Volunteering: the Benefits of Giving Time

Like many newcomers, when I first moved to Luxembourg, I felt isolated and was eager to feel more connected - to people, to a purpose, to the place I now called home; volunteering has helped me achieve this (and more) over the past eight years.

Having arrived in Luxembourg to pursue a master's degree, I quickly surrounded myself with fellow international students. As time passed, however, many of them moved away, while I chose to stay - for both personal and professional reasons. I soon realised how difficult it can be to form meaningful connections as a working adult, particularly in a "foreign" land.

Different countries and regions (from where members of Luxembourg's international community originate) have different levels of community and social involvement, including volunteering; and sometimes there are stake differences between such practices and norms in urban and rural environments, e.g. volunteering for the local fire brigade, youth club or scouting organisation.

Through my work as a journalist, I learned about a Luxembourg-based professional women's organisation - one that made networking seem less daunting. In 2020 (yes, the pandemic year), I joined its communications team as a volunteer. This experience has been incredibly rewarding, enabling me to use my skills to help support a cause and team close to my heart and at the same time allowing me to grow my professional and personal networks. I understand this scenario might not be the first thing that comes to mind when people hear the word "volunteering," but that's part of the beauty of Luxembourg: there truly is something for everyone.

To illustrate it, here are just some of the many ways people can volunteer in the Grand Duchy:

Health, Social and Humanitarian Causes

Many non-profit organisations in Luxembourg are active in these fields, supporting refugees, the homeless and those with health conditions, among others. A non-exhaustive list includes:

• Luxembourg Red Cross - committed to humanitarian missions
• Fondation Cancer - supports cancer patients and their loved ones, as well as cancer research
• ALAN - Maladies Rares Luxembourg - supports and defends the interests of people affected by a rare disease
• Fondation Autisme Luxembourg - promotes and defends the rights of autistic people
• Think Pink Luxembourg - supports women affected by cancer and their loved ones, raises awareness and funds
• Tricentenaire - offers support services to people with disabilities and their families
• Stëmm vun der Strooss - supports people experiencing homelessness and other vulnerable members of society
• Ambulanz Wonsch - aims to fulfil the final wish of people receiving palliative care or who are terminally ill and bedridden
• SOS Détresse helpline and Kanner-Jugendtelefon (KJT) counselling service
• Association of Luxembourg Prison Visitors (ALVP) - provides moral support to prisoners and supports them in their successful reintegration
• LUkraine asbl - supports the people of Ukraine in both Luxembourg and Ukraine itself
• Lëtz Rise Up - a feminist and anti-racist organisation fighting discrimination

Environment and Animal Welfare

For those passionate about nature and animals:

• Natur&ëmwelt - nature conservation organisation
• Greenpeace Luxembourg - environmental campaigning organisation
• TERRA - community-supported agro-ecological centre
• Animal shelters across the country (some listed here and here)

Sports, Education and Youth

Volunteering in these areas ranges from coaching and mentoring to supporting inclusive sport and youth engagement:

• Sportunity - connecting people through sports
• Digital Inclusion - seeking to make ICT accessible to all
• Telstar International Scout Group and other local scouts and guides groups
• Local sports clubs
• Tutoring or homework help initiatives

Business and Professional Volunteering

People who are, like me, interested in volunteering their time to support professional networks and knowledge sharing can check out:

• Business chambers, such as the American Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg (AMCHAM), the British Chamber of Commerce for Luxembourg (BCC) and the Ireland Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce (ILCC), among others
• Professional (networking) organisations, such as The NETWORK
• Mentoring opportunities for students or entrepreneurs

Social Organisations

Luxembourg is also home to various social clubs and organisations which are run and supported by volunteers, including but not limited to:

• British Ladies Club of Luxembourg (BLC)
• American Women's Club of Luxembourg (AWCL)
• Irish Club of Luxembourg (ICL)

Volunteering for Youth (Under 30)

Luxembourg offers several structured programmes coordinated by the National Youth Service (SNJ):

• National Volunteer Service (SVN) - in Luxembourg
• European Solidarity Corps (ESC) - across Europe
• Development Volunteer Service (SVC) - in "developing" countries

 These often include training and a modest allowance, offering young people meaningful and supported experiences.

Festivals and Events

Throughout the year, various cultural, community and fundraising events rely on volunteers including:

• International Bazaar (Bazar International)
• Film festivals, such as the British & Irish Film Festival Luxembourg (BIFFL), the Luxembourg City Film Festival (LuxFilmFest) and the Central and Eastern European Film Festival (CinEast)
• Sports events such as the ING Night Marathon and the Škoda Tour de Luxembourg (professional cycling race)

Still not sure where to begin? A good starting point is the Agence du Bénévolat and its dedicated volunteering portal: https://benevolat.lu/en/. It offers listings and guidance across sectors - from one-off opportunities to longer commitments.

Other sources of information include the Serve the City (Luxembourg) online volunteering platform: https://servethecity.lu/ and the ShapeOn platform connecting local organisations with volunteers and advisors to address challenges identified by the organisations themselves: https://www.shapeon.org/

Young people considering volunteering can also check out the SNJ website for information about current programmes.

Those who wish to have their commitment officially recognised can apply for a volunteering certificate ("CERTIFICATE"), issued via participating organisations - a useful addition to a CV or university application.

If you have read this far, I trust you will agree that volunteering is a "win-win" experience that benefits us all - and perhaps this piece will inspire you or someone you know to take the leap and volunteer for a worthy cause.

These experiences help us integrate and give back to our community, but they also help us grow - in my case, as a communicator, a professional and simply as a human being. In return for our time and effort, we gain new perspectives, meet people with whom we might never otherwise cross paths and discover more about ourselves. For newcomers to Luxembourg, long-time residents, students, pensioners and working professionals alike, volunteering can be a gateway to connection, purpose and community.