Volunteer Programs in Madrid, Spain

Madrid is a highly developed city and one of the wealthiest in all of Europe. At first glance this may mislead you to believe that the city is not in great need of volunteers – in reality however much of this wealth is highly concentrated and, like in most big cities, there are a large population of marginalized citizens without access to basic services. Volunteering in Madrid is popular in the areas of healthcare, community development, social advocacy, education, and other such areas.

Volunteering in Madrid in the area of childcare is also broadly available. Working at an orphanage, primary school, community center, or au pairing for a local family are all fun ways to live abroad and experience life in the city while making a positive impact on local children by giving them the opportunity for cross cultural interaction and learning.

Many volunteer programs in Madrid do not require volunteers to speak Spanish to participate, but nevertheless you will find that learning enough to be at least conversational in the language will carry you a long way. Spain actually has one of the lowest English speaking rates in Western Europe, so your ability to interact with locals will be greatly enhanced if you can speak the language.