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Environment Volunteering in Italy

10 Environment Volunteer Programs in Italy

International Volunteer HQ [IVHQ]

9.55

803

Worlds #1 Volunteer Programs. 40+ Countries from $20/day!

At International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ), we unite people from over 96 countries who want to make a meaningful difference while exploring the world. With 300+ projects in 40+ destinations, IVHQ offers the widest selection of volunteer programs globally from Teaching and Childcare to Wildlife Conservation, Medical Outreach, and Environmental Sustainability. Since 2007, IVHQ has supported over 155,000 volunteers on life-changing journeys. We specialize in fully-hosted volunteer trips that are safe, affordable, and accessible—starting from just $20 per day. Your experience includes airport pick-up, accommodation, meals, and round-the-clock support from our local teams. With flexible booking options and no change fees, planning your volunteer adventure has never been easier. Our programs run year-round and are available for 1 to 24 weeks across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific, South and Central America, North America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Volunteering with IVHQ is about more than giving back; it’s about growing, learning, and building genuine global connections.

GoEco - Top Volunteer Organization

9.69

13

Italy - Liveaboard Dolphin Research Expedition

Join this amazing project and work alongside top researchers and an experienced crew as the boat sails through the waters around Naples, Italy. As part of the team, you’ll take turns scanning the waters as you try to find dolphins, whales, and other marine life. You may be asked to monitor the audio equipment, video equipment, or photography equipment both on deck and below deck to see the animals’ behavior underwater. When the encounter is over, volunteers will help enter the data into the computer system. The research done in this project is analyzed to provide crucial data to agencies that protect marine life and evaluate the effects of shipping vessels and fisheries on the marine ecosystem.

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Volunteer World

8.69

16

Volunteer World: Best Volunteer Abroad Programs Worldwide

Looking to apply your talent and expertise to a good cause? Find a program that matches your interests and skills through Volunteer World! We are the largest volunteer abroad comparison platform around the globe, enabling you to seek and compare offers from major travel agencies as well as smaller grassroots NGOs and local specialists in more than 80 countries. All these with just one click! Find projects in wildlife, teaching, community development, and several other areas. Simply choose your desired destination and desired travel date, and our search engine will compare the best volunteer abroad programs on your behalf. Whether you wish to gain experience at a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa or teach English at a monastery in Nepal, we've got you covered. Volunteer World guarantees a quick and easy application. We will guide you through this process, as well as help plan your next meaningful trip. We provide free access to quality-checked projects and flexible options. And if anything goes wrong, we've got your back with our qualified support team and our refund guarantee.

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Rustic Pathways

9.63

8

Italy Adventure and Travel with Rustic Pathways

Uncover the magic of Italy with two unforgettable adventures that showcase the country’s diverse beauty, history, and culture. Northern Italy Adventure - Get a taste of life in Northern Italy while strolling through Milan, Verona, and Venice. Our Northern Italy Adventure program immerses you in the country's architecture, art, and landscapes. Enjoy a gondola ride on a canal and swim in Italy’s largest lake. Dive into service projects centered on environmental conservation and get off the beaten path in this unforgettable adventure. You will savor the food, love the landscapes, and make new friends during this one-of-a-kind travel experience.

Doctors in Italy Fellowship Program

9.6

5

Experience Veterinary Medicine in Italy's Top Rescues

The Doctors in Italy Pre-Vet Fellowship Program is a unique experience to appreciate the breadth of opportunities that a degree in Veterinary Medicine can offer while immersed in Italian culture and stunning natural landscapes. By shadowing veterinary professionals specializing in different disciplines, you will learn about animal welfare and behavior, basic clinical examination skills, animal nutrition, zoonotic diseases, the importance of human-animal interactions, and many other topics. You’ll spend time with cats, dogs, cows, sheep, horses, boars, rabbits, a spunky llama, and several other animals. From daily care and feeding to special needs, hand rearing, and veterinary checks ─ be in the midst of the action. You will assist veterinarians in clinical settings and during fieldwork in animal sanctuaries and wildlife rescue centers. You will be exposed to various species such as equids, large and small ruminants, wild and domestic pigs, rabbits, llamas, wildlife, birds, dogs, cats, and exotic animals—learning how to approach and care for them.

Volunteers For Peace

9.26

35

Affordable Volunteer Projects in Over 70 Countries

Join us for the adventure of a lifetime! Volunteers For Peace (a Vermont-based nonprofit) can place you on a team of international volunteers who contribute to a meaningful community service project designed, planned, and hosted by local partners. We offer the most affordable projects and the best way to meet people from all over the world. Work project types vary by country but may include environmental and wildlife conservation, historic preservation, educational and language learning, archaeology, organic farming, and arts and festivals. We also have social services projects, which could involve working with children, the elderly, or refugees. Projects are designed to combine service with recreational activities and cultural exchange – whether by visiting local beaches, learning local dances, meeting local officials, or volunteering with residents at the place you’re visiting. Each project is unique, but all bring people together for the most meaningful travel experience imaginable. Please note that VFP can only place US Citizens. This is due to our agreements with our international partners.

Project Manaia - Marine Research Expeditions

7

1

Sailing Research Expedition with Project Manaia

Do you want to be part of an international crew aboard and help with data collection underwater? We will teach you the necessary skillset for habitat mapping, species Identification and mapping of their distribution, and spotting Marine Megafauna, such as dolphins, whales, and turtles. As a volunteer aboard, you will be a part of the research team, which means snorkeling, measuring seagrass meadows, looking for species, taking pictures and videos of all the different organisms you see, and learning to identify them! While sailing, you will also be standing watches—spotting whales and dolphins and trying to take the best possible pictures of them for Photo Identification with our partner organizations. You will be living aboard a 21m sailing boat with up to 9 more people, giving everyone enough space to find a quiet corner when needed but also enough social areas to live and work together. During your stay, we generally move every other day for a 4-5 hour sail to the next location, which gives us enough time to map and check the underwater world in each location properly and have a look onshore as well if wanted.

Delfini del Ponente APS

0

0

Cetaceans and Coastal Monitoring in Italy

This program aims to provide volunteers with knowledge on various aspects of cetacean and marine macrofauna research and vital coastal monitoring techniques. It includes a course that presents a strong theoretical component, with different lectures covering diverse topics: biology, anatomy, ecology of the main species of cetaceans and sea turtles present in the Mediterranean and Ligurian Sea, ID techniques to recognize these species, and the various oceanographic and geomorphological aspects of these basins. Furthermore, additional information is given on the main research techniques used in this field of science, as well as during the monitoring of the coastal environment and data collection. Participants take part in various practical activities to improve their familiarity with the monitoring protocols of coastal environments, data collection protocols used in the field by researchers, ID skills, and photo identification. They also conduct land-based surveys when good weather conditions allow and contribute to species monitoring within the study area.

Latest Program Reviews

Life Shifting Experience

February 03, 2026by: Jeanette Martin - Canada

Program: Worlds #1 Volunteer Programs. 40+ Countries from $20/day!

10

Volunteering with International Volunteer HQ alongside the incredible team at my placement in Kenya has been one of the most humbling and grounding experiences of my life. I arrived thinking I was coming to give time, energy, skills, support. What I didn’t expect was how much I would receive in return. Every day here has been a reminder of the power of dignity, resilience, and community. I have witnessed strength that doesn’t shout, hope that doesn’t give up, and kindness that shows up even when resources are limited. The people at the women's education placement lead with heart, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to uplifting others not just for today, but for generations to come. This experience has slowed me down in the best possible way. It has invited me to listen more deeply, to be present, and to remember that real impact starts with human connection. The smiles, the conversations, the shared moments they stay with you. They change you. I am deeply grateful to IVHQ for creating a bridge that allows volunteers like me to step into meaningful, respectful, community-led work. And I am endlessly thankful to my placement in Kenya for welcoming me with open arms and trusting me to be part of their story, even for a short time. This is not a trip I will “return from” unchanged. It is an experience I will carry forward into my work, my relationships, and how I show up in the world. Thank you for reminding me that service is not about saving, it’s about standing beside, learning together, and honoring the shared humanity that connects us all.

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