Location
  • Portugal
    • Lisbon
Length
1 to 12 weeks

Program Details

Language
English
Timeframe
Short Term Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Guesthouse Hostel
Travel Type
Budget Family Older Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price
615
Price Details
Fully hosted experience from only $615 for 1 week - this includes accommodation, meals, airport pick-up, orientation and 24/7 in-country support.
What's Included
Accommodation Some Activities Airport Transfers Meals
What's Not Included
Airfare Travel Insurance Visa
Apr 25, 2023
Jul 21, 2023
81 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Trusted by 125,000+ volunteers, IVHQ offers the world's #1 rated volunteer programs in Portugal and 50+ destinations worldwide.

For the past 5 years, we've won the "Top Volunteer Abroad Provider Award" from GoOverseas, so you can trust that you're in the safest hands with IVHQ in Portugal.

Our affordable projects start from $50/day for your accommodation, meals, airport pick-up, project placement and local support. Projects run year-round, with durations from 1-12 weeks. Choose from 8 life-enriching projects, ranging from Food Rescue in the treasure trove that is the capital city, Lisbon, to Wildlife Conservation in an ecological park in Miranda do Corvo. Plus, you’ll stay with other like-minded, impact-focused travelers from around the world (private room options available).

With IVHQ’s superior pre-departure support services, you’ll gain exclusive access to your own Volunteer Travel Specialist, comprehensive preparation tools and volunteer training before you leave home.

Consider your impact: Volunteering abroad can be a rewarding experience for both volunteers and local communities, and at Go Overseas, we believe all volunteers should have the resources to make informed decisions about the type of volunteer project they want to partake in. However, despite best intentions, some organizations offering placements in orphanages may unknowingly place children in danger. You can read about the potential dangers of orphanage volunteering here. Learn more about how International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ is promoting ethical volunteering.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Cheapest volunteer programs from $50/day for your accommodation, meals, airport pick-up, project placement & local support.
  • Volunteer for 1-12 weeks, year round start dates most Mondays
  • 15+ years experience & only B Corp certified volunteer travel organization
  • Get free changes up to 14 days before you start with our flexible booking policy
  • Affordable way to earn college credit - gain 5 credits for only US$500!

Popular Programs

Wolf conservation in Portugal with IVHQ

As a Wolf Conservation Volunteer with IVHQ, you'll assist at centers that house wolves rescued from zoos, illegal trapping or human captivity. In a forested valley in Mafra, wolves live outdoors in large enclosures with the aim of providing them a life as similar as possible to what they would experience in their natural habitat.

divers in wetsuits standing on a dinghy

Reducing marine pollution and conserving marine life is an overlooked issue in Portugal. Volunteers on this project have the opportunity to help with underwater clean-up efforts focused on the protection of the marine ecosystem in Cascais. Tasks include cleaning rubbish on the sea floor, learning more about the marine ecosystem and how to protect it, observing and identifying fish, collecting data on fish numbers and more.

volunteers working in a kitchen

Homeless people in Portugal face inequality and poverty every day. This project aims to reduce these inequalities and support people to a place where they are proud of their situation and their place in society. Volunteers work in a homeless center with people from different backgrounds, though there is a specific focus on those with addictions who don’t have any social or family support.

student and teacher at chalkboard

There are many underfunded organizations within Lisbon that aim to provide youth with a safe place to go after school, where they can come together, interact and take part in various activities. Many of the youth in this project come from underprivileged backgrounds and a key role for volunteers is to simply spend time with them, being a positive role model and having an interest in them and their future as this is something that many of them have never experienced before.

Wildlife Conservation Volunteer Project in Portugal - Miranda do Corvo

Want to help protect a variety of endangered wildlife - from lynx, eagles, wolves, brown bears and other animals? IVHQ’s Wildlife Conservation project is a unique and exciting opportunity for volunteers to directly contribute to wild animal conservation in the countryside of Portugal. You’ll also be supporting a park that has a positive environmental impact and strong social inclusion mission.

Program Reviews

4.96 Rating
based on 45 reviews
  • 5 rating 95.56%
  • 4 rating 4.44%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.8
  • Support 4.9
  • Fun 4.95
  • Value 4.85
  • Safety 4.95
Showing 1 - 8 of 45 reviews
Default avatar
Sadhbh
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Animal care in Portugal

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.

Pros
  • Great to travel alone and make friends
  • Lots to do (activities)
  • Volunteering is fun and rewarding
14 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Michelle
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Food rescue

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.

Pros
  • the people
Cons
  • confusing schedules
24 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Valentina
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

IVHQ Lisbon Marine Conservation Volunteer Project Review

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.

Pros
  • New Experiences
  • Friendly People
  • Increased knowledge on various things
Cons
  • Rough sea conditions sometimes deterred our trash pickup while doing marine conservation project
29 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Mila
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Awesome Youth Support in Lisbon!

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.

Pros
  • Makes a meaningful impact
  • Lots of structure / schedule flexibility
  • Great free meals!
Cons
  • An extremely large amount of free time
  • Lots of commuting time
  • Exposure to unsafe areas without warning
41 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Jan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Wolf conservation in Mafra, Portugal

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.

Pros
  • Observing the beautiful creatures that are the Iberian wolves
  • Meeting amazing new people
  • Living out in the middle of the wilderness away from the hustle and bustle of the city
Cons
  • Working during the day in the hot sun
  • Asiatic hornets in the area being attracted by the meat for the wolves
47 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Gerda
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Youth Support program in Portugal

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!

Pros
  • Make friends from all over the world
  • Explore Lisbon and other places in Portugal
  • Grow as a person
46 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Izzy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

like a dream

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 !!

Pros
  • Making amazing friends
  • learning about portuguese culture
  • Doing something new everyday
Cons
  • don’t have any !
  • none
  • nope!
50 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
havva
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great program amazing people !

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.

64 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers