Our Full-Time Volunteering Programme opens up a world of opportunities for young people from the UK, Europe and across the globe. Our international volunteers come to us through our international partnerships and through our work in Erasmus+ European Voluntary Service (EVS) / European Solidarity Corps (ESC).

If you are looking to gain experience for work or education, learn new skills or help others in the community, as well as gain insight into life in the UK that you would not get from a holiday, Volunteering Matters can help!

You may be eligible to volunteer with Volunteering Matters if you:

  • are based in one of the countries where we have established international partnerships (see list below) or wish to apply for an Erasmus placement
  • are aged 18-35
  • can volunteer full-time (up to 35 hours per week) in the UK for up to 12 months
  • are flexible about the location and nature of your project
  • have energy, enthusiasm and a commitment to volunteering (you don’t need previous experience or qualifications as full training is provided)
  • have good conversational English
  • can provide two satisfactory references and a police check from your country of residence
  • can fulfil the necessary entry and Tier 5 visa requirements for volunteering in the UK

We currently have a number of established international partnerships. Please note, that whilst we are continuing to accept application from volunteers through our partnerships, volunteers who require a Tier 5 visa to volunteer full-time in the UK are likely to experience delays to their application as a result of the Coronavirus restrictions worldwide. Visa Application Centres are currently closed in many of countries and in some cases, there are limited flights to the UK. We are reviewing this daily and this should not prevent you from beginning your volunteer application! If you are based in one of the countries listed below, please get in touch directly with the named organisation:

Albania: Beyond Barriers Association

Austria: Akzente International

Colombia: ICYE Colombia

Costa Rica: ACI Costa Rica

Ecuador: FIIDES People Exchange

France: ADICE

Germany: VIA e.V. 

Greece: United Societies of Balkans

Honduras: ICYE HONDURAS

Italy: SVE Porta Nuova Europa

Mexico: SIIJUVE a.c. Servicio Internacional para el Intercambio Juvenil

Spain: Alianza por la Solidaridad

Taiwan: ICYE TAIWAN