Do you love animals? There are many ways in which you can support animal welfare.

• Help out at an animal shelter or animal welfare organisation: Help care for the animals, walk dogs or help to organize events.
• Dog sitting in your neighbourhood: Look after your neighbours’ dogs when they’re at work or away on holiday.

Are you good at DIY? Those less gifted than you will be grateful for your support. And many organizations are happy to welcome anyone who can lend a hand.

• Construction projects for community facilities: Help with renovation work at schools, youth centers or other community facilities.
• Workshop work: Help with repair work on bicycles, furniture or everyday objects, which are often donated to charity.
• Neighbourhood help: Help to install lamps, assemble cupboards or screw shelves together.

Are you interested in culture? Then volunteering in the cultural or tourism sector is a good option.

• Museums: Help behind the scenes with administration or organization or support exhibitions by assisting visitors.
• Libraries/toy libraries: Categorize books, help with lending or organizing readings and events.
• Theatre/music: Help to organize theatre performances, build sets or sew costumes.
• Tourism: Support city tours and contribute your knowledge of the local area. 

Do you enjoy interacting with people? You will find many opportunities to help others in the social sector.

• Mentoring: Give young people guidance as they enter working life, help refugees learn the language or find accommodation.
• Support senior citizens: Visit older people regularly, help with everyday tasks or administrative work. You can do this with an organization or informally in the neighbourhood.
• Schools and children: Volunteer as a classroom assistant at your local school, become a substitute grandparent or help a child with their homework. 

Do you enjoy being physically active? There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in the world of exercise and sport.

• Sport: Train children and young people or help organize sporting events at a club.
• Hiking: Lead hiking groups in your region or help to maintain hiking trails.
• Neighbourhood: Take the neighbour’s dog for a walk, help with the shopping or play football with the children. 

Are you a nature lover? There are many conservation projects that you could help with.

• Nature conservation projects: Help with local environmental projects or maintain green spaces.
• Gardening: Support community gardens or keep your neighbour’s gardens in good shape.
• Nature conservation organisations: Take part in various projects or help with administration and management. 

Are you a technical expert? Your support will be in great demand from organizations and individuals. 

• IT support for seniors: Help older people to use computers, smartphones or tablets.
• Repairs/maintenance: Repair electrical appliances or bicycles for charitable organizations.

benevol Switzerland, the umbrella organization of the regional specialist agencies for volunteering in German-speaking Switzerland, defines volunteering on its website as follows: “Volunteering encompasses all forms of unpaid, self-determined work outside one’s own nuclear family that is performed for a limited period of time. Volunteering complements and enriches paid work, but does not compete with it.” 

The Volunteer Monitor, which was last published in 2020, regularly analyses volunteering in Switzerland. The brochure “Volunteering in the second half of life” focuses in a supplementary report on the voluntary work of the 55 to 74 age group. Both identify three forms of volunteering:

• Formal/institutionalized volunteering: This includes voluntary and unpaid activities in associations, organizations or public institutions. Minor expense allowances are available.
• Informal voluntary work: This refers to unpaid activities performed in the social environment outside of associations or organizations. Unlike domestic and family work, this work is aimed at people outside the household. 
• Donating: Instead of time and labour, this involves donating money or goods in kind. Support in this case is monetary. This also includes sponsorships and inheritances.  

Volunteer work in Switzerland is generally unpaid. However, there are various forms of recognition and support for voluntary work. If volunteer work is institutionalized, there are usually clear guidelines for compensation. However, it is in the nature of things that informal volunteer work is compensated in very different ways.

• Certificates
  To recognize the work of volunteers, organizations often issue certificates to confirm their commitment. The “Volunteering” dossier has been created in Switzerland to make volunteering more visible. The link will open in a new window Go to the dossier
• Communication and inclusion in decision making
  This type of compensation is not measurable or clearly defined, but is very valuable, nevertheless. Volunteers are given the opportunity to exchange ideas, build a network, have a say in their area of work and help shape things.
• Benefits in kind
  Many organizations offer their volunteers benefits in kind. This includes work clothing or equipment, catering during assignments and materials required for the activity, such as writing or craft materials.
• Services and gifts
  Volunteers may often benefit from certain services. This includes discounts on products and services, access to exclusive events or further training opportunities for volunteers.
• Expenses and reimbursement of expenses
  Volunteer work can involve expenses. These are usually reimbursed. This includes, for example, purchases or travelling expenses. Sometimes an expense allowance is also paid. However, such expenses do not count as financial compensation.
• Financial remuneration
  Depending on the tasks, institution or provider, voluntary work is financially compensated within a certain framework. This applies in particular to members of the Board of Directors or authorized representatives who receive attendance fees, daily allowances or small fees.