Free (or Cheap) Volunteer Work in Croatia
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Grassroots Volunteering in Croatia
The organisations listed below have either got in touch with us to add their details to this or another of our websites, or we otherwise have reason to believe they are actively looking for international volunteers and charge reasonable or no fees to join in, live and work with them:
Snoopy Shelter
www.snoopy.hr
Share your passion for animal welfare in an Austro-Hungarian fort in Pula. Besides regular care, dogs at the Snoopy Shelter need activities, walks and, possibly, legal advice from a trademark lawyer. There is also an option to work the Snoopy Stand.
Where: Pula.
Accommodation & costs: No information is given on their website but their Workaway listing says they provide a mobile home which has two bedrooms – both with a double bed, a common area, toilet and shower – and an allowance in the self catering kitchen of three meals a day.
Festival Volunteering in Croatia
Typically the rewards of volunteering at a festival are a free ticket and a better camping pitch.
Outlook Festival
www.outlookfestival.com
The largest soundsystem culture festival in Europe, Outlook is held each year around the end of July. Information on volunteering gets sparser each year, and now consists entirely of the words “Volunteers, please get in touch via this form” When information on their website used to be more forthcoming, we believed those trying to get a foothold into the events industry would be most attracted to joining the Management Support Team (MST). Other volunteer roles included stewarding, artist liaison, box office, campsite patrol, litter picking, site crew, and décor. Volunteers work three six to eight hour shifts and in return receive food tokens, refunded camping, and save the £140+ cost of the festival ticket.
Putting in a few flyering shifts at home – the organisers were particularly looking for people in London, Manchester, Leeds and Bristol – used to be an additional way to get a free ticket to the event, but we can no longer verify if this is still a possibility.
Hostel Work Exchanges
Many hostels use help exchange networks (see below) to find volunteer staff but the following either advertise on their websites or are particularly noted for taking on volunteers:
HI Hostels
www.hicroatia.com
As a non profit HI Hostels appreciates every help and contribution to their work and strives to continuously develop volunteering with their association. In return for working on reception, cleaning, changing beds and all the other day to day chores involved in keeping a hostel running smoothly, volunteer workers can expect at least a dorm bed. Free wifi, laundry and any service provided as standard to paying guests should also be expected. Their hostels in Zagreb, Rijeka, Pula, Veli Lošinj, Zadar and Dubrovnik typically look for sociable and well-travelled English speakers willing to pitch in where needed. Knowledge of any other foreign language is a plus. Social media influencers can make themselves useful here too.
More Hostel Work Exchanges
Located in Korčula, the people behind Dragan’s Den Hostel believe in one thing, and that is island time and island life. While that are two things we spotted them recently looking for short time volunteers for the hostel. Contact details here.
At the bottom of the page on Hostel Dalmatia‘s website, volunteers are welcomed to join the team not only helping with daily tasks but also with creating an amazing atmosphere for their guests. The Lazy Monkey Hostel & Apartments is also on the Dalmatian coast. We’ve seen them use their social media to search for volunteers with previous experience for a minimum of four weeks.
Fun and relaxed people who can party and entertain guests but still get on with the cleaning the morning will receive free accommodation at Funky Donkey. Five to six hours of work a day. Online, we’ve seen them use Worldpackers to recruit.
Other Opportunities to Volunteer in Croatia
As a place for pet owners to board their dogs (or cats, snakes, ducks, giraffes or any other animal) while they go on vacation, to school, to work or just pop down the shops, Habitat Hotel & Dog Training School use their profits to help rescued animals too. We’ve seen them use social media to find volunteers who will work with their doggie guests for five hours a day with one day off in the week. Volunteers here need to have experience working with dogs and in exchange, you will have accommodation in a cosy house, breakfast and dinner. They prefer their volunteers to stay a long time, a minimum of one month at least. They’ll also offer payment to dog trainers. Send them a message via their Instagram if interested.
SOS Dubrovnik Cats is run by a group of volunteers based outside of Croatia so they are not always on the ground but they do make use of local volunteers too.
PM Patricia Mayerhofer, a regular contributor to the Abroad Volunteer Life Facebook group if you are a horse and sea lover. She takes on long term volunteers all through the year to take care of her three horses for a minimum four week stay but prefers longer in the summer months.
Another Facebook group advocate is Alen Zen Zo. He says he always wants volunteers to help with his earthship near Rovinj, 150 metres from the beach. Last we heard, he was about to start building a dance floor. Volunteers need to have their own tent. There will be one vegan meal a day and the idea is to create a pleasant company of several people who will work, eat, go to the beach together during the day and drum by the fire in the evening.
Outward Bound Croatia mainly runs training courses but also participates in some EU projects through the European Solidarity Corps and Erasmus+. They host a small number of inbound projects open to young volunteers from selected European countries.
Social media influencers, photographers and videographers can earn themselves a complimentary cruise on one of Sail Croatia‘s ships in exchange for agreed content.
Help Exchange Networks in Croatia
Workaway – https://www.workaway.info/hostlist-HR.html
More Volunteering in Croatia Resources
Volunteers’ Centre Zagreb – This civil society organisation with its roots in the Croatian anti war campaign. They used to have an English language page but this now appears to be gone.
Other Ways to Travel or Stay for Free in Croatia
Stay free in return for caring for local residents’ homes or pets. Join Trusted Housesitters to live rent free as a house sitter.
Image courtesy Chris Hoyle
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