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Experience Spanish culture first-hand by volunteering in Valencia at local community centers for various causes!

Program Highlights: 
  • Work with underprivileged children and communities each day
  • Offer children better opportunities in life by giving them support
  • Enjoy Valencia’s historic sights as well as rich nightlife
  • Stay with a local host family for a culturally immersive experience
  • Explore the surrounding area on your weekends 

Your Schedule at a Glance (Minimum three-week commitment):

Arrival Day, Sunday: Arrive at Valencia Airport (VLC). You will be picked up at the airport and taken to your new home in Valencia. Take the time to settle in and get to know your fellow volunteers or your host family if you have chosen to upgrade.

Day 1, Monday: Your first day will begin with an orientation of the project, where you will meet your placement coordinators as well as learn more about the tasks that you will be doing during your stay. In the afternoon you will get a tour of Valencia where you will see its famous landmarks as well as learn more about living in Spain.

Days 2-5, Tuesday-Friday: You will volunteer 4-5 hours in the morning or afternoon and can spend your free time enjoying Valencia, it’s beaches or improving your Spanish with some classes (option to add on Spanish lessons is available for an extra fee). Depending on your chosen project, your tasks may include tutoring children, participating in afterschool programs, helping with social activities and volunteering at a soup kitchen. Note that the schools will be closed over summer break so all volunteers joining in the summertime will work in the soup kitchen.

Days 6-7, Saturday-Sunday: The weekend is free for you to rest, sunbathe or explore all that Valencia and Spain have to offer. * Volunteers who choose to work in the soup kitchen Monday-Saturday, however, have shorter working hours.

Remaining Weeks: The remaining weeks will follow a similar schedule of volunteering Monday-Friday and having Saturday-Sunday off. Valencia is perfectly located in Spain for you to use the weekend to explore the country. Departures are on a Saturday.


Check out what our past volunteers had to say!
 
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Location of the Project:  Valencia, Spain
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Project length:  Min 3 weeks - Max 12 weeks
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Arrival Airport:  Valencia Airport (VLC)
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Volunteer Work:  Community development work with children and adults
Age:  18-80 (This project may accept volunteers who are 16 years old with a letter of consent from a parent or guardian. They must live with a host family for an additional fee.)
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Number of Volunteers:  Between 6 and 8 international volunteers
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Important Note:  During the month of August the community center is closed. During this time, Community Development volunteers will participate only in the soup kitchen volunteering. Sixteen-year olds must upgrade to the homestay for an additional fee .

What's Included

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Accommodations:  Private room in a shared apartment or homestay
Food:  Dependent on accommodations option
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Airport Transfers:  Airport pick-up is provided on arrival day
Orientation:  Orientation welcome pack and first day introduction tour
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Support:  Comprehensive and professional pre-departure travel guidance, 24/7 GoEco emergency hotline, experienced local field team.

What's not Included

Flights, visas (if required), travel health insurance, meals (half-board available at home-stay upon request), return airport transfer (available on request), public transportation during project (10 - 15 Euros per week), personal expenses
Valencia, located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, is Spain's third largest city behind Madrid and Barcelona. It is a city with deep historic roots and no shortage of sites to see and places to visit. Valencia is known internationally for the Falles (Las Fallas), a local festival held in March, the birthplace of paella, traditional Valencian ceramics, intricate traditional dress and the architecture of the ultra-modern City of Arts and Sciences, designed by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela. Participants on this program will live in an apartment in downtown Valencia and will have plenty of opportunities to explore the city and its beautiful surrounding areas.
There are two social projects that participants may choose to volunteer with in the city of Valencia, Spain. One program is focused on working closely with children while the other is a community development project where volunteers assist with many different activities in a community center. You may select to work at one of the following projects.

Working with children
This social project is designed to assist children from disadvantaged backgrounds by tutoring them and assiting in after-school programs at a community center. These children have many difficulties in school and may not receive as much individual attention as they need from their teachers, parents, or relatives.

Volunteers work 4-5 hours, 5 days per week; after school during the school year and in the mornings during the summer. This project runs from October to July. *This project has a three-week minimum.​

Important: Because the project is held at a school, specific volunteer tasks vary throughout the year based on the school and holiday schedules. During June and July, normal classes will not be in session but volunteers may participate in summer school activities.



On certain public holidays, school will be fully closed. On these short holidays, Working with Children is not available and volunteers who sign up can only participate in the Community Development project.

Community development
Volunteers get involved in a social integration project at a community center in a suburb of Valencia aimed at the promotion of equal opportunities and local development in disadvantaged communities, generating opportunities in social, cultural and employment fields, and encouraging social integration of immigrants and multiculturalism. There is also the opportunity to work at a community soup kitchen, offering food to people who are hungry.

Important: During the month of August the community center is closed. During this time, Community Development volunteers will participate only in the soup kitchen volunteering.

 
Internet
Internet:  Internet is available for use.
Laundry
Laundry:  Volunteers have access to a laundry machine.
Accommodations
Accommodations:  Accommodations for volunteers are in single rooms within a shared apartment. The apartments host between 3 and 6 volunteers at any given time. For an additional fee, there is an option to live with a host-family with half-board (breakfast and dinner). Sixteen-year olds must upgrade to the homestay for an additional fee .
Food:  Not included with the apartment accommodations, but you will have access to a fully equipped kitchen. Volunteers who upgrade to a home-stay (for an additional fee) will receive breakfasts and dinners. Sixteen-year olds must upgrade to the homestay for an additional fee .
Please take note of this project's minimum requirements:
  • Minimum age of 18
  • Police clearance form
  • Good level of English
  • Intermediate to advanced Spanish required
Learning Spanish in Valencia (Not Included):
Participants that don't know Spanish or wish to brush up on their language skills have the opportunity to sign up for a Spanish course, before or after your volunteer project. You also have the option to take private lessons.
Volunteers working in the children's program can join Spanish lessons during their placement (except in July, when volunteer duties are in the morning as well).

It is possible to request these options following registration. Please note there is an additional cost for this.

 
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