly.
The local team in Rome, Sara, was the most helpful and friendly person during my stay in Rome, again she was always on hand to help out wherever I needed it and checked in with me to make sure I was okay.
Rome is such an amazing city to explore and having your afternoons and weekends gives you the perfect opportunity.
I worked on the Special needs program and honestly met the most amazing people there. I've made so many good friends by doing this program, I would 100% recommend anyone to consider volunteering abroad with IVHQ.

My experience with IVHQ was truly unforgettable. I got to spend 5 weeks in Naples, Italy volunteering with World Wildlife Fund. While there, I helped with trail restoration, wildfire prevention, and social media output. Being able to help such wonderful, passionate people who work for such a renowned NGO was truly more than I ever expected, especially for the small amount of money IVHQ charges for such an international experience. One of my biggest fears about this program was its location: Naples, Italy. I have heard many stories about this city, mostly revolving around its dirtiness and danger. However, I had nothing but positive experiences while exploring the amazing place of Napoli. Also, if any problems ever were to arise, I know that the IVHQ staff would be supportive and helpful. Overall, really recommend this program.