Volunteering is an excellent way to get to know local culture and society further and we highly encourage students of all Spanish language levels and all majors to engage in some kind of community experience in Madrid. Below you will find a list of opportunities that have all been highly recommended by your peers. Check them out and if you have any questions about any of them please contact the Student Life office.
Serve the City
Serve the City is a movement of volunteers serving cities in practical ways & inspiring people to be “givers” in the world.
Serve the City does not require a weekly commitment but rather a commitment to specific projects or community day projects, which could be of interest to you as spring session students.
Several past projects in Madrid have included community garden and cleanup projects, activities for disadvantaged children, making sandwiches for homeless people, projects with the elderly and much more.
Serve the city is a way for our students with little or no Spanish language skills to still get involved and make a difference in their new city. It is also a way for our students to meet new people, get to know Madrid better, and help the local community – all at once! Serve the City is an ideal organization for students who may not want a long term commitment but still want to get involved.
How can I get more information about Serve the City and how can I volunteer with them?
Check out their website for upcoming projects: http://www.stcmadrid.com/en/proyectos
Be sure to check out their website in order to stay abreast of their searches because they only accept a certain number of volunteers as needed per project!
Commitment: specific day projects that you sign up for.
Hours: Depending on the project
Language: It is ok not to speak fluent Spanish
Asociación Bokatas
The main goal of this association is to help out homeless people and encourage their social integration through different volunteer initiatives, such as delivering sandwiches and coffee for those in risk of social exclusion, organizing sports events and other social activities.
There is a route Mondays and Thursdays nearby “Santiago Bernabéu Stadium” starting a 7:00 p.m.
The meeting point for this route is: Paseo de la la Habana, 31. (very close to NYU Madrid).
If you wish to take part in this project, come see Rodrigo Urbina in the Student Life office.
Commitment: One evening a week.
Hours: 2-4
Language: Some Spanish is required
T-Oigo
T-oigo is a non-profit organization based in Madrid aimed at promoting bilinguisim among kids with hearing loss access.
The project called “Allies in English” is particularly interesting for English native speakers who want to engage in language teaching experiences and other socio-educational projects with children.
In this organization you will assigned to a family that has a child with some type of hearing impairment and you will spend a couple hours once a week hanging out with the kid doing whatever activities seem like fun to both of you (baking, kicking a ball around, coloring…)
In order to receive more information on this site please come see Rodrigo Urbina in the Student Life Office.
Commitment: One evening a week
Hours: 2
Language: It is ok not to speak fluent Spanish
Fundación Balia
Balia Foundation is looking for American students to teach weekly English classes to Spanish children in various Madrid schools. Theese Language Lessons are very simple and can be taught by small groups of NYUMadrid students, preferably in pairs. The commitment required to join this activity is just one (1) hour per week (according to your availability). During the project, which will last 10 weeks, volunteers will also help to conduct some recreational/educational activities with Spanish clildren. If you like teaching and sharing with kids, don’t miss out on this interesting and gratifying opportunity. After the completion of this volunteering, a certificate will be issued by Balia Foundaion.
If you are interested in this project, please send an email to: ireneramon@fundacionbalia.org, identifying yourself as an NYU student. Before starting you will be given a small training and introduction by them.
Commitment: Once a week
Hours: 1
Language: It is ok not to speak fluent Spanish
Acción Social Protestante
Acción Social Protestante is a protestant organization that gives out food and clothing to those in need, tending mostly but not exclusively to immigrants in Madrid.
Here you will be able to help prepare the bags of food, sort through the donated clothing or assist in the actual process of giving out the food and clothes.
On Thursday evenings there is also the opportunity of looking over a grooup of kids as they color and play in a room while their moms are in the next door room having different workshops (health, education…).
For more information or to sign up for this opportunity please contact Rodrigo Urbina in the Student Life office.
Commitment: Whenever you sign up, no long term.
Hours: 2 For food and clothing Wed or Thurs from 10am to 12. And for kids program on Thurs from 6 to 8pm
Language: It is ok not to speak Spanish
Colegio Nuestra Señora Del Pilar
Colegio Nuestra Señora del Pilar has an after class program for students at risk of being marginalized in which they offer a safe place to get together as well as tutoring in different areas. NYU students can volunteer here on Monday evenings to help the students (mostly teenagers) with their English through activities, tutoring, songs…
For more information or to sign up for this opportunity please contact Rodrigo Urbina in the Student Life office.
Commitment: One evening a week
Hours: 2, Mondays from 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Language: Some Spanish is encouraged.
Colegio Público Carlos V
Colegio Carlos V is a public school that runs several after school programs for their students (kung fu, circus, theater…). NYU Madrid students can sign up to assist the people running each workshop by introducing a bilingual component into it. If you want to have fun with young teenagers doing cool stuff and creating a bilingual environment this is definitely your site!
For more information or to sign up for this opportunity please contact Rodrigo Urbina in the Student Life office.
Commitment: One evening a week
Hours: 2, the day depends on the workshop and needs of the school
Language: Some Spanish is required.
Fundación Masnatur
Fundación Masnatur organizes activities during the weekends for kids with dissabilities, these vary from going to a soccer game, walks in the park, art galleries, magic shows… Every volunteer is assigned one kid and they will accompany the child throughout the activity. The groups are usually of around 25 children with their volunteers going to these activities.
If you want to do fun stuff in Madrid on the weekends while you meet great kids and other volunteers this is where you want to go!
For more information check their webpage ( http://www.masnatur.org/ ) and/or please contact Rodrigo Urbina in the Student Life office.
Commitment: No long term, just sign up for specific events on weekends.
Hours: Half a day depending on the activity.
Language: Decent Spanish is required to communicate with the kids.
Missionaries of Charity AIDS Shelter
Missionaries of Charity run a shelter for people with AIDS in Madrid. NYU Madrid students can go and volunteer their time at the center and the functions will vary depending on the demand of the day, sometimes there will be some cleaning and bedsheet changing to do and others it will be about having conversations with the people at the shelter.
For more information or to sign up for this opportunity please contact Rodrigo Urbina in the Student Life office.
Commitment: One morning or evening
Hours: several hours, not a fixed schedule
Language: Spanish is required to communicate.
Missionaries of Charity Soup Kitchen
The Missionaries of Charity also run a soup kitchen in Vallecas, one of the most economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in Madrid. NYU Madrid students can go here any day except for Thursdays and help out at the center doing the normal chores of a soup kitchen, help prepare the food, serve the meals, clean up…
For more information or to sign up for this opportunity please contact Rodrigo Urbina in the Student Life office.
Commitment: No long term, just go when you can
Hours: from 2 to 5pm (you can actually stay and tutor kids after the kitchen is closed if you want)
Language: Spanish is not required.
Multiple Sclerosis foundation in Madrid
The Multiple Sclerosis foundation in Madrid has a day center for MS patients where they get assistance with physical therapy, wellness counseling, economic assistance… NYU Madrid volunteers can go to this center for a couple hours every week to accompany those at the center and have a little “language exchange” with them. The patients are always happy to hear stories from someone from abroad and also love to tell their stories to our students!
For more information or to sign up for this opportunity please contact Rodrigo Urbina in the Student Life office, you can also check their website ( https://www.femmadrid.org/ ).
Commitment: Once a week
Hours: 2 hours in the mornings that can be worked out according to schedules.
Language: Some Spanish required.
Fundación RAIS
Fundación RAIS is an organization that works closely with homeless people or those at risk of becoming homeless or socially excluded. NYU Madrid students can have a language exchange with any of the people that go to this organization with the idea of helping them improve their English thus getting better chances of finding employment in Madrid.
For more information or to sign up for this opportunity please contact Rodrigo Urbina in the Student Life office, you can also check their website ( http://www.raisfundacion.org/ ).
Commitment: Once a week
Hours: To be agreed between the volnteer and his/her partner.
Language: Some Spanish required.