Volunteering

Barcelona also has a wide network of associations offering opportunities for selfless cooperation through volunteering, irrespective of whether or not you speak the local language, whether Catalan or Spanish. They act in many areas: humanitarian aid, human rights, children, health, immigration and refugees, elderly people, environment, minorities and animal protection, among other things.

Here are a few examples:

• Amics de la Gent Gran [Friends of the Elderly]: An association that collaborates with and provides support for elderly people, by promoting activities to combat unwanted solitude and social isolation through emotional support and social participation.
• Banc dels Aliments de Barcelona [Barcelona Food Bank]: This is a non-profit foundation dedicated to collecting food, whether contributed by the public under various campaigns held throughout the year or surpluses donated by the food industry, markets and supermarkets, schools and other organisations. The food is subsequently distributed among several local organisations that offer it to people in need.
• Casa dels Xuklis: This is an initiative created by the Catalan Association of Friends and Families of Children with Cancer (Afanoc). This organisation gives its support to families by providing them with accommodation to improve the quality of life for children with cancer and for their families. For children with long-term illnesses, the association provides accommodation for families that have to travel from their places of origin so their children can receive treatment in Barcelona’s leading hospitals.
• Casa Ronald McDonald: Barcelona’s Casa Ronald McDonald provides accommodation for the parents of children who are hospitalised because of an illness. That way the children can have their parents nearby, which is an important part of their recovery
• Casal Lambda: This is a pioneering Catalan association which, as an NGO, is dedicated to normalising homosexuality. It has been offering information and guidance to gay, lesbian, transsexual and intersex citizens since 1976 What is more, it also has a documentation centre on sexuality aimed at professionals and researchers.
• Chiringuito de Dios: An organisation that helps the homeless. It provides food and clothing to protect them and provides them with company and human warmth.
• Fundació Arrels : It is an entity that, since 1987, has been helping and orienting homeless people living in the streets of Barcelona. They accompany them to achieve a life as autonomous as possible by covering basic needs, providing social and health care and guaranteeing accommodation to those who are in a more vulnerable situation.
• Lliga per a la protecció d’animals i plantas de Barcelona [League for protecting Barcelona’s animals and plants]: Volunteers are always needed to help look after abandoned pets and take part in the fight against animal abuse.
• Surt Foundation: An association that attempts to enforce women’s rights and to combat and eradicate sexual discrimination.
• Voluntariat per la Llengua: VxL is a program to practice Catalan through conversation. It is based on the creation of linguistic pairs formed by a volunteer, who speaks fluent Catalan, and an apprentice, who has basic knowledge and wants to acquire fluency.

If you wish to discover further organisations you can find out all about them from the action networks on the Citizen Agreement for an Inclusive Barcelona website.