Volunteering in Spain



Volunteerism has a long history in the United States, but voluntariado as we know it is a relatively new phenomenon in Spain. Not surprisingly, then, many more Americans (26.2%) volunteer than Spaniards (9.5-15%), and service learning—now all the rage in the U.S.—is just beginning to be a recognized concept in Spain. While more Americans volunteer in religious organizations than any other, 75% of the volunteer organizations in Spain are non-denominational. Only 21% of the volunteer organizations in Spain are Catholic. Finally, voluntariado in Spain is fairly fragmented and beaurocratic, which can make it difficult to find and get involved in volunteer organizations.

Nonetheless, many students from the U.S. wish to start or continue doing community service when they study abroad. The staff at Cursos Internacionales typically invites a speaker to come in during the first week of classes to notify students of volunteer opportunities in Santiago, but it still requires a lot of persistence and initiative on your part if you truly want to get involved.