1. Música por la Paz
This non-profit organisation runs 11 centres across Spain. Their objective is to ensure underprivileged children have equal access to educational resources. Through the programme, kids aged seven to 12 have free access to after-school courses, which provide academic support and allow parents to work longer hours without additional childcare costs. The group also hosts activities and excursions, and is always on the lookout for volunteers to help run sessions. Volunteers are encouraged to come with their own ideas for fun, innovative classes and activities.
2. Esperança
As the months get colder, life gets harder for those living on the street. Esperança works to make their situation a little more bearable. Run entirely by volunteers, the group distributes food and clothing to the homeless on Saturday and Sunday evenings. Donations are welcome, but Esperança emphasises the difference that interactions between volunteers and the homeless can make to help them avoid social isolation. Sometimes all anyone needs is someone to talk to. Sign up via Facebook.
3. Amics de la Gent Gran
Often a marginalised section of society, the social exclusion that elderly people can face frequently leads to loneliness, which intensifies other health problems. Running for 30 years, Amics de la Gent Gran initiates friendships between volunteers and the elderly. Volunteers can visit their new companions in their home or at a residence, or simply attend a monthly meeting between volunteers and elderly people for a short chat. Volunteers often find they gain just as much from this experience as those they’re there to help.
4. Street Child España
Street Child works to provide aid and education to the children of West Africa and Nepal. Its innovative programmes, such as the Family Business Scheme, aim to ensure that the help provided is sustainable and long-lasting. Street Child España welcomes volunteering in all forms. In Barcelona, volunteers can get involved in day-to-day operations—including event planning, translation, accounting, graphic design, and social media and marketing—or participate in the annual fundraising marathons in Sierra Leone and Nepal. This initiative isn’t just about running a marathon; it encourages participants to travel to these countries and spend time visiting projects, getting to know the staff, seeing the country and meeting its people.
5. Lliga per a la protecció d’animals i plantes
Humans aren’t the only creatures who need looking after. The Lliga per a la protecció d’animals i plantes de Barcelona shelters animals that have been abused or abandoned, until they are relocated to a new home. Volunteers at the centre can take on different tasks, such as dog walking, petting cats, delivering meals, or washing and grooming the animals.