Volunteering in Switzerland

Volunteering in Switzerland allows young adults from Europe to participate in exciting and varied tasks in areas such as social work, culture and environmental protection. They support a non-profit project, improve their language skills and build international friendships.

Next steps

For participants:

Search for a volunteering opportunity

On our matching platform match&move volunteering you will find all available volunteering positions. These are updated regularly. Submit your application directly through this platform. The host organisation will review it and inform you of their decision.

Search for a volunteering opportunity

For participants:

Search for a volunteering opportunity

On our matching platform match&move volunteering you will find all available volunteering positions. These are updated regularly. Submit your application directly through this platform. The host organisation will review it and inform you of their decision.

Search for a volunteering opportunity

Overview

For whom

  • Individuals aged 18 to 30 residing in a European country or a neighbouring partner country 

Duration

  • 2 to 12 months
  • Starting from 14 days for individuals with special needs

Where

  • In certified host organisations in Switzerland

What we fund

  • Financial support for travel, accommodation, pocket money and language courses

What to do

  • Interested individuals apply through our matching platform. The host organisations select the volunteers.

Deadlines

  • Applications for vacant positions can be submitted at any time.

Next steps

For participants:

Search for a volunteering opportunity

On our matching platform match&move volunteering you will find all available volunteering positions. These are updated regularly. Submit your application directly through this platform. The host organisation will review it and inform you of their decision.

Search for a volunteering opportunity

In detail

European Volunteering enables young adults from Europe and neighbouring partner countries to volunteer in a non-profit project in Switzerland. This enriching experience allows you to develop new skills, get to know a different culture and actively support the host organisations. 

European Volunteering is funded by the Swiss Programme for Erasmus+ and is the Swiss equivalent of the European Solidarity Corps (ESC).

Support a non-profit project

Volunteering in Switzerland gives you the opportunity to get engaged in a non-profit  project. Not only will you gain exciting insights into a socially valuable project, but you will also develop social skills and acquire new abilities. Additionally, you improve your language skills and build international friendships. During your free time, you will have the opportunity to explore Switzerland and immerse yourself in its culture.

A volunteer experience may take the following forms, for example:

  • You volunteer at a circus school, assisting teachers during circus classes, helping to organize and execute performances, and creating sets/costumes.
  • You engage in a permaculture project, supporting your host organisation in maintanining and developing gardens and participating in the organisation of events focused on permaculture.
  • You assist youth workers in organising activities for young people, for example, in a youth centre.

All organisations that host volunteers are vetted by us and meet the quality standards of the European Volunteering Service. 

List of accredited organisations from Switzerland (PDF, 85 KB)

Varied fields of activity

The areas of activity are varied and include social work, cultural, health, child care, youth work, community engagement, environmental protection and  more.. When choosing a project, ensure that the activities align with your interests.

Volunteering does not replace paid work or an internship. It is open to everyone and requires neither professional knowledge nor specific training. We will prepare you for your volunteer experience. To this end, mandatory training sessions are organised before and during the assignment. 

The weekly working hours range between 30 to 38 hours. You are entitled to two consecutive days off per week and two days of holiday per month. During your volunteering,you will participate in accompanying seminars. These help to support your learning process by allowing you to reflect on your experiences.

Financial support

Volunteering in Switzerland is free of charge as it is funded by the Swiss Programme for Erasmus+. You will also receive financial support for travel expenses, accommodation, meals, a language course and pocket money. The format of the language course, its duration etc. is not fixed. You will have to cover any additional costs yourself. The funding is paid to the volunteer by the host organisation.

Find a suitable project

We can help you find a vacant position with a host organisation in Switzerland. Host organisations publish their vacancies on our platform match&move Volunteering. You submit your application through the platform. The host organisation is responsible for the selection process. 

Requirements

  • You must be between 18 and 30 years old at the start of your volunteering.
  • You live in a European country or in a neighbouring partner country.
  • The programme countries are: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom. 
  • Individuals from European overseas countries and territories are also eligible for Volunteering in Switzerland. 
  • You may only participate in one volunteering opportunity under this funding offer. An exception is made if you have only completed one volunteer placement of a maximum of two months.
  • Please note the individual criteria of each host organisation.

Funding amounts

  • For travel: 400 CHF to 1'000 CHF per person, depending on country of origin and distance traveled
  • For accommodation: 29 CHF per person per day
  • Pocket money: 8 CHF per person per day
  • Language course: 250 CHF
  • For the specific needs of individuals with disabilities or those suffering from physical, mental, or chronic illnesses: Max. 12'000 CHF (actual costs based on the note of requirements) Insurance and any visa fees are the responsibility of the host organisations.

For details of the programme and the various lump sums, please refer to the programme guide: Guide to the Swiss programme European Volunteering in Switzerland.

Procedure

  1. 1

    Finding a volunteering opportunity

    • Find a project that you would like to support on our match&move volunteering platform. The vacancies are published on an ongoing basis. 
    • All host organisations are vetted by us and meet the quality standards of the European Volunteering programme.
  2. 2

    Submit application

    • Do you meet the participation criteria? Then you can set up an account on match&move Volunteering and submit your application. 
    • An application includes a letter of motivation, a written CV and a list of language skills.
    • If you have any questions about a project, please contact the respective host organisation directly.
    • You may apply for several projects at the same time.
  3. 3

    Selection procedure

    • The host organisations receive your application and select the volunteers themselves. 
    • If interested, the host organisation will invite you to participate in a video interview.
    • Make sure that you are easily reachable during the application process.
    • The host organisation will inform you of its decision. If the decision is favourable, you will receive a contract with all the terms and conditions of engagement.
  4. 4

    Planning your stay

    • Organise your travel and stay. Accommodation is arranged by the host organisation.
    • The host organisation will inform you of the documents it needs from you in order to organise your stay. This may include the signed contract, visa, travel tickets, etc. Help the host organisation by organising the documents in advance and sending them promptly. 
  5. 5

    Volunteering

    • We wish you a rewarding experience during your stay!
    • During your volunteering, you will participate in one or two on-site training sessions. Participation in these training sessions is mandatory and is financed by us. The on-arrival training takes place in the first few months of the volunteering. Volunteers staying longer than 6 months will also participate in a mid-term evaluation. An invitation to the training sessions will be sent to the volunteers in due course by Movetia.
  6. 6

    Payment of financial support

    The host organisation will pay you the contributions at various times: 

    • Your outward journey to Switzerland will be reimbursed as soon as you have purchased a ticket or at the latest upon arrival in Switzerland. 
    • Pocket money is paid monthly during the volunteering period, as is the allowance for meals if this is not covered directly by the host organisation. 
    • The funding for the language course will be paid once you or the host organisation have organised a language course. 
    • The return journey will be reimbursed at the end of the volunteering period, once you have completed the feedback form regarding your volunteering experience.
  7. 7

    Evaluation and feedback form

    • In the last month of your volunteering, you will conduct an evaluation meeting with your host organisation. You will complete the certificate of participation together, detailing the newly acquired skills and tasks performed. You can use this certificate for future job applications.
    • Additionally, you will also fill in a feedback form for us to provide feedback on your experience as a volunteer. This helps us to maintain the quality of our funding offers.

    You can find all information on European Volunteering in our guide to the 2024 program:

    Guide to the 2024 European Volunteering program (PDF, 4 MB)

Q & A

European volunteering is a Swiss initiative aimed at European volunteers. It is funded by the Swiss programme for Erasmus+, while the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) is funded by the EU. The two programmes are similar but operate separately. Movetia advises against dual participation in the Swiss European Volunteering and the European Solidarity Corps programme. This is to ensure equal treatment of young people from Switzerland and those from ESC countries, allowing all young people the opportunity to participate in international volunteering once in their lifetime.

Movetia pays a lump sum of 250 CHF for language support. The format of the language course, its duration, etc. is not defined. The language course can take place online or in a language school or be run by individuals from the host organisation. The language course takes place in the language of the host organisation. 

All volunteers coming to Switzerland must obtain a residence permit L for the duration of their volunteering. The procedure for individuals coming from countries outside the EU/EFTA is complicated and lengthy (approx. 2 months) and varies depending on the Canton. The host organisation takes care of these administrative steps. However, volunteers must provide the required documents. For volunteers from EU/EFTA countries, it is sufficient to register with the local municipality within 14 days of their arrival in Switzerland. The host organisation will provide all information regarding this procedure. 

You can find more information on this from the State Secretariat for Migration SEM.

The pre-departure training takes place online before the mobility. One part is asynchronous (via a Moodle) and one part via Teams, often in one evening (2 hours).

The training sessions (on arrival training and mid-term evaluation) always take place in April/May and September. They last 4 days, often over a weekend and are considered work time.time. 

Only volunteers staying in Switzerland for more than 6 months participate in the mid-term evaluation.

Contact

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