Social issues

• Broken Bread

  location

  Zürich

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  The Incontro association helps those in need in the Langstrassenquartier in Zurich. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a greater need for support for those living on the street. To date, the association has distributed up to 400 meals every evening. The past months have seen conditions worsen for such individuals, leading to a diversified range of support. The association recently set up its own premises in the district, offering Covid-secure advice, German classes and a sewing workshop. We are now looking for volunteers to help out in the office and on the street.

• obvita – cafeteria support

  location

  St. Gallen

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  Residents are served in the cafeteria. They form new acquaintances and find new things to talk about. You get to know elderly people and understand their thoughts and concerns, as well as developing your social skills.

• Caritas-Bergeinsatz. Help mountain farming families in need

  location

  The whole of Switzerland

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  Volunteers help Swiss mountain farming families who are experiencing an emergency due to accident, illnesses, pregnancies, or some other hardship. Help with a range of occasional work such as hay making, farm work, animal care, household chores, childcare and the like, and experience the joy of the simple life in the mountains.

• Distributing food

  location

  Birsfelden

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  The newly founded organization Tafel Thanksgiver Switzerland aims to provide food to families in need. Our mission is to combat hunger and prevent food waste. We strive to change the lives of people in need and improve the health and well-being of our community by providing healthy, nutritious food. Every Thursday our members collect, transport, order and distribute packaged foods, beverages, fresh products, dairy, bread and any other food items, provided to us by various stores.

• Fulfill heartfelt wishes through your involvement as a wishmaker

  location

  The whole of Switzerland

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  By volunteering with Make-A-Wish, you help fulfill the heartfelt wishes of seriously ill children, giving them new hope and joy in life. You accompany the children and their families as they journey toward fulfill their wishes, working as part of a dedicated team and with comprehensive support from head office. Your commitment not only makes a big difference to the children – you yourself will also experience a sense of purpose, gratitude, and the feeling of being part of something truly meaningful. The assignments are flexible, take place throughout Switzerland and offer you the opportunity to develop personally and create lasting memories.

• My ear for you - just talk!

  location

  The whole of Switzerland

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  The association «My ear for you - just talk!» operates the first everyday telephone for young and old in Switzerland. People who don't have anyone to talk to or who just want to chat can find a volunteer employee who will listen to them in order to have an everyday conversation. The initiative would like to make a contribution to social participation and make a low-threshold telephone offer to lonely people with little or no social contacts. We all know what a good conversation can do: we just feel better afterwards. An initiative from the heart of society - people for people - 100% volunteer work.

• Voluntary engagement in the administrative team of Make-A-Wish

  location

  The whole of Switzerland

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  Make-A-Wish needs volunteers who are committed to the administrative side of fulfilling the wishes of seriously ill children. Contribute to sustainably changing the lives of affected children and their families, and to giving them hope and strength for their future. Thanks to your efforts, wishmakers can visit children facing severe medical challenges and make their dreams come true.

• Red Cross Zug transport service

  location

  Baar

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  Do you like to drive? Do you have your own car and some free time, and would you like to help us? For many elderly people or people who are recovering from a serious illness or accident, traveling to the doctor is difficult. This is where the Red Cross Zug transport service can help. Red Cross volunteers use their own car to take passengers from their home to a doctor's, hospital or therapy appointment and back home again.

• Mentoring by fokusnetzwerk

  location

  Kanton Zürich

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  As a mentor for fokusnetzwerk, you can use your knowledge and experience to help refugees gain new perspectives and enjoy a richer life in Swiss society. Together with a person from a refugee background, you can practice German over a coffee or during a walk, pursue a hobby or complete math homework together. Of course, there are other areas that you can choose, or you can suggest your own. At fokusnetzwerk you can work with a refugee for six months on an area that suits your strengths and interests.

• Volunteer at the food bank in Solothurn

  location

  Solothurn

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  Our dream is of a society without hunger and waste – a community where everyone has access to nutritious food, and where we use surplus resources responsibly. ThanksGiver Schweiz regularly receives food donations from retailers, producers and partner companies. These products, which include fresh food, bread, dairy products, non-perishable goods and everyday items such as personal hygiene products, are carefully sorted and packaged by our volunteers and distributed to people in difficult circumstances. Food that is no longer suitable for human consumption but still usable is responsibly donated to farms or for use as pet food.

• Mentoring for young people

  location

  Kanton Zug

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  Would you like to join our project as a mentor for young people? We are currently in need of support and so would be very grateful to have you on board. MUNTERwegs is a mentoring project that assigns volunteers to young people from migrant and non-migrant backgrounds. The program thus contributes to cultural integration, promotes equal opportunities and enables participants to actively participate in social life. The project is mainly geared towards young people aged between 13 and 16 from migrant backgrounds and vulnerable Swiss families from the canton of Zug. As part of the MUNTERwegs program for young people, mentors help their mentees to choose a career. Volunteers receive support in regular group events and coaching sessions.

• The Winterstube

  location

  Zurich

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  The homeless of Zurich are particularly affected by winter. But many facilities are closed on weekends or have reduced opening hours – so it’s all the more necessary to keep the Winterstube open on weekends during winter to provide shelter from the cold. People in desperate situations are given a little breathing space, the opportunity to use a PC, take a shower and wash their clothes. For some, this provides for some inner respite: finding peace, recovering their strength. Volunteers willing to donate their valuable time are urgently needed.

• Contribute your time and show you care

  location

  Region City of Lucerne

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  Neighborhood help from the Zeitgut Lucerne cooperative: volunteer in your region! Would you like to get involved in your neighborhood and support people in their everyday lives? With the Zeitgut Lucerne cooperative, you can support others with time and care – it’s simple, worthwhile and brings a lot of joy to those involved. Neighborhood assistance is low-threshold, personal, and takes place directly in the everyday lives of those seeking help. The requests are diverse, but social contact is always at the center. Our volunteers are active in the neighborhoods of the city of Lucerne, in Kriens, and in surrounding communities. Sign up and become part of a vibrant community that brings neighborhood life to the entire Lucerne region.

• Experiencing integration in a team through sporting commitment

  location

  Zurich

  calendar

  Seasonal

  
  social user Free spaces available time Seasonal recurring

  The aim of this project is to promote social integration and mutual understanding between private individuals and refugee youth and women by using sport—especially cricket—as a shared platform for encounters and cultural exchange. For many refugees, particularly those from cricket-loving countries, cricket is more than just a sport; it is an important part of their cultural identity. A playful, hands-on introduction to cricket allows young and female volunteers to experience this passion directly and offers an accessible and enjoyable way to understand another culture and begin meaningful intercultural exchange. The project supports refugee youth and women by fostering social contacts, self-confidence, visibility, and access to informal mentoring and role models. Volunteers benefit from meaningful intercultural encounters, shared experiences, and active social responsibility. In a structured one-day program, refugee and volunteer youth and women train and play cricket together in mixed teams, overcoming barriers through shared experiences. Afterwards, shared meals and small group discussions provide opportunities for volunteers to share their personal educational and life journeys.

• Support in the eden21 garden

  location

  Winterthur or Hagenbuch (ZH)

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  In the Garden eden21, it’s not just flowers and herbs for delicious teas that grow – it’s also a unique collaboration. People with and without disabilities work hand in hand: from planting to drying, to packaging and selling. The result? A product that not only delights with its taste but also carries a powerful message: diversity enriches us all and strengthens our society. Our project breaks down barriers, highlights individual talents, and demonstrates how rewarding collaboration on equal footing can be – for the community as well as the market. Would you like to be part of this inspiring project? We would be delighted to welcome your support and engagement! Together, we can create something truly unique.

• Learning German

  location

  Region Aargau

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  We require volunteers with good German to teach the language to migrants in one-on-one tandems 2 to 4 times per month. You can help them learn German in the traditional way with a grammar book, or combined with other activities like shopping, museum visits or cooking together. These tandems are an opportunity to target the migrants’ precise individual needs and for them to obtain specific language skills. You can meet in public or private spaces.

• Transport service

  location

  Switzerland

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  Schweizer Tafel mainly supplies non-profit organizations. Institutions that process food themselves and/or distribute food to their clients are eligible for consideration. The organizations look after poor or needy people who receive little or no financial support from the state or that have a great need for food, such as soup kitchens. Schweizer Tafel collects surplus, unblemished food from donors and distributes it to charitable organizations.

• Mentoring for children

  location

  Kanton Luzern

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  MUNTERwegs is a mentoring program for children aged 5 to 12. Would you like to join our project as a mentor for children? We are currently in need of support and so would be grateful to have you on board. MUNTERwegs is a mentoring project that assigns volunteers to children from migrant and non-migrant backgrounds. The program contributes to cultural integration, promotes equal opportunities and enables participants to actively participate in social life. The project takes place at various MUNTERwegs locations and is mainly geared towards children aged between 5 and 12 from migrant backgrounds and vulnerable Swiss families. Volunteers receive support in regular group events and coaching sessions.

• Visiting and assistance service

  location

  Zug

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  Without help from volunteers, we would not be able to maintain our service for the elderly and people who are sick or have disabilities in Zug canton. As a volunteer, you will share a little of your time and abilities with someone. You’ll get to know new people, have interesting conversations and expand both your network and your social skills.

• Mentoring for children

  location

  Kanton Basel-Stadt

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  MUNTERwegs is a mentoring program for children aged 5 to 12. Would you like to join our project as a mentor for children? We are currently in need of support and so would be grateful to have you on board. MUNTERwegs is a mentoring project that assigns volunteers to children from migrant and non-migrant backgrounds. The program contributes to cultural integration, promotes equal opportunities and enables participants to actively participate in social life. The project takes place at various MUNTERwegs locations and is mainly geared towards children aged between 5 and 12 from migrant backgrounds and vulnerable Swiss families. Volunteers receive support in regular group events and coaching sessions.

• Driving and office services

  location

  Dübendorf / Canton of Zurich

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  Driving and office services Since 1990, the end-of-year Nez Rouge campaign has been a symbolic and at the same time very concrete gift to motorists during the holiday season. People volunteer in their region to drive their fellow citizens home in complete safety. For 30 years, the campaign has been raising public awareness of the consequences of getting behind the wheel when unfit to drive. Nez Rouge also promotes the designated driver principle: within the group, a driver who is fit to drive is designated in advance to get everyone home safely. We are looking for drivers, telephone operators, dispatchers

• Transport service for people with disabilities

  location

  Zurich

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  Transport service for people with disabilities Mobility is an undervalued good. The lack of mobility for people with disabilities means that they’re unable to participate in social life. We organize daily trips for anyone who is unable to use public transport due to a disability. This mainly involves organizing individual trips to health resorts, vacation destinations and general leisure travel. We also organize daily school trips for children with disabilities or commutes to residential homes or workplaces. In addition to our day-to-day business, we also organize half-day or full-day trips at regular intervals. All trips and participation in our three leisure projects are free of charge to members. Drivers are needed for our charitable trips. Help us help others!

• Volunteer at the food bank in Bern

  location

  Bern

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  Our dream is of a society without hunger and waste – a community where everyone has access to nutritious food, and where we use surplus resources responsibly. ThanksGiver Schweiz regularly receives food donations from retailers, producers and partner companies. These products, which include fresh food, bread, dairy products, non-perishable goods and everyday items such as personal hygiene products, are carefully sorted and packaged by our volunteers and distributed to people in difficult circumstances. Food that is no longer suitable for human consumption but still usable is responsibly donated to farms or for use as pet food.

• WohnFit

  location

  Zurich-Altstetten, Zurich-Oerlikon

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  People affected by poverty are significantly more impacted by inadequate housing on Zurich's highly competitive housing market. Yet, adequate housing is essential for social and economic inclusion and a pathway out of poverty. This is where the new Housing Search Support Center comes in. We provide direct and personal assistance in finding housing. Would you like to support us in this effort?

• AOZ tandem program for refugees

  location

  Zurich, Adliswil, Affoltern a/A., Brüttisellen

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  Accompany a refugee or family in their free time and support them when they arrive in Zurich. In a tandem, you meet with a refugee (single person or family) living in Zurich on a weekly basis for at least six months. You will be doing activities such as climbing the Uetliberg, cook a special meal together or study for a German exam. Regular catchups enable refugees to feel welcome, meet local people and settle in Zurich. A tandem is geared towards the specific needs of individuals and may focus on areas of support, such as speaking and practicing German, getting to know Zurich and its surroundings, spending leisure time together, building a network, doing homework, providing assistance with administrative tasks, and offering guidance in everyday life in a new environment. Meetups usually take place in the city of Zurich. Join us and do your bit for solidarity and understanding!

• incluso – Mentoring for migrants looking for an apprenticeship Zurich

  location

  Zürich

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  incluso is looking for volunteers with professional experience (mentors) to work with migrants (mentees). The aim of the project is to promote equal opportunities in the Swiss apprenticeship market for young people from migrant backgrounds – especially those who have recently immigrated to Switzerland. We organize tandems who work together over the course of a school year. There is an ever-increasing set of demands placed on school leavers as they transition to the job market. They need to be well connected, understand the complex Swiss education system and be confident in their own abilities. Young people from migrant backgrounds face greater hurdles in this process and often have fewer resources at their disposal.

• Collaboration on Project App Extension

  location

  Basel-City / Basel-Country

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  Babsy has been around since 2018, and since 2022 we have been operating an app in the greater Basel area that helps parents and caregivers find each other based solely on donations. We have built the safest contact platform currently available in Switzerland. Searching, booking, finding, chatting, and video calling are already possible, but our users' wish list is extensive, which is why we would like to tackle the next development steps together with you. Topics such as the mutual rating system, extensions to include day care providers, etc., are important to provide relief for parents and at the same time offer great job opportunities for sitters. The association is officially non-profit and is very committed to issues related to integration, equality, and social justice. The assistance can be very individually tailored, work can be done on-site and remotely, and you can use your strengths in a targeted manner.

• obvita – go for walks with the elderly and the blind

  location

  St. Gallen

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  Residents are accompanied on walks in their local area. They form new acquaintances and find new things to talk about. You get to know elderly people and understand their thoughts and concerns, as well as developing your social skills.

• Mentoring for children

  location

  Kanton Zug

  calendar

  Year-round

  
  social user Free spaces available time Year-round recurring

  MUNTERwegs is a mentoring program for children aged 5 to 12. Would you like to join our project as a mentor for children? We are currently in need of support and so would be grateful to have you on board. MUNTERwegs is a mentoring project that assigns volunteers to children from migrant and non-migrant backgrounds. The program contributes to cultural integration, promotes equal opportunities and enables participants to actively participate in social life. The project takes place at various MUNTERwegs locations and is mainly geared towards children aged between 5 and 12 from migrant backgrounds and vulnerable Swiss families. Volunteers receive support in regular group events and coaching sessions.