Where to find volunteering roles in Spain as a newcomer

Terms used

• Cruz Roja — Cruz Roja is the Spanish Red Cross, a large charity that takes volunteers across the country.
• Cáritas — Cáritas is the Catholic charity network that organises volunteering through dioceses and parishes.
• Ayuntamiento — The ayuntamiento is your town or city hall.
• Bancos de alimentos — Bancos de alimentos are food banks that collect and hand out food, with volunteers in each province.

Key rules

• Cost of searching: Searching and contacting organisations is open to foreigners as well as residents.
• Best first stop: Use a searchable national site first, then your city or region's volunteer office.
• Local branches: Big charities run volunteering locally, so apply to your nearest branch, parish or provincial food bank.

Start with a national search site

Hacesfalta.org is the easiest first stop. It lists opportunities from many NGOs. You can filter by place, cause and online or in-person, then sign up and contact the organisation directly.

Two other sites help, but they do not place you in a role:

• The Plataforma del Voluntariado de España is a federation of volunteer groups. It offers information, training and a directory of member organisations.
• Voluntariado.net is an information and resources portal.

If you are young, the Spanish branch of the European Solidarity Corps is also worth a look. All of these are open to foreigners. The Spanish you need depends on the role.

Look for your city or region

Many cities and regions run their own volunteer office or platform. Examples are Voluntariado Madrid, Voluntariat per Barcelona, the Catalan Xarxa de voluntariat, Bolunta in Bizkaia, and regional networks in Andalucía, Valencia, Galicia and Castilla y León.

Use this method for any place:

1. Search "voluntariado" plus your city, then "voluntariado" plus your comunidad autónoma.
2. Check your ayuntamiento's website. Look under Servicios Sociales, Participación Ciudadana or Juventud.
3. Ask at the local Centro de Servicios Sociales or the Casa de la Juventud.
4. Look for your region's Plataforma del Voluntariado or Coordinadora de ONG.

Names vary. In a small town there may only be a council notice or a social services desk.

Apply to the big charities

• Cruz Roja: Use the volunteer section of its website, or go to your local assembly (asamblea local). Expect an interview and an induction course, and sometimes specific training. It has youth sections for younger people.
• Cáritas: Volunteering runs through dioceses and parishes. Contact your local parish Cáritas, or the diocesan Cáritas through its website. Expect an interview and an induction.
• Bancos de alimentos: Each provincial food bank has a volunteer form on its website, or you can phone. Large collection drives such as the Gran Recogida take sign-ups through your local food bank.

Procedures differ by local branch, so follow what your branch tells you.

Try small local groups

Small groups often need help most and ask for the least paperwork. Good places to look:

• Local animal shelters (protectoras). Many post "se buscan voluntarios" or dog-walking schedules online.
• Municipal animal centres (centro de protección animal).
• Your ayuntamiento's directory of associations (guía de asociaciones) and its social services office.
• Noticeboards in libraries and civic centres.
• Local WhatsApp or Telegram groups and expat groups.

Turning up in person and offering regular days often works best. Spanish helps, but dog walking and cleaning need little.

What happens next

The steps, documents and questions to ask before you commit are in the blocks below.

How to sign up with a volunteering organisation, step by step

• Contact the organisation through its website or a volunteer platform: to start

• Fill in the application form: after your first contact

• Attend an interview about your motivation, availability and skills: after the application

• Hand over your documents, including your ID: after the interview

• Sign the written volunteer agreement and the data protection forms: before you start

• Check the insurance: the organisation must cover you for accident, illness and harm to you, and for damage you cause to others: when you sign the agreement

• Attend the induction or training on the organisation, its rules and your role: before your first shift

• Start the role, often with a mentor or a trial period: after the induction

Documents you need

• Negative certificate from the Central Register of Sex Offenders (certificado del Registro Central de Delincuentes Sexuales). Only needed if the role involves work with minors; the Registry issues it.

• Volunteer agreement (acuerdo de incorporación). The organisation gives it to you to sign when you join, and it usually comes with insurance.

• Minimum age of 18 for most roles. Cruz Roja has youth sections for younger volunteers.

Questions to ask a charity before you commit

• Ask whether it is a registered organisation and who your contact person is.

• Ask how many hours a week you would give, on which fixed day, and for how long you must stay. Many roles ask for a few hours a week over several months, while food banks and festivals also take one-off shifts.

• Ask what training and supervision you get before and after you start.

• Ask what insurance applies to your role and what it covers.

• Ask how much Spanish the role needs. Beginner Spanish is enough for conversation clubs, animal shelters and clean-ups, while counselling, helplines and administrative help need fluency.

• Ask which expenses they reimburse, such as transport or meals, and what receipts they need.

• Ask whether the role involves regular contact with minors, and if so which certificate you must show. The rules are set out in the article on volunteering with children or vulnerable people.

• Ask for the written agreement before you commit and check it matches what you were told.

• Ask whether you can leave with notice and get a certificate of the work you did.

• Ask what happens to your personal data.

Frequently asked questions

Does the national platform Plataforma del Voluntariado de España place volunteers?

No, the Plataforma del Voluntariado de España does not place volunteers itself. It is a federation of volunteer organisations that offers information, training and a directory of member groups. To apply for actual roles, use a searchable database such as Hacesfalta, which you can filter by place, cause and online or in-person.

How do I find the volunteering platform for my own town or region?

Search "voluntariado" plus your city, then "voluntariado" plus your comunidad autónoma. Check your ayuntamiento's website, in the social services, citizen participation or youth areas. You can also ask at your local Centro de Servicios Sociales or the Casa de la Juventud, or look for your region's Coordinadora de ONG.

Do I need to speak good Spanish to volunteer at a local animal shelter?

No, you can start at a local animal shelter (protectora) with little Spanish, because dog walking and cleaning need very little. Small groups still value some Spanish.

How do I join a food bank as a volunteer?

Contact your provincial food bank (banco de alimentos) through the volunteer form on its website or by phone.