Portugal Volunteer Programs | Most Affordable & Trusted

I volunteered in Portugal. The hostel I stayed in was amazing! It was so close to the beach and everyone was so friendly. I loved volunteering at the animal shelter. I volunteered with the dogs and got to meet so many great dogs. We helped by walking and feeding the dogs. It was a fun experience and the staff at the shelter were very welcoming. Helping the dogs was important as there is so over 200 dogs in the shelter so the more volunteers the better. I learned a lot volunteering and got to make loads of friends. The food was nice and the facilities in the hostel were very good too. The beds were comfy too. There was always hot water for showers. The hostel even organised a surfing trip which was amazing. I would go with IVHQ again to volunteer and I would recommend them to my friends.

We were only able to volunteer for 3 days as it was easter (which we knew about). But they told us that we wouldn’t be volunteering Friday, so we booked our flight back but then it turned out we did have volunteering that day. And there were also the train strikes (which isn’t on them as they could’ve have known). But besides the confusing schedule the experience was great. We booked a private room and it was very clean and comfortable. The food was good if you like the specific food that they bought.

My experience was unique because I had never gone to another country outside of the US alone to do a volunteer service project. Although I was a bit scared/nervous at first, I was mainly excited to experience new things and have an impact (even a small one) on the environment and Earth we live in. Through this experience I was able to meet new people, receive my Scuba Diving Certification, be immersed into different cultures, try new things, and experience various things I had never before. This experience was truly amazing and it was great to feel safe and supported while on this journey.

I had a genuinely meaningful, fulfilling, and enjoyable time on my first IVHQ trip. The youth support volunteer trip was based in Lisbon, Portugal, and it was my first time being in the country. What a great way to explore a new place! You connect with both fellow international travellers, but the rich local community, too. Likewise, you have the opportunity to stay in safe, private hostels/rooms, while still being central to the action (i.e. town/city centers, transportation, nature, etc). But perhaps the deepest, most profound educational experience is the hands-on volunteering. What better way to connect to a community than to help their most vulnerable demographics? My particular placement worked with young mothers enrolled in school (14yo-24yo) and their infants in need of day-care (1mo-1yo). The placement was ideal for me, as it allowed me to deploy my love for / experience with young children and enabled me to help the promotion of education for young women from disadvantaged communities. Overall, I developed a deep connection with the country and community, while also diversifying my interactions and experiences with a unique, cosmopolitan group of travellers staying in the hostel.

This wolf conservation program was a fantastic experience I would never miss a chance to do again. The accommodation provided was a cosy wooden cabin in the middle of the forest, surrounded by the enclosures of the nine Iberian wolves we were conserving. The staff were incredible, and working with them, and my fellow volunteers was an absolute joy. Meeting amazing people with the same passion for protecting wildlife as I do was such a wonder. Everyone was extremely friendly, and the scenery around us was always breathtaking. We were surrounded by 16 acres of woodland, allowing for lovely hikes in our free time. I feel so lucky to have been able to feed and observe such beautiful creatures and capture such footage in camera traps and on our personal phones. The work experience included a lot of manual labour, such as cutting up the meat for the wolves, clearing up leaves and twigs on the forest floor, removing unwanted weeds, and working with cement to reconstruct the enclosures. It was demanding work, but it was well worth it. The friendships and memories with the wonderful people I met will never leave my side.

I had the most amazing experience volunteering in Portugal! At first it was scary because I didn't know what to expect when I arrive in Portugal, but after finishing my program the only regret that I have is staying there for only a week. I made amazing memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life, and new friends from all over the world. The children at my volunteer placement were the nicest kids ever and even though there was a language barrier, they were understanding that I couldn't speak Portuguese and helped me understand them better. I cannot wait to volunteer with IVHQ again!

I volunteered in Lisbon and it was genuinely the best experience of my life (so far). First of all the team was so unbelievably welcoming and kind and helped me whenever I asked. The volunteering itself was such a amazing experience. I worked with the kids and they get you involved from the beginning. I felt so at home by the end of the 6 weeks.
The one and only downside is that I made friends for life that live all over the world that i miss everyday. It was bittersweet saying goodbye but we’re already planning a reunion next year !!

IVHQ was not only affordable but very straightforward with the program and how they do things. I enjoyed my stay in Portugal and working with kids so much planning to do another program with them. 11/10 the best and most affordable international volunteering program. I had chance to work in the youth support program. I helped in a program where the kids from the local school came after school just to do homework, get tutoring, or just hang out with friends until their parents came from work. It was a very rewarding experience. I built many connections and made some great memories.