Location
  • Croatia
Length
1 to 12 weeks

Program Details

Timeframe
Short Term Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Hostel
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)
Travel Type
Budget Family Older Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price
605
Price Details
Fully hosted experience from only $605 for 1 week - this includes accommodation, meals, airport pick-up, orientation and 24/7 in-country support.
What's Included
Accommodation Airport Transfers Meals
What's Not Included
Airfare Travel Insurance Visa
May 01, 2024
May 08, 2024
16 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Trusted by 136,000+ volunteers, IVHQ offers the world's #1 rated volunteer programs in Croatia and 50+ destinations worldwide.

For the past 6 years, we've won the "Top Volunteer Abroad Provider Award" from GoOverseas, so you can trust that you're in the safest hands with IVHQ in Croatia.

Our affordable projects start from $56/day for your accommodation, meals, airport pick-up, project placement and local support. Projects run year-round, with durations from 1-12 weeks. Choose from 6 projects, ranging from Youth Support and Special Needs Support to Animal Care and Marine Conservation based in the coastal hub of Split, by the Mediterranean Sea. Plus, you’ll stay with other like-minded, impact-focused travelers from around the world (private room options available).

With IVHQ’s superior pre-departure support services, you’ll gain exclusive access to your own Volunteer Travel Specialist, comprehensive preparation tools and volunteer training before you leave home.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Cheapest volunteer programs from $56/day for your accommodation, meals, airport pick-up, project placement & local support.
  • Volunteer for 1-12 weeks, year round start dates most Mondays.
  • 15+ years experience & only B Corp certified volunteer travel organization.
  • Get free changes up to 14 days before you start with our flexible booking policy.
  • Affordable way to earn college credit - gain 5 credits for only US$500!

Popular Programs

Volunteer with animals in Croatia

Pet shelters play an important role in Croatia, helping to rescue a high number of cats and dogs that are abandoned by their owners. Animal shelters are often overcrowded, and volunteers help to promote the health and wellbeing of the animals while giving them the best chance of being adopted.

volunteer in Croatia with IVHQ

As a Marine Conservation volunteer, you’ll help a local dive school to restore and maintain the natural state of the marine ecosystem around Croatia. You’ll be learning and using your scuba diving skills to make a real difference with ocean clean-ups and other activities to help the natural ecosystem be as pristine as possible.

Youth Support in Croatia with IVHQ

As a Youth Support volunteer, you’ll act as a positive role model for students aged between 7-18 years old. Tasks include helping with homework, organizing activities and sports and assisting with general work around the center. You’ll also help to teach English in an informal way, mostly through your day to day interactions. Learning English is seen as a valuable skill, but it is often one of these students’ biggest difficulties.

Special Needs Support Volunteer Program in Croatia - Split

This is your opportunity to assist in care centers for children, teenagers and adults with a wide range of physical and mental disabilities. IVHQ volunteers will gain experience caring for people with special needs and help them become more accepted and less stigmatized in their communities, improving their overall quality of life.

Program Reviews

5.00 Rating
based on 10 reviews
  • 5 rating 100%
  • 4 rating 0%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.9
  • Support 5
  • Fun 4.9
  • Value 4.8
  • Safety 5
Showing 1 - 8 of 10 reviews
Default avatar
IAN
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A most amazing life changing experience

The preparatory organisation was excellent. Information was provided in a clear concise manner, timely and there was always a prompt response to any queries or concerns. The personal preparation workbooks were really useful and certainly helped me prepare for the project and contributed to its success. The local team support was exceptional in every way. Questions or queries were treated quickly and considerately. The local rep was exceptionally knowledgeable and proactively helpful. All these factors contributable to one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

What was your funniest moment?
For me this project brought together so many different life experiences of working with people. The disability challenges faced by the adult clients of this project are many and varied however with encouragement, support and a can-do fun approach these disabilities presented could easily turn into the most creative and amazing 'abilities'. One example was a simple fun walk in the gardens picking small flowers and leaves soon turned into the creation of beautiful works of art. The fun was infectious and soon several clients all wanted to join in. It was a joy to watch and be a part of the fun.
Pros
  • Learning the power communication through engagement, smiles, gestures and encouragement
  • Working with the most amazing professional care givers, listening to them and providing extra supportive hands.
  • Forming positive, meaningful and genuine friendships with the clients that developed each day
Cons
  • Next time I would learn more of the local language - just simple phrases before I went
4 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Sesili
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Transformative journey

Volunteering within special needs communities offers a transformative journey of empathy, resilience, and societal impact. Engaging in activities that support individuals with diverse challenges fosters personal growth, cultivates essential life skills, and contributes to building more inclusive societies. Embrace the opportunity to make meaningful connections and foster a culture of acceptance and belonging.By volunteering with special needs populations, you can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others while also gaining valuable insights and experiences that can enrich your own life. I will be forever thankful for this opportunity.

9 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Raquel
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Life changing experience

They went above and beyond in preparing me before my trip! Really left no stone unturned, I felt super safe & prepared before I left! When greeted at the airport I felt like I was truly going to have the best time ever, my volunteer coordinator really put me at ease, and the accommodations and food exceeded my expectations! Everyone at the animal shelter where I volunteered was super thorough, and everyone put in a great effort to give the dogs the best home possible. Truly an inspirational trip. It changed my perspective in many ways. Can’t wait to volunteer with IVHQ again

Pros
  • High walkability
  • Felt super safe, ventured out at night as a solo young female
  • Great variety of food, and great affordability
Cons
  • Experienced more cloudy days than sun
37 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Edwina Putri
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best experience of my life!

I had the best experience 9 weeks volunteering in Croatia for Animal Care Program. This was both my first time traveling alone and volunteering abroad, and IVHQ was really suitable for me as a beginner. They gave me detailed & helpful information about what to bring and what to expect. Also, especially the local team on ground in Croatia really went above and beyond to make sure that I was safe and enjoying the program. I cannot recommend it enough! Amazing company and experience, changed my life!

Pros
  • Easy & detailed information
  • Impact for society
  • Cultural experience
Cons
  • Quite expensive
36 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Laryn
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Program Out There!

This program is the best out there- affordable, high experience, humbling volunteering, and lifelong best friends! I truly didn't want to leave and will always have a peace of my heart in Croatia and hope to do it again soon! I originally chose Animal Care in Croatia for many reasons- some including my huge love for animals, photography, traveling, etc. so I couldn't choose between locations, but I was obsessed with the idea of animal care. I chose Croatia because it looked so beautiful and it was the cheapest option for me- program cost and plane ticket. Little did I know, I would be immensely changed from this one week trip. And this was my first trip as a solo traveler and internationally alone, but once I got there I made best friends and I was always with them and Croatia is one of the safest countries out there!

Pros
  • Safe
  • Solo Traveling
  • Affordable
Cons
  • Wish I Could Stay Longer
34 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Amelie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Animal Care Volunteer

I literally have nothing bad to say. The local team was so friendly, all our questions were answered and they went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and knew what we were doing. They organised weekend excursions and local tours. We were showed everything, from how to navigate the public transport to what beaches were best to see in our down time. The area is beautiful, I felt very taken care of as a solo female, and first time traveller/volunteer. Felt like I was actually helpful with the volunteering and made something of a difference. Couldn't recommend it enough!

Pros
  • Friendly helpful local team
  • Beautiful area
  • Value for money
47 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Neve
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

unforgettable experience

This trip was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Entering the program, I was worried that I would have trouble making friends or meeting anyone that I could get along with during my time in a foreign country. In the end, I had no reason to worry, everyone I met during this trip was so kind and friendly and like minded. I will never forget everyone I met thanks to this experience, they will be friends for life. The volunteering itself was amazing too, Croatia is such a beautiful country and a great location for the program. Not to mention the hostel was amazing. I went during early spring and it was a great time, it wasn’t too hot and it wasn’t tourist season which was perfect. Everyone that was a part of the program was so helpful and accommodating and the hours I spent at the shelter were so worthwhile. The shelter was a great environment and it provided lots of opportunities to try and improve the lives of the animals there. I definitely plan to do another program with IVHQ in the future. Overall this was such an amazing experience and I will never forget it, I only wish I had stayed longer!

Pros
  • I met countless amazing people.
  • The hostel was great, very clean and comfortable.
  • Croatia is such a beautiful country with so much interesting history.
Cons
  • I wish I would have stayed longer than I did.
44 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Camille
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing experience in Croatia, on the Marine Conservation program

My volunteer trip to Croatia went perfectly well; the organizers were incredibly kind and through this experience, I was able to meet some amazing people, with whom I made some very strong friendships.
However, I was only in Croatia for one week and I think it should be stated on the website that one week is not enough for the marine conservation program. Indeed, since I was not at all qualified in diving, teaching me all the basics took the whole week and I had very little opportunity to pick up trash on the ocean floor.
Nevertheless, I still insist that it was an extraordinary experience and one that I will remember for the rest of my life!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
Our volunteer schedule ran from Monday to Friday, so we had the entire weekend to enjoy our free time and visit the area. With my friends that I met on this program, we decided to do a 5 Islands tour. The first islands were certainly very beautiful, but nothing impressive. Then, the organizers of the tour announced to us that we would have to wait a little while on an island to reach our next destination: the blue cave. In the beginning, we just thought that we would have to wait for 30min, 1h at the most! But as time went by, it took more than 2h30 before we could leave. During this time, we really hoped that this visit would be worth it, especially since the island where we were waiting was almost uninhabited and we were very hungry...! So, once the waiting was over, we got back onboard a small boat and headed to the blue cave... The guide showed us the tiny entrance we had to pass through: it was so small that we wondered if we would even be able to get in! But once the passage was behind us, many admiration shouts rose among us: the beauty of the cave, of a brilliant blue, reflecting on the walls had amazed us all!
62 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers