Volunteering for Teenagers in Cyprus: Where to Help and How It Counts

Volunteering is one of the best things a teenager can do in Cyprus: it builds confidence, makes local friends, helps with Greek and gives them something real to write about in a university application. The tricky part is that most Cypriot charities do not publish a minimum age, and there is no national volunteering scheme for under-18s, so you need to know where teenagers are welcome.

Here are the organisations and programmes, what they say about age, and how to make volunteering count.

How does volunteering work for teenagers in Cyprus?

The EU's Youth Wiki notes that Cyprus has no general nationwide volunteering programme run and funded by the government. Instead, volunteering for young people runs through schools, youth organisations and charities:

• At school. Since 2005 the Pancyprian Volunteerism Coordinative Council (PVCC), the national coordinating body for voluntary organisations, has run a Youth and Volunteerism programme in schools and colleges with the support of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth. Schools form volunteer groups and clubs, and the best projects win awards. Ask your teenager's school whether it has a volunteer group.
• Online. The PVCC also runs a volunteering portal, ethelontis.net, where volunteers and groups can register and organisations post their needs.
• Through youth groups and charities, as below.

Where can teenagers volunteer?

Cyprus Red Cross Youth Section

The Red Cross is one of the few organisations that clearly welcomes school pupils. Its Youth Section accepts membership applications from primary and secondary pupils, students and working people up to 45. Members visit people who are ill, visit the Stella Soulioti children's therapy centre, take part in environmental campaigns, camps and artistic events, and learn basic first aid, rescue and firefighting. Young people join through a group, such as a school or youth centre, which appoints a teacher or social worker as the contact with the Red Cross district committee. If your teenager's school has no group, ask a teacher to start one, or contact the Red Cross on 22 504400.

Is the Duke of Edinburgh's Award available in Cyprus?

Yes, through schools. The English School in Nicosia was the first school in Cyprus to introduce the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award, in September 1968. The International School of Paphos offers it at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels from age 13½. Participants work on four sections: Skill, Physical Recreation, Service and an Adventurous Journey, so volunteering is built in. If your teenager's school is not an Award centre, ask whether it would consider joining; our guide to international schools in Cyprus can help you compare schools.

What about volunteering abroad at 18?

The European Solidarity Corps is the EU's volunteering programme. Young people can register at 17, but activities start at 18, and volunteers must be no older than 30 at the start (35 for humanitarian aid volunteering). Projects run from two weeks to a year, either in another country or as a local solidarity project that a group of young people designs and runs themselves. Since 1 January 2024 the programme in Cyprus has been managed by IDEP, the Foundation for the Management of European Lifelong Learning Programmes.

Before your teenager turns 18, Eurodesk Cyprus, part of the Youth Board of Cyprus, is a good place to start looking. It shares information on volunteer placements, youth exchanges, internships, competitions and grants across Europe, and staff at the Youth Board's Youth Multicentres can explain the options. Solidarity projects are open to young people living in the EU and a few other programme countries.

How to start

1. Register on the European Solidarity Corps portal from age 17.
2. Browse opportunities on your dashboard and apply to projects that suit you.
3. Or get together with friends and apply for funding for your own solidarity project.

How does volunteering help with university applications?

• UK universities: The UCAS personal statement now asks three questions, including "What else have you done to prepare, and why are these experiences useful?" UCAS tells parents that volunteering can show commitment and willingness to contribute to the community.
• IB Diploma: Creativity, activity and service (CAS) is one of the core elements every Diploma student must complete. The IB defines service as an unpaid, voluntary exchange with a learning benefit for the student.
• Cyprus universities and beyond: A reference from a volunteer coordinator and evidence of regular commitment can support any application. Our guide to universities in Cyprus covers local options.

Make it count

1. Choose something linked to their interests, such as an animal shelter for a future vet, or a youth club project for a future teacher.
2. Commit for months, not days. Regular weekly help says more than a one-off.
3. Keep a log of dates, hours, tasks and what they learned.
4. Ask for a reference or certificate when they finish.

What should parents check?

• Supervision: Who will be in charge, and will your teenager ever be alone with vulnerable people?
• Insurance: The national Declaration of Rights and Responsibilities of Volunteers says voluntary organisations should provide insurance, so ask whether it covers volunteers under 18.
• Safety: Ask about gloves, sun protection, water and safe handling of animals.
• Costs: Volunteers are entitled to have activity costs reimbursed under that declaration, but organisations decide whether they can.
• Getting there: PAWS, Sirius and Simba are all outside the town centres, so plan transport.

Related guides

• Adopting a pet in Cyprus: shelters and rescues
• Building a social network in Cyprus
• Finding the best international schools in Cyprus
• Top universities in Cyprus for international students