Volunteering

Volunteering with ICYE

Our exchange programmes are volunteering experiences within the International Voluntary Services (IVS) movement. Volunteering with ICYE means stepping into a world of learning, connection and impact. It is about transforming ourselves, the societies we live in, and contributing to the preservation of our planet.

As a global federation we are present in four regions: Africa, Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe. We offer long- and short-term volunteering opportunities for young people to live and work alongside others across cultures, growing in confidence, and understanding.

We strongly believe in young people as active global citizens, capable of transforming the direction of our society towards a more peaceful, violence free, and sustainable future, both locally and globally. No prior experience or diplomas are needed; only openness and motivation.

Our programmes are designed for young people who care about making a difference—thoughtfully and respectfully. It’s about exchange, not charity; partnership, not saviourism.

Are you ready to take on new challenges, discover new perspectives, and be part of something bigger?
Explore our volunteer opportunities and contact your local ICYE member to start your journey today!

Ethical & Responsible Volunteering · Ethical & Responsible Volunteering · Ethical & Responsible Volunteering · Ethical & Responsible Volunteering ·

Short-Term (4–16 weeks)

Short-term volunteering to explore cultures, build skills and make a positive change. For anyone aged 18 and above

Short-term programmes

Long-Term (6–12 months)

Long-term volunteering to immerse in a local community. Open to young people aged between 18 to 30.

Long-term programmes

Your experience, our impact

Volunteers share their feedback — on arrival, mid-term, and at the end.

of long-term volunteers were satisfied with support receiving from ICYE.

said their tasks at placements met or exceeded expectations.

felt their learning experience met or exceeded expectations.

rated their overall experience abroad as positive

We host, we send, we act together.

ICYE is built on mutual exchanges. Young people from the Global North and South come together to learn from each other through shared lived experiences. We believe deeply in intercultural learning as a powerful way to understand one another, challenge stereotypes, and ensure that divisions or hatred do not define our societies.

Our pre-departure and on-site trainings cover essential topics like Decolonising Volunteering, anti-racism, child protection, and gender equality.

Global network, local impact.

ICYE is a global Federation of local, non-profit organisations that are rooted in their communities and run by local staff and volunteers. This ensures meaningful project partnerships, strong in-country support, and real opportunities for young people to take on leadership and active roles at a local level.

Learning is at the Heart.

We focus on your personal and professional growth through intercultural learning. You’ll develop skills like empathy, adaptability, and critical thinking—skills that stay with you for life.

We have 75 years of commitment.

The ICYE Federation was founded in 1949 and has been supporting volunteers around the world ever since. The majority of the projects that each ICYE member country works with will host volunteers on a regular basis from one exchange year to the next. This helps provide continuous support for projects and also means that work can be built upon year after year.

Volunteering, humanitarian mission, or voluntourism?

Volunteering is a long-term, community-based commitment rooted in mutual exchange and learning. Volunteers live and work alongside local communities, contributing to existing initiatives while learning from lived realities and different cultural perspectives.

A humanitarian mission usually responds to emergencies or crises and is carried out by trained professionals with specific technical expertise. These missions focus on urgent relief rather than intercultural exchange or personal learning.
Voluntourism often combines short trips with “volunteering” activities designed primarily around the customer/volunteer’s experience. It has become a profit-driven industry for the privileged, prioritising feel-good experiences over the real needs of communities.

At ICYE, we offer volunteering, because we believe meaningful change comes from solidarity, responsibility, and long-term engagement for social and climate justice, not from quick fixes or profit approach.

How can I apply?

You need to contact the ICYE member organisation in the country where you live, as applications, fees and processes are managed locally by each ICYE Member Organisation.

For information on available projects, fees, timelines, and participation conditions.Contact the ICYE Member Organisation in your country of residence or nationality.

Long-term volunteering is open to young people aged 18 to 30 years and typically lasts six months to one year.

If your country of origin is not listed, it means there is currently no ICYE National Committee there, and unfortunately it is not possible to participate in the ICYE programme at this time.

Where can I volunteer?

ICYE volunteering is open to young people from countries where there is an ICYE Member.

Projects are hosted by local community organisations and reflect local needs. To explore available projects and destinations, please consult the list of ICYE Member Organisation.

Volunteering is open to all backgrounds. Opportunities depend on local contexts, priorities, and project availability.

What kind of projects can I join?

ICYE volunteering is designed around the needs of local communities, not pre-packaged experiences. Projects are long-term, community-rooted, and cover a wide range of themes.

Examples include Education such as kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, and language teaching; Environmental and Green Projects like urban gardening and sustainable agriculture; Health and Care including support for people with disabilities or elderly care; Human Rights work on children’s rights, gender equality, and advocacy; Social Inclusion initiatives supporting socially excluded groups and street-connected children; and Sport and Culture projects in art, dance, and music.

Across all projects, volunteers work with communities, not for them, learning, contributing, and growing together as part of a global movement for peace, sustainability, and social justice.

Do I have to pay?

First of all, it is important to clarify that you are not paying to volunteer. You are contributing to a reliable preparation, support, and safeguarding system that ensures a meaningful, safe, and responsible volunteering experience, not only for you but for the host community too.

Your participation fee covers core programme activities, including pre-departure preparation and in-country training. Food and accommodation within a local family, health, accident, and third-party liability insurance with 24-hour medical assistance.

It includes introduction to your host family and volunteering project, ongoing support for volunteers and hosts with 24-hour emergency contact, and evaluation of your experience.

Part of your participation fee supports the ongoing development and quality of ICYE’s programmes. Local staff carefully select, assess, and prepare volunteer placements with a strong focus on quality and risk prevention. The fee ensures continuous support systems both in-country and in the sending country, providing emotional, logistical, and emergency assistance to volunteers.

It helps cover administration and staff costs, sustaining our non-profit Federation, including local offices, staff training, and coordination, particularly in the absence of sufficient public or private funding.

The ICYE Federation works to ensure your experience is safe, educational, and beneficial for the local community. Not extractive or harmful.

No volunteering in orphanages. Children are people, not projects.

The volunteerism industry and social media often promote orphanage volunteering as something “good”; despite the serious harm it can cause to children and safeguarding risks for minors. At ICYE, we put children’s rights and wellbeing first by supporting ethical volunteering that strengthens families, education, and communities.

More information

“My work and the whole experience during my exchange year were hard, difficult, funny, satisfactory, but above all it made me grow-up. It was the best experience in my life, I will never forget it.”

Mirko Medrano Bolivia to Norway

“I will be more sensitive towards foreign people in my country, I am more open to them and have a clear idea what and how in justice can be for the people.”

Marie Theres Piller Switzerland to India

Our partners

We work with the support of or in cooperation with: