Location
  • Spain
    • Barcelona
Length
1 to 12 weeks

Program Details

Age Min.
18
Timeframe
Short Term Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Apartment
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)
Travel Type
Budget Family Older Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price
650
Price Details
Fully hosted experience from only $650 for 1 week - this includes airport pick-up, orientation, accommodation, meals and 24/7 in-country support.
What's Included
Accommodation Some Activities Airport Transfers Meals
What's Not Included
Airfare Travel Insurance Visa
May 01, 2024
Jan 07, 2024
76 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Trusted by 136,000+ volunteers, IVHQ offers the world's #1 rated volunteer programs in Spain and 50+ destinations worldwide.

For the past 6 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 Spain.

Our affordable projects start from $61/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 projects, ranging from Youth Support to Marine Conservation, based in the iconic and captivating beachside city, Barcelona. Plus, you’ll stay in a dormitory-style hostel 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.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Cheapest volunteer programs from $61/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

Animal Care Volunteer in Spain

Help care for cats and improve their lives in overcrowded animal shelters in Barcelona as an Animal Care volunteer! Spend time playing with them, giving them exercise outside their enclosures, feeding them, and raising awareness about animal abandonment. Your goal is to keep the cats active, healthy, and ready to be adopted by local families who visit the shelter.

Marine Conservation Volunteer in Spain

Dive into the deep blue sea and become a Marine Conservation volunteer in Spain! With environmental forecasts painting a bleak picture of ocean pollution, you can help protect marine life and reduce plastic waste. Use your scuba diving skills to collect trash, log information on marine debris, and observe and identify fish and wildlife. No diving certification? No problem! The program offers a minimum 2-week certification course before you can start diving.

Migrant & Refugee Support Volunteer in Spain

Experience a unique cultural immersion while making a difference in the lives of refugees and immigrants in Barcelona. Join a project aimed at integrating newcomers into Catalan society by offering language classes, leisure activities, and socialization opportunities. You'll assist with daily tasks at a local host center, such as cooking, distributing meals, and conversing in Spanish while teaching English language skills. Help empower and support those seeking refuge and a better life.

Youth Support Volunteer in Spain

Barcelona's socioeconomic divide leaves underprivileged youth without access to support services. As a Youth Support volunteer, you can make a difference in their lives. Help create a safe and inclusive after-school environment that fosters personal development and life skills. Assist with homework, arrange activities, teach English, and mentor children. Build meaningful connections and give young people the tools to build a better future for themselves.

Program Reviews

4.90 Rating
based on 21 reviews
  • 5 rating 90.48%
  • 4 rating 9.52%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.85
  • Support 4.95
  • Fun 4.95
  • Value 4.8
  • Safety 5
  • Program Selection 5
  • Pre-departure Help 5
  • In-program Support 5
  • Impact on Student 5
  • Value 5
Showing 9 - 16 of 21 reviews
Default avatar
Xinfan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An Awesome Volunteer Trip in Barcelona, Spain

The whole experience was amazing and unforgettable. Both the program manager and the local team were always helpful, and they were very experienced in dealing with unexpected situations. Other volunteers from around the globe were passionate and dedicated, and they are some of the most incredible people I've ever met. The most rewarding part was the time spent with the disabled whom I worked with. They made me redefine the way I see people with disabilities and break some stereotypes I thought I didn't have. They expanded my way of seeing the world and made my life and sense of existence more meaningful. Besides, I also had a great time exploring the vibrant city of Barcelona. I'll definitely volunteer with IVHQ again, and I would recommend IVHQ to anyone that plans to volunteer abroad. Be open-minded and open-hearted, jump out of your comfort zone and embrace cultural differences, your experience with IVHQ will exceed your wildest expectation!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Be well prepared in advance, be open-minded and open-hearted, jump out of your comfort zone and embrace cultural differences, your experience on this program will be absolutely beyond your imagination!
129 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Thanks for such a lovely review, Xinfan! I'm so glad to hear you had an unforgettable experience on our program in Barcelona and enjoyed meeting all the other volunteers. It's fantastic to see how rewarding you found your Special Needs Support project too. We look forward to have you back on another IVHQ program soon. Jamie - IVHQ Program Manager.

Default avatar
Eunice
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Youth Support Programme

IVHQ and local staffs are very efficient and helpful with the application process. Local staffs are also very welcoming and are available to assist you whenever you need help. Although the project requires some last minute planning of activities for the youths and children, the project was very meaningful and it challenges volunteers on a different level. It's a whole new experience of volunteering where you can take charge of your programmes and expose yourself to the different cultures of the country where you are volunteering in. The youths and children there are also very friendly and open to learning. One week is definitely not enough and I will certainly go for longer trips in the future. Accommodation is also clean and modern, although the location of the accommodation might require some travelling time from town. Overall, the experience was great.

What would you improve about this program?
More information can be given on how we can help the youths before going overseas, so as to prepare ourselves for the activities.
112 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Cheryl
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An Amazing Experience

International Volunteer HQ

I feel fortunate living in Los Angeles, California. Raising my children to be open-minded with an awareness of the world and others are values I hold dearly. IVHQ is an amazing organization that allows me to instill these values.
My values are about having a moral compass and direction. We live in a place where things can be taken for granted. With IVHQ, we found a way to define our family values through good works, and the chance to be around people from different backgrounds. For the past 2 summers my daughter and I have traveled to do community service outside the US—to see and experience the world and what it means in a different way.
Through IVHQ, my daughter (now 14) was able to choose the countries and work that interest her. My daughter, thus far, has chosen Spanish-speaking countries so she could work on her Spanish skills. She chose Ecuador and this past summer Spain. Further, after choosing the countries she wanted to travel to, she was able to choose the volunteer work. She continues to enjoy working with young children.
IVHQ gives us the opportunity to be aware of the world and the needs of others and to be humble in the face of those who don’t have the opportunities that we have.
IVHQ is a remarkable organization. It is safe and well-run. We intend to go every summer.
We highly recommend!

Cheryl and Alexa

What would you improve about this program?
N/a
112 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Hi Cheryl - it was great to have you and your daughter volunteering in Ecuador! We look forward to having you both continue to volunteer with us in the future. Rachel - IVHQ Program Manager.

Erika
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Awesome experience

My IVQH experience really left me with my eyes wide open, my mind more clear and my heart more open. At first I was kind of scared and didn‘t know what to expect, but since the first day that I arrived I had nothing but good experiences. From the accommodation, where I met wonderful people volunteering in all kind of projects and tried new and delicious food, to my volunteer placement where I not only helped and learned a lot of new things, but received so much love and gratitude from the people I was helping that made me want to stay there forever. And not to mention the free time I had after my placement where I got to know a wonderful city and an amazing culture and lived there like a local. It‘s just a wonderful experience it almost felt like a dream that I didn‘t want it to end.
Although I was satisfied and comfortable at all times, the IVHQ team were always there supporting us and available at anytime in case we needed something. I couldn‘t ask for more, IVHQ was really one of the best and most rewarding experiences I had in my life. I would totally recommend it to everyone and I would totally repeat it myself.

What would you improve about this program?
-
111 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Thanks for your review Erika! It's great to hear that your time in Spain had such an impact in so many ways. We sure hope that you come back to volunteer with us again.
Meika - IVHQ Spain Program Manager

Erika
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A unique experience

My IVQH experience really left me with my eyes wide open, my mind more clear and my heart more open. At first I was kind of scared and didn‘t know what to expect, but since the first day that I arrived I had nothing but good experiences. From the accommodation, where I met wonderful people volunteering in all kind of projects and tried new and delicious food, to my volunteer placement where I not only helped and learned a lot of new things, but received so much love and gratitude from the people I was helping that made me want to stay there forever. And not to mention the free time I had after my placement where I got to know a wonderful city and an amazing culture and lived there like a local. It‘s just a wonderful experience it almost felt like a dream that I didn‘t want it to end.
Although I was satisfied and comfortable at all times, the IVHQ team were always there supporting us and available at anytime in case we needed something. I couldn‘t ask for more, IVHQ was really one of the best and most rewarding experiences I had in my life. I would totally recommend it to everyone and I would totally repeat it myself.

What would you improve about this program?
As I said in my review, I couldn‘t ask for more.
102 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Hi Erika, thanks for your wonderful review. It's great to hear just how much you enjoyed your experience in Madrid. I look forward to having you volunteer with IVHQ again in the future. ^Mekia - IVHQ Spain Program Manager

Default avatar
Lena
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Truly one of my Favorite Experiences so Far

I am certain I will never find the right words to describe how precious this experience was, so bear with me, my words will not do it justice. I had always wanted to do something like this and I could not be happier that I finally was actually able to. For starters, the house itself exceeded all my expectations, it couldn't´t have been better. My room was in perfect conditions, clean, roomy, comfortable, etc. the bathroom that was part of it as well. I was beyond impressed that my special dietary need were taken care of so kindly and carefully. There was not a single time when a meal was prepared that I wasn't able to eat (because of my allergies) that there wasn't a special dish made for me, the woman who made this possible always had my health in mind and was incredibly kind to me. Our house master was amazing as well, I felt comfortable with her since we first met, she was ver approachable and had answers for every nervous (and even stupid) question I made, before and during my program. Getting the chance to meet so many wonderful people really was so fulfilling, helping me get more and more perspective as time went by. My program itself was beautiful, I know I already used this word but I don't even know what else to call it. I worked with special needs adults, most of them being at least twice my age, in a day/work center. What I did was mainly serve as a companion to these sweet people, talking to them, listening to music, dancing, doing art projects, gardening, and more. Once I had been there for a couple of weeks, they knew who I was and the way their eyes lit up when I would walk into the room is something I will never forget, it's very powerful to feel like just your presence makes a difference in someone's day. It was so humbling to see that people who face all these obstacles continue to do their best and of course display a love and kindness that I had never seen. With all honesty, I loved every bit of it, it is so well organized, it's a dream.

90 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Hi Lena, thank you for your incredible review. It's amazing to see the wonderful connections you made while in Spain and I'm glad to hear how much you enjoyed your volunteer placement. I hope you will volunteer with us again in the future. ^Meika - IVHQ Italy Program Manager

Default avatar
Lena
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

One of My Favorite Experiences so Far

I am certain I will never find the right words to describe how precious this experience was, so bear with me, my words will not do it justice. I had always wanted to do something like this and I could not be happier that I finally was actually able to. For starters, the house itself exceeded all my expectations, it couldn't´t have been better. My room was in perfect conditions, clean, roomy, comfortable, etc. the bathroom that was part of it as well. I was beyond impressed that my special dietary need were taken care of so kindly and carefully. There was not a single time when a meal was prepared that I wasn't able to eat (because of my allergies) that there wasn't a special dish made for me, the woman who made this possible always had my health in mind and was incredibly kind to me. Our house master was amazing as well, I felt comfortable with her since we first met, she was ver approachable and had answers for every nervous (and even stupid) question I made, before and during my program. Getting the chance to meet so many wonderful people really was so fulfilling, helping me get more and more perspective as time went by. My program itself was beautiful, I know I already used this word but I don't even know what else to call it. I worked with special needs adults, most of them being at least twice my age, in a day/work center. What I did was mainly serve as a companion to these sweet people, talking to them, listening to music, dancing, doing art projects, gardening, and more. Once I had been there for a couple of weeks, they knew who I was and the way their eyes lit up when I would walk into the room is something I will never forget, it's very powerful to feel like just your presence makes a difference in someone's day. It was so humbling to see that people who face all these obstacles continue to do their best and of course display a love and kindness that I had never seen. With all honesty, I loved every bit of it, it is so well organized, it's a dream.

63 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Hi Lena, thank you for your incredible review. It's amazing to see the wonderful connections you made while in Spain and I'm glad to hear how much you enjoyed your volunteer placement. I hope you will volunteer with us again in the future. ^Meika - IVHQ Italy Program Manager

Default avatar
Shu wen
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Be trusted by the kids

When I first arrived the local center where I volunteered for, I was a little bit nervous. Because I can't speak Spanish and I can't communicated well with the kids.
Suddenly, a little boy called me on the high railing. "Please catch me!"
He opened his arms hoping I could catch him, and I did what I should do. I realized that the kids believed that I can keep them in safe. That's a good experience.

66 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Hi Shu - It's great to hear you enjoyed your time in Spain, and I'm certain the children loved having you there. I wish you all the best! ^Kaila - IVHQ Spain Program Manager

Questions & Answers

Hi Gladys, all IVHQ programs are fully-hosted experiences which include airport pick-up, orientation, accommodation, meals and 24/7 in-country support. You can learn more about our affordable program fees here: www.volunteerhq.org/affordable-volunteer-fees/. You can always reach out to our team for guidance in selecting a project that aligns with your budget and interests: www.volunteerhq.org...

Hi Maria, Spanish is not a prerequisite for volunteering on the IVHQ Spain program and our local team who will be supporting you throughout your time in Spain can always assist with translations. You can also take advantage of the highly affordable Spanish lessons offered exclusively to IVHQ volunteers by our local team in Spain - this is super helpful for developing your language skills to...

Hi Grace, IVHQ has volunteer programs for all ages - we have families with school-aged children joining us and many retirees who are seeking meaningful travel opportunities where they can be immersed in a new culture while giving back to their host community. For personalized program recommendations based on your age, you can submit an enquiry here: https://my.volunteerhq.org/enquiries