Discover the world

INTERNATIONAL "Small actions to change the world"
VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS
INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS

"Small actions to change the world"

More than 22,515 volunteers since 2010

"Small actions to change the world"

What is international volunteering?

Typically, international volunteering programs aim to assist disadvantaged communities. Depending on the type of volunteering, the needs you’ll address during your volunteering experience may vary. These include education, healthcare, construction, sports, or workshops.

Furthermore, international volunteers often engage in activities ranging from teaching, medical assistance, building homes, and community development to sustainable development projects. It’s worth noting that the duration of these global volunteering programs can vary from a few weeks to several months or even years, depending on the project and organization.

Cooperating Volunteers is a social enterprise dedicated to community development through international volunteering experiences. We serve as a bridge for volunteers seeking cultural exchange and cooperation with communities in developing regions. Present in over 40 countries worldwide, we support projects in education, healthcare, childcare, construction, environmental initiatives, animal protection, and women’s professional training.

Cooperating Volunteers is a social enterprise dedicated to community development through international volunteer experiences. We serve as a bridge for volunteers seeking cultural exchange and cooperation with communities in developing regions. Present in over 40 countries worldwide, we support projects in education, healthcare, childcare, construction, environmental initiatives, animal protection, and women’s professional training.

We believe in volunteering as a means to positively impact vulnerable communities with small actions and as a transformative and personally enriching experience for all our volunteers. In September 2023, we launched our own NGO, Cooperating NGO, with the goal of connecting the humanitarian actions by volunteers and meeting the needs of the communities where we operate.

How can Cooperating Volunteers assist you in your international volunteering?

Cooperating Volunteers collaborates through its volunteer programs in educational, childcare, construction, environmental, and marine and terrestrial life protection projects. In each country we operate, we have our own local team to accompany volunteers at every stage of their experience.

TYPES OF INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERING

There are many types of international volunteer programs. Below, we outline the objectives of each of these programs:

Childcare

  • Supervise and take care of children in various settings, including orphanages, daycares, international NGOs, or disadvantaged communities.
  • Engage in recreational, educational, and playful activities to stimulate child development during your volunteering journey.
  • Provide emotional and affective support to children who may have experienced difficult situations.

Teaching

  • Give lessons in local schools, teaching subjects such as mathematics, science, languages, or arts.
  • Develop an academic curriculum, educational activities, and teaching resources in your volunteering program.
  • Collaborate with local teachers to improve your teaching methods in your international volunteering.

English Teaching

  • Teach English as a second language in schools, community centers, or specific groups in international volunteer programs.
  • Develop English programs tailored to different levels of language proficiency.
  • Facilitate language learning through games, conversations, and practical activities.

Medical

  • Provide basic healthcare in clinics, hospitals, or community health campaigns, such as nursing volunteering in Africa.
  • Assist in medication administration, medical check-ups, and education on preventive health.
  • Collaborate with local professionals during your international volunteer experience to enhance available medical services.

Workshops

  • Organize and lead workshops on specific skills such as sewing, crafts, computer literacy, or agriculture in your international volunteer experience.
  • Facilitate hands-on learning through interactive and creative activities.
  • Empower communities by teaching skills that can generate additional income.

Sports

  • Teach and organize sports activities for children, teenagers, or local communities.
  • Promote the importance of exercise, teamwork, and sport-associated values
  • Develop sports programs that encourage inclusion and community participation.

CHOOSE YOUR DESTINATION

MISSION

Cooperating Volunteers aims to foster solidarity and cooperation as driving forces for sustainable development in communities and individuals through volunteer work in various areas.

VISION

  • To develop and share meaningful volunteer experiences.
  • To provide assistance and resources to vulnerable communities.
  • To foster interaction and connection among cultures and individuals, to promote meaningful learning, deep understanding, and respect among all those involved in the projects.
  • To generate a positive and transformative impact on all project participants.

VALUES

  • COOPERATION: We foster cultural exchanges that enrich and connect people from different backgrounds, creating lasting bonds of cooperation and mutual understanding.
  • INCLUSION: We seek to improve infrastructure to ensure a healthy and safe environment for everyone, promoting inclusion by ensuring that all members of the community have access to decent and adequate living conditions, regardless of their circumstances.
  • EDUCATION: We recognize the importance of inclusive education in the training of our employees, participants and collaborators; and we advocate for understanding and respect for diverse cultures through it.
  • EMPATHY: We support psycho-emotional health and personal development, respecting and appreciating the diversity of experiences and perspectives.
  • TRANSPARENCY: We act with honesty and responsibility in all our actions and relationships, guided by our principles and values.

Environmental volunteering

Family volunteering

University Internships

Social volunteering

Senior volunteering

Corporate Volunteering

With an international volunteer program, you help others and yourself

Participating in an international volunteer program offers a transformative experience that goes beyond simply helping a community in need. International volunteering not only allows you to contribute to meaningful causes, but also provides a number of unique personal and professional benefits.

First of all, international volunteering broadens your horizons by immersing you in a new culture. A summer volunteer offers you the opportunity to learn first-hand about the traditions, customs and lifestyles of a different community. Therefore, this cultural immersion challenges you to be more tolerant, understanding and respectful, enriching your perspective on the world and fostering a global mindset.

Additionally, international volunteering develops valuable skills. Working in diverse environments and facing unique challenges while volunteering outside Spain forces you to develop problem-solving, effective communication, and teamwork skills. The ability to adapt to constantly changing situations and work with people from diverse cultures becomes an invaluable skill in today’s globalized world.

Another significant benefit of international volunteer programs lies in personal growth. International volunteering challenges your limits, makes you leave your comfort zone and confronts you with different realities. This encourages self-confidence, empathy and gratitude as you appreciate life from a completely new perspective.

Additionally, this type of experience can have a notable professional impact. International volunteering shows your commitment to service, adaptability, and the ability to work in diverse environments, qualities that are often valued by employers in various fields. Additionally, volunteer trips can open doors to international job opportunities or global networks.

Ultimately, international volunteering goes beyond simply contributing to a cause, but rather offers a personal journey of growth, learning, and skill development that has a lasting impact on your life and the lives of those you help.

WHAT IS THE COOPERATING SEAL?

The Cooperating Seal is an evaluation implemented at each of our destinations to ensure the highest quality standards in all services provided. It is a distinctive mark that highlights the dedication and passion with which we, at Cooperating Volunteers, work at each of our destinations.

The Cooperating Seal consists of 7 variables that determine the quality of both the service offered at the destination and the positive impact generated there. These variables include the quality of accommodation and food, coordination management and staff, program quality and project development, safety, problem-solving, and extracurricular activities.

Collaborators

FAQs

WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERING?

Volunteering in other countries, whether in Europe or any other continent worldwide, allows individuals from different countries to voluntarily offer their time and skills in projects around the globe. These experiences can last from a few weeks to several months and focus on areas such as education, health, workshops, or community development. Volunteering abroad for young people involves activities ranging from teaching to construction, providing assistance to disadvantaged communities while learning from new cultures and gaining enriching experiences.

International volunteer programs, also known as volunteering abroad for young people, are opportunities for individuals from different countries to offer their time and skills voluntarily in projects and organizations in various parts of the world. These international volunteering opportunities, usually organized by international NGOs or volunteering agencies, aim to assist disadvantaged communities. Finally, volunteers around the world can participate in activities such as teaching, healthcare, environmental conservation, and housing construction.

Another common question when considering international volunteering, is how to navigate the process. Here are some steps taken in European volunteering for adults, volunteering for teenagers, or any other international volunteering:

  • Program Selection: Research and choose a volunteering program that aligns with your interests, skills, and time availability.
  • Registration: Complete the online application process by providing personal information, motivations, skills, education, volunteer experience, etc.
  • Contact: After registration, we get in touch with you to provide all the information about the program you have joined and address any questions you may have.
  • Preparation: Receive orientations about the destination, project and local culture, as well as handling visas, insurance, and medical requirements if necessary.
  • Travel: Organize the trip to the destination country, ensuring a smooth arrival and reception at the place where you will be volunteering abroad.
  • Participation: Get involved in assigned activities according to the chosen program, which can range from education to healthcare or construction.
  • Integration: Adapt to the local community, learning about its customs, language, and ways of life.
  • Impact and Contribution: Complete assigned tasks in international volunteering to help the community or specific project, providing support and resources.
  • Evaluation and Reflection: Personally analyze the experience, lessons learned, and the impact generated both personally and within the community.
  • Return: Bid farewell to the local community and the organization, return home with a renewed perspective, and possibly share the experience and apply what you have learned in your daily life.

Now that you know how to volunteer, you may also wonder if you need specific qualities for volunteering outside of your home country. Here are some essential qualities you should have:

  • Interest and Motivation: Have a genuine interest in helping communities in need and be motivated to participate in international volunteering.
  • Research: Conduct thorough research on volunteering programs that align with your interests, skills, and time availability.
  • Skills and Experience: Identify the skills and experiences you can contribute to volunteering, whether in education, health, construction, or other areas.
  • Commitment and Flexibility: Be willing to commit to international volunteering and be flexible to adapt to new cultures and environments.
  • Financial Resources: Have the necessary financial resources to cover travel, accommodation, food, and a program participation fee. At
  • Cooperating Volunteers, you can find numerous affordable volunteer opportunities.
  • Documentation and Preparation: Ensure you have a valid passport, obtain required visas if necessary, and complete preparation requirements such as vaccinations or travel insurance.

Although you will likely need more elements for volunteering for two or more weeks, here are some things you need to volunteer abroad:

  • Documentation and Preparation: Ensure you have a valid passport and obtain any required visa for the destination country. It’s also essential to get the necessary vaccinations and have travel insurance.
  • Flexibility and Adaptability: Be open to new cultures, environments, and challenges. The ability to adapt to diverse situations is crucial if you want to volunteer in Europe over the summer or any other continent and time of the year.
  • Respect and Empathy: Show respect for the local culture, its traditions, and empathy toward the people you will be working with.
  • Teamwork Skills: The willingness to collaborate with other volunteers and community members in your volunteer travels is essential to achieving program goals.
  • Commitment and Responsibility: Commit to the assigned tasks and be responsible in fulfilling volunteer duties.
  • Open-mindedness and Learning: Be willing to learn from the experience, be open to new ideas and perspectives.

ENVIRONMENT

Protecting the environment is essential to preserve biodiversity and ensure a sustainable future.

The importance of caring for our planet lies in the awareness of each one of us. Protecting the environment is essential to preserve biodiversity and ensure a sustainable future.

Reducing pollution, conserving natural resources, and promoting eco-friendly practices are crucial steps to maintain environmental balance and address the challenges of climate change.

And while our individual efforts are significant, collective work is the solution.

The sum of all these actions is the result of change.

Our volunteer programs focused on the environment contribute directly to the conservation and sustainability of the environment.

These projects play a crucial role in preserving our planet.

Through initiatives such as beach and natural area cleanups, wildlife and marine monitoring, bioconstruction, turtle programs, etc., volunteers contribute their bit to building a more enduring world.

And our environment-focused programs encompass all of these activities.

We propose some ideal destinations for volunteering directly related to the environment.

  • Mexico
  • Costa Rica
  • Panama
  • Colombia
  • Zanzibar
  • Kenya
  • Cape Verde

Our projects are constantly evolving to achieve a more sustainable, fair, and humane world. And our goal is to reach all those corners of the world where our contribution is part of this change.

Choose the project that resonates most with you and be part of the revolution.

FAMILY VOLUNTEERING

Quality time spent with family strengthens emotional bonds, promotes communication, and contributes to the emotional well-being of its members. 

Spending quality time with family and being able to disconnect from our hectic routines is not only enriching but also necessary.

Sometimes we forget to communicate, connect, and dedicate time to each other. Each one of us lives focused on our jobs, schools… And it’s necessary to find the opportunity to pause and take care of ourselves.

Quality time spent with family strengthens emotional bonds, promotes communication, and contributes to the emotional well-being of its members. And of course, it creates lifelong positive memories.

At Cooperating Volunteers, we suggest moving away from those ‘more superficial’ trips (which can also be fantastic), but we invite you to live this experience to bring out our most empathetic and humanitarian side.

Family volunteering gives us the opportunity to be part of a positive impact, promoting values of solidarity and social responsibility.

There are many families who choose to experience these trips focused on cooperation and direct involvement with different communities around the world, where living conditions are very different and sometimes entirely precarious.

Projects are tailored to different ages, allowing us to work together.

An incredible way to fill our suitcase with memories, learning, and knowledge.

And although stepping out of our comfort zone often feels daunting, we assure you firsthand that it’s worth it.

At Cooperating Volunteers, we accompany you throughout the entire experience, from start to finish, to make it unforgettable.

UNIVERSITY PRACTICES

Our volunteers will be able to validate university credits with the aim of traveling in a more responsible and economical way.

What does volunteering focused on university practices involve?

At Cooperating Volunteers, we make agreements with different universities to validate university credits with the aim of traveling in a more responsible and economical way.

The specialties we work with are extensive: medical volunteering, nursing, education, social work, psychology, physiotherapy, engineering, architecture…

The practices can be carried out in our designated destinations for this purpose, as well as in Spain.

If you choose an international destination, it’s a unique way to live an unforgettable and enriching experience, as you will have the opportunity to continue your education in another country, with a completely different culture.

Stepping out of our comfort zone and being part of the various projects at the destination will allow us to grow both personally and professionally, creating a more extensive curriculum.

And we are fully convinced that this experience will accompany you throughout your life.

You will be able to visit hospitals, schools, centers, orphanages, and participate directly and actively in the daily lives of all those people at the destination, always accompanied by other professionals willing to collaborate hand in hand with you and guide you in daily tasks.

If your university is not part of the agreement with Cooperating Volunteers, you can contact cristina@cooperatingvolunteers.com so that we can get in touch and make this experience a reality. 

SOCIAL VOLUNTEERING

A volunteering initiative with leadership and impact through the educational action program.

When we talk about social volunteering, we refer to all those actions and activities carried out altruistically, selflessly, and with the aim of addressing multiple problems and needs of different communities, always focused on education and self-sufficiency.

Education is essential because it provides the tools and knowledge necessary for personal, social, and economic development.

Our goal is to create self-sufficient communities and provide opportunities for the future personal development of each member. The message is not to ‘give’, but to accompany in the process of training for self-managed provision.

At Cooperating Volunteers, many of our destinations and projects embrace this type of volunteering. Some of our projects include: community programs, education, women’s empowerment…

And although they are completely different from each other, they share a single objective: progress towards a society that can embrace us all in the same way.

If you are someone who is restless, who needs to see a change in the future, volunteering is an experience tailor-made for you.

SENIOR VOLUNTEERING

At Cooperating Volunteers, we believe it’s never too late for anything, especially for volunteering and living a unique and unforgettable experience.

There are many people, increasingly so, who opt for responsible travel that involves social work.

Accustomed to organized and mostly touristic trips, at Cooperating Volunteers, we want to advocate for a more enriching experience, one that transforms us from within and allows us to be part of the change the world needs to see.

We can adapt both the destination and the duration of our projects to fit your needs.

It’s an opportunity full of emotions that allows us to significantly contribute to different communities and their evolution. And you can participate in different areas such as education, social support, or assistance in different centers.

Some of the benefits include:

  • Sense of purpose: Provides a sense of purpose by contributing your skills and experiences to meaningful causes.
  • Emotional well-being: Reduces feelings of isolation and establishes social connections.
  • Personal development: It’s continuous learning, skill development, and discovering new activities while keeping the mind-body active.
  • Physical health: Keeping active.
  • Stress reduction: The act of helping others reduces stress and contributes to mental health.

Living this experience will undoubtedly be a before and after. 

CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING

Corporate volunteering consists of tailored programs for your company, designed to develop teamwork skills.

It is proven that teamwork directly impacts productivity. 

Collective effort surpasses individual capabilities, promotes diversity of skills, stimulates creativity, and facilitates problem-solving in the face of various challenges.

Therefore, it not only maximizes efficiency but also enriches the work environment.

We conduct corporate volunteering programs that consist of customized programs for your company, designed to develop teamwork skills, improve performance, and foster unity among employees.

We tailor projects to the corporate identity and size of the company, and we can adjust them to any destination and time of the year.

The advantages of corporate volunteering include:

  • Improving communication.
  • Group unity.
  • Cultural integration in different situations.
  • Employee training.
  • Increased Corporate Social Responsibility.

The future is aligned with a more responsible society, and participating in social projects positions our company among the list of revolutionary businesses that want to be part of the change.

If you resonate with this message, corporate volunteering is a unique experience both individually and collectively, and at Cooperating Volunteers, we accompany you throughout the process to make it a unique journey.

Contact

Leave us your information and we will contact you within the next 24 hours