Find your volunteering summer activity with these 7 ideas
How about getting involved in something that lets you spend the summer outdoors while helping others have a good time? Whether it’s supporting holiday camps, being part of the crew at events and festivals, taking seniors on rickshaw tours, or participating in community cleanups, there are plenty of ways to turn your summer energy to good use. We have put together 7 ideas for you here.
- Get involved in cycling activities during the summer
- Supervise children and young people during the summer holidays
- Be part of summer and music festivals
- Accompany elderly and disabled people during leisure activities
- Get involved in climate and nature conservation
- Be part of a clean-up
- Volunteering at the beach
1. Get involved in cycling activities during the summer
Cycling is not only fun in summer, it also offers many opportunities for social engagement. For example, you can teach children, adults, or specifically refugee women how to ride a bike — for greater mobility in everyday life. Or you can repair bikes together with others in open bike workshops, helping people who cannot afford expensive repairs. This is an easy way to share your love of cycling with others.
2. Supervise children and young people during the summer holidays
Volunteering during the summer holidays is a great way to give children and young people unforgettable experiences. Whether at holiday camps, leisure trips, or educational programs – if you’re adventurous, enjoy working with kids, and have a bit of organizational talent, volunteering at summer or tent camps might be just right for you. You’ll work alongside experienced team leaders and gain valuable experience in educational work and teamwork. It’s ideal for students or anyone looking to spend their summer doing something meaningful.
3. Be part of summer and music festivals
Summer is the peak season for outdoor culture, from open-air cinemas and street festivals to music stages in parks. To ensure that such events run smoothly, many helping hands are needed: setting up the technology, at the entrance, looking after artists, or accompanying visitors with limited mobility. If you are passionate about music, art, or theater and enjoy organizing, you can actively help shape events by volunteering. In addition to free admission, you will also gain exciting insights behind the scenes and the feeling of making a special experience possible for others.
4. Accompany elderly and disabled people during leisure activities
What many people take for granted—a walk in the park, a visit to a café, or a short bike ride—is often only possible for older people or people with disabilities with assistance. Especially in summer, when many activities take place outdoors, they appreciate having someone accompany them to make these experiences possible.
As a volunteer, you can provide exactly this kind of support: for example, by taking seniors on rickshaw rides to the countryside and helping them with everyday activities, or by going on walks, excursions, and sporting activities with people with disabilities. It’s not just about mobility, but also about meeting people, sharing experiences, and having a good time together.
5. Get involved in climate and nature conservation
Healthy green spaces and a functioning ecosystem are essential for a livable future on our planet. You can support both with your commitment this summer. For example, by watering city trees, which are increasingly suffering from drought and high temperatures. In our blog on watering trees, we give you lots of valuable tips and advice on what you should bear in mind.
Of course, you can also get involved in animal and insect protection, for example by building a good insect hotel, supporting animal welfare organizations, or getting involved in improving the welfare of farm animals.
Would you like to get involved in nature in a different way? Then you will find many more options in our article on climate and environmental protection projects.
6. Be part of a clean-up
You want to take active measures against environmental pollution? Then join a clean-up in your neighborhood or on a riverbank in your city. Whether alone or as a group activity with friends, litter collection campaigns are an effective way to protect natural areas and make a visible difference.
Tip: Many cities have regular clean-up initiatives that you can easily join. Or you can organize your own campaign. All you need is a few friends, gloves, tongs (or barbecue tongs), and trash bags. Collecting trash together is a great way to strike up a conversation and raise awareness about the issue at the same time.
7. Volunteering at the beach
Where better to enjoy summer than by the water? Whether at the sea or a lake, there are many ways to combine your day at the beach with a commitment. As a volunteer lifeguard, for example, you can ensure greater safety on beaches while enjoying beautiful days in the sun yourself. Or you can turn your next beach walk into a mini scientific expedition and gather knowledge about our marine life as a BeachExplorer.
Your vostel.de team wishes you lots of fun volunteering this summer!
I want to be part of your volunteer programs, basically under children
Hi Jackline, great to hear that you are looking for a volunteer position. You will find all information about the organisations and the projects that you can get involved in via the links in the article. Once you are on the website you can choose a project you would like to support and get in contact with the respective organisation for more details.
Hello, I’m interested in volunteering with especially standing up for animals and environmental protection unit.
I want to be a volunteer to stand up for animal and environment protection.
Hi there! You can find various options to volunteer for animals or environmental protection via the respective button in the article above. Also you find specific volunteering opportunities at different organisations on our platform: for animal welfare here and for environmental protection here. Hope you have a joyful volunteering experience!