Valencia is the third most important city in Spain, after Madrid and Barcelona. Its popular festival of fallas, historical attractions, rice fields, beaches and museums all put Valencia in the sights of many tourists looking for a unique experience.
It’s a beautiful city with incredible neighborhoods full of history, blue flag beaches and dream wedding settings. But unfortunately almost a third of Valencians are at risk of poverty and social exclusion.
Before the financial crisis in 2007, Valencia’s main economic source was construction, which was subsequently affected by the lack of mortgages creating numerous debts in thousands of families.
Thanks to international volunteer programs in Spain, many women and children at risk of social exclusion have hope, which is the first step in the search for a better future.
This is general information, you will find specific information on each project in its section. Depending on each program, different information will be included and there will be different arrival and cooperation timetables.
PROGRAMS IN VALENCIA
women empowerment and teaching
The volunteer program focuses on women's empowerment activities relating to their personal and social development.
SCHOOL SUPPORT FOR OUT-OF-SCHOOL CHILDREN
We seek active participation of children of limited resources in various activities of learning and development.
TEACHING AND SCHOOL REINFORCEMENT
The program hopes to develop cognitive, emotional and learning abilities, and support personal grown and independence of the school children that we work with.
SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Through individual and group activities, you will help children, young people and adults with intellectual diversity to improve their social skills.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECTS
EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN
As a volunteer in the women’s empowerment program, you will work with women at risk or in situations of social exclusion. In general, the volunteer program for the empowerment of women works with immigrant, unemployed, low-education and mostly low-income women.
In the women’s empowerment program, there is always room for the creativity, interest and talent you may have. If you know any handicrafts, music or art, these are the activities that you can do with the women in the different workshops that take place during the week.
The activities that are planned focus on women’s self-awareness and confidence. You will usually work in groups as well as individually.
Our volunteers regularly carry out activities relating to:
- Personal development
- Employment orientation
- Spanish and English languages
- Literacy and Education
- Physical activities, sewing and painting workshops
Support for out-of-school children
Through the program for our-of-school children, Adventure Volunteer seeks to provide care and educational support to all of the children that we work with. We also motivate them through educational activities where they can develop their potential and skills.
The aim of the activities is to improve their social skills, strengthen their autonomy, help their personal growth and teach them studying techniques and habits.
Volunteers can carry out activities such as:
- Dynamic group activities
- Creation of handicrafts to develop attention and creativity
- Body expression and relaxation activities
- Oral and communicative expression activities to improve the children’s interpersonal skills
- Film activities to enhance their empathy, concentration, attention and language skills
The objective of these activities is that the children begin to develop their potential and expand their knowledge.
TEACHING AND SCHOOL REINFORCEMENT
Every day we look for new ways to contribute or give something to others. Adventure Volunteer values all creativity and ideas that you can bring to the children.
As a volunteer in the teaching and school reinforcement program in Valencia, you can help children with learning difficulties to improve their knowledge and skills. Through educational, sports and leisure activities, we work on cognitive, emotional and personal skills of the children.
In general, activities such as the following are carried out during the classes:
- Implementation of cross-cutting themes
- Use of new technologies with academic activities
- Educational support and knowledge development
- Support for children with learning difficulties
All the activities planned are aimed at providing children with the necessary tools, knowledge and skills for their personal and professional development.
Support for children with special needs
This volunteer program focuses on helping children, young people and adults with intellectual disabilities, and improving their social skills.
One of the objectives of the program for children with special needs is to enhance the capacities and skills of all people involved, with and without functional diversity, through inclusive training and leisure activities. The program also focuses on guiding and supporting the process of labor market insertion of our young people.
Through the program of support for children with special needs in Valencia, group and individual activities are developed.
Some of the activities that are carried out in the program are:
- Family counseling
- Psychological care
- Psycho-educational support (Help our children and young people to develop in competitive environments, and to face conflictive situations in a resolute and assertive way.)
- Support in leisure and free-time activities (Photography, writing, confectionery, cooking, creation of curricula and use of new technologies).
We believe it’s important to provide our children and young people with social conflict resolution skills and thus encourage them to increase their autonomy and self-confidence.
TIMES AND DATES OF COOPERATION
You can participante in the program at any time of the year, except for Easter, the month of August and holidays. If there happen to be any national or regional holidays during the period of your volunteering, you can use this time to get to know better the neighborhoods and towns of the Valencian Community. Consult the dates for each program as they may vary slightly.
Our volunteers work from Monday to Friday on two daily shifts, according to each program. The women’s empowerment program and school reinforcement program for children in Valencia (Spain) take place in the afternoon between 5:30 and 7:30 pm. During the morning from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, the school support program for out-of-school children takes place.
ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS
Volunteers participating in our volunteer programs in Valencia (Spain) have several accommodation options. These are:
Option 1: Accommodation in a hostel. They offer shared rooms from €9.
Option 2: Private rooms on Airbnb, from €20 a night.
Option 3: Rent a whole house if you plan to take a volunteer trip with your friends or family.
Normally these types of accommodation are located in the centre of Valencia. You will also find Spanish schools and all kinds of shops, restaurants, bars and clubs nearby.
As for food, in Valencia you can eat from 3 euros per meal. You will also find many food shops near your accommodation. Valencia is a province of Spain where it’s quite cheap to eat and you will enjoy dishes such as paella, baked rice, Mediterranean salads and all kinds of pasta.
For volunteers who participate in the program of support for children with special needs, accommodation and meals are included in the supervised flats of the center.
For any type of accommodation you choose, we will recommend different options and help you make your reservation.
REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER
Anyone interested in participating in a volunteer program in Valencia (Spain) with Adventure Volunteer must meet the following requirements:
- Be at least 17 years old
- Present a criminal record certificate
- Be tolerant, enthusiastic and open-minded
- Have some knowledge of English and Spanish for the women’s empowerment program
- Be able to work in a multicultural environment
PROGRAM COSTS
The cost of the program starts at €180 for 2 weeks. Depending on the program you choose, you will have different accommodation options.
WHAT IS INCLUDED?
- Pick up at the airport
- Induction to the program
- Orientation day in the project area
- 24/7 support from the Adventure Volunteer team
- Program monitoring and evaluation
- Certificate of participation
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED?
- Flight to Valencia
- Compulsory Health Insurance
- Internal transportation or excursions
- Return to the airport on the last day
- Trips in or out the country
ARRIVAL AT YOUR DESTINATION
Upon your arrival at the Valencia Manises Airport (VLC), the responsible local coordinator will be waiting for you and will take you by public transport to Valencia where you will stay.
Depending on the time you arrive, you will have your orientation day. You will be given an overview of the activities and basic rules of the project, and you will be also informed about the places you can visit in your free time.
WEATHER
The average temperature is usually 17 degrees all year round. From May to September you can enjoy the warm temperatures of 25 to 30 degrees. August is the warmest month of the year and the coldest one is February.
CURRENCY
The official currency is the Euro. If you don’t use euros in your country of origin, you can exchange currency before your trip, withdraw money by credit card or go to a foreign exchange office in Valencia. The city is also one of the cheapest places to volunteer in Spain.
FLIGHTS
For your volunteering in Valencia, you must arrive at the Valencia Manises Airport (VLC), from where you will be transferred to the program or to your accommodation.
Flights are between 50 and 500 euros, approximately. You can find flights with the following airlines: Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, Ryanair, German Wings, and others.
TOURIST SPOTS
In Valencia you will find many places to visit, here are some that you can’t miss if you travel to Spain.
NATURAL PARK OF LA ALBUFERA
One of the largest lakes in Spain, with great ecological and cultural importance. It’s easy to get there, if you are very adventurous, just take the bus n. 25. This line takes you from the centre of Valencia to Palmar and Perellonet for only €1,50 per route. There you can explore the lake on a boat. The other option to visit the Park is to take the Albufera Tourist Bus.
Historical neighborhoods
If you would like to know a little more about the history of Valencia, we recommend the Old Town where you can find 3 very beautiful historical neighborhoods: the Pilar, the Mercat and Sant Francesc.
You also shouldn’t miss the fishing village of El Cabañal, to where you can take the tram or hire bicycles and visit the large white beaches of La Malvarrosa.
If you’re into nightlife, Ruzafa is your neighborhood. It’s full of charming bars, which make it one of the most modern neighborhoods in Europe.
In Carmen, you will find an incredible variety of gastronomic, cultural and leisure activities that make this neighborhood one of the most charming. In its ancient streets you will walk through centuries of history.
You will be able to access all districts of Valencia with electric bicycles, tram, bus or bikes. In each neighborhood you will find tapas bars, mini theaters and places to participante in English-Spanish tandems.
THE CITY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
It was designed by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela and comprises several buildings that have become the meeting place for cultural and leisure activities for friends and families.
Among the buildings that we can appreciate are: L’Hemisfèric, the Oceanogràfic, the Palace of the Arts Reina Sofía, the Bridge de l’Assut de l’Or and the Ágora.
The beaches
In no more than an hour you can see an infinite number of beautiful beaches with crystal clear waters in Valencia, Castellón or Alicante. From Valencia, you can go by bike or bus and see the beaches of Saler and Albufera of Valencia. Also very famous are the Playa de alcocebre, Javea Calpe Altea and Benidorm, on the beach of Peñíscola. You can also get to see the castle of Papa Luna where some scenes from the series Game of Thrones were shot.
Near Valencia
Valencia is located in the east of Spain, with Barcelona to the north, Malaga to the south, Madrid to the west and the Balearic Islands to the east. You can reach all three cities in about three hours by car and from Alicante you can take a ferry to the island of Ibiza, where you can spend the weekend.
Main cities in Spain
You will be able to visit the main cities of Spain, Madrid and Barcelona, by train, bus or sharing a BlaBlaCar ride. They are both very cosmopolitan cities full of history that will make you feel as if you were in the XVII century.
Mountains
Valencia has multiple trekking and climbing routes. The old river bed of the river Turia is also full of activities, so you will be able to enjoy every afternoon surrounded by nature in the heart of the city.
SPANISH CLASSES
You can improve your Spanish by attending one of our Spanish language classes in the afternoons after your international volunteering project.
We work with a Spanish academy located in the city centre, where you can take weekly classes from Monday to Thursday for 2 hours a day for 148 euros/week, 18€/hour.
When you finish your classes, you will know the pronunciation, the main verbs and the most commonly used words. This will allow you to better comunicate with your fellow volunteers and continue with your volunteering in our destinations in Central America.
Once you finish your classes, you can stay in the central bars with the rest of your classmates and enjoy the outdoor terraces in the centre of Valencia.
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES
As soon as I arrived at the organization, I felt as if I had always been part of the team. Both of the coordinators, Karina and Carla, and the children welcomed me in an unforgettable way. It was only three weeks but the experience I had in Valencia I will not forget, thank you.
Sara, Belgium
I wasn’t sure whether to choose the program with children or the women’s program. In the end I chose the women’s program because of the English language support I could give them. It turned out that I was doing both of the programs and I loved it, because these women are very, very strong and have taught me a lot. The children were all lovely, and I would love to come back. Thanks to the whole team for the good organization.
Mary, UK
FAQ
Which airport should the volunteer arrive at?
You should arrive at the Valencia Airport (VLC), ideally on a Friday or Saturday, as all volunteer programs begin on Mondays.
How does the volunteer commute to the program?
The local coordinator will accompany you on the first day you start your volunteer work, which is only a 15-minute walk from your accommodation.
When should I apply for my place in the program?
We recommend applying for your place in the program as soon as possible, as places are limited. When you decide on the dates for your trip, you should fill in the application form and that way your place in the program will be reserved.
Can I volunteer with my friends or family?
Of course! All help and input are welcome. You can volunteer with friends, family, classmates, work colleagues or undertake your university internships.
HOW TO BOOK?
- From the moment you fill in the registration form for a program in Valencia (Spain), your place will be reserved for 7 days.
- To confirm your place definitively, you must pay a deposit of €150 within 7 days. Once the deposit is paid, your place will be guaranteed and you will formally become part of the Adventure Volunteer family.
- As soon as you pay the deposit for the program, we will send you an email to confirm that your place is guaranteed. After that, you will receive another email with more additional information that will explain everything you need to know to prepare your trip correctly. The rest of the payment is made one month before you join the project.