Volunteer Programs in Lisbon, Portugal

Immerse yourself in the stunning waters of the Atlantic Coastline in Portugal and contribute to the preservation of marine life. This unique volunteer program invites you to learn scuba diving, clean up the ocean floor, and protect the rich marine ecosystem of Lisbon. Besides your volunteer work, you'll have the chance to live in a sustainable hostel in a beach town, just 25 minutes away from the city center of Lisbon. This program offers a rich blend of adventure, skill development, and environmental stewardship. We welcome participants who: - Are at least 16 years old - Have a basic level of English - Have undergone a criminal background check - Have healthy respiratory and circulatory systems to ensure safe diving - Have no serious medical issues

At International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ), we unite people from over 96 countries who want to make a meaningful difference while exploring the world. With 300+ projects in 40+ destinations, IVHQ offers the widest selection of volunteer programs globally—from Teaching and Childcare to Wildlife Conservation, Medical Outreach, and Environmental Sustainability. Since 2007, IVHQ has supported over 147,000 volunteers on life-changing journeys. We specialize in fully-hosted volunteer trips that are safe, affordable, and accessible—starting from just $20 per day. Your experience includes airport pick-up, accommodation, meals, and round-the-clock support from our local teams. With flexible booking options and no change fees, planning your volunteer adventure has never been easier. Our programs run year-round and are available for 1 to 24 weeks across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific, South and Central America, North America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Volunteering with IVHQ is about more than giving back—it’s about growing, learning, and building genuine global connections.

Join a team of passionate vets and veterinary nurses to support neglected, abandoned, or vulnerable animals. As a veterinary intern, you’ll spend your time caring for the animals at the sanctuary, enabling them to have happy, healthy lives. With over 100 animals across ten different species, your work will be varied, interesting, and dynamic. You’ll have a range of tasks to do, from diagnosing unwell animals, giving physical exams, administering injections, treating wounds, as well as offering guidance and advice for possible treatments. If an animal needs surgeries or has more complex problems, you may accompany and monitor it at the central clinic in Lisbon.

Looking to apply your talent and expertise to a good cause? Find a program that matches your interests and skills through Volunteer World! We are the largest volunteer abroad comparison platform around the globe, enabling you to seek and compare offers from major travel agencies as well as smaller grassroots NGOs and local specialists in more than 80 countries. All these with just one click! Find projects in wildlife, teaching, community development, and several other areas. Simply choose your desired destination and desired travel date, and our search engine will compare the best volunteer abroad programs on your behalf. Whether you wish to gain experience at a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa or teach English at a monastery in Nepal, we've got you covered. Volunteer World guarantees a quick and easy application. We will guide you through this process, as well as help plan your next meaningful trip. We provide free access to quality-checked projects and flexible options. And if anything goes wrong, we've got your back with our qualified support team and our refund guarantee.

This program includes 15 hours of group Portuguese classes every week, with each class lasting 50 minutes. Each class has a maximum of 18 and an average of 4 students, all possessing the same language level. The teaching method is based on 4 skills: listening, grammar, oral, and written comprehension. No English is used in class to foster quick learning. Students may enroll for as many weeks as they desire. In order to make sufficient progress and gain the maximum benefit from the course, the following program durations are recommended: Beginner - 4–12 weeks Intermediate - 2–12 weeks Advanced - 2–12 weeks During the minimum 4-week Study + Volunteer program, students will volunteer in the afternoon after their morning Portuguese classes. The center will find projects in each student’s preferred area, such as: * Working with Children * Elderly People * Community Centers * Assisting at the Banco Alimentar

The Animal Protection Program in Lisbon is perfect for those passionate about animal welfare. As a volunteer, you'll engage in sustainable tourism while supporting abandoned dogs and cats. You'll assist non-profit shelters by playing, socializing, feeding, and cleaning the shelters of rescued animals. You'll also support adoption events, take photos and videos to help promote adoption, and spend time with dogs and cats daily. These shelters are often overcrowded, and you play an essential role in giving time and love to animals to support their adoption. Our project is intended for ages 16 and up, but we also welcome families with children four years and older.

Each year, more than 130,000 seals, whales and dolphins are killed by the trash found in our oceans. This project aims to tackle ocean pollution off the coast of Portugal through diving. Volunteers complete daily dives in various dive sites near Lisbon, with the aim of removing debris from the reef and ocean bed. Volunteers to date have helped to remove almost 3000kg of fishing nets, as well as tyres, fridges, laptops, cell phones and of course, plastic. This project has been running since 2016, and since then a noticeable increase in biodiversity has been seen in the ocean around the dive sites. Volunteers can take part for one week to four weeks. You are provided with full training once in Portugal. We recommend a minimum stay of two weeks for people without prior dive experience. Volunteers live in an eco-guest house in Lisbon with other volunteers. Three meals per day are provided.

Travel to magnificent Portugal, make an active contribution to endangered species conservation, and support the mission of a dedicated wolf sanctuary as a volunteer. Due to human persecution and habitat loss, European wolves were almost exterminated within the past few decades. Whereas populations of the wolf are slowly recovering naturally in several European countries, the populations in Portugal are still extremely limited. Our partner’s wolf conservation project created a safe sanctuary for rescued Iberian wolves that were born and/or kept in captivity under illegal circumstances and are therefore no longer able to live in the wild. Volunteers help care for the animals finding refuge here by feeding them, performing monitoring activities, helping with the forest maintenance where the center is located, and assisting in maintaining the infrastructure of this precious shelter. Become part of a committed conservation team, actively participating in protecting Portugal’s last big carnivore and experiencing the nature and wildlife of the southwestern European country in an incomparable way.

Inequalities and poverty are significant issues in Portugal, especially in urban centers. Access to basic social services, economic resources, housing, and employment is limited, especially for vulnerable individuals. You will be working with organizations dedicated to providing practical assistance and reinstating a sense of belonging and dignity for those experiencing homelessness and other social challenges such as addiction and unemployment. Daily Tasks: - Meal Preparation and Distribution: Prepare, cook, and distribute meals to individuals in need. - Donation Sorting: Organize and distribute donated items such as clothing and essentials. - Group Dynamics Participation: Engage in group activities that teach basic life skills, such as budgeting, job application, and cooking. Why Join? Make an Impact: Contribute to improving the lives of vulnerable individuals and supporting their journey towards stability. Gain Experience: Develop skills in social services, community engagement, and support work.