Join our team on Samos!

All our services rely on an amazing team of volunteers to carry out our activites. If you are a team player, have a lot of great ideas, and would like to make a difference for people on the move, you should consider joining us!

Keep in mind that we work in a demanding context. Volunteers should expect to live and work in an environment that can, at times, be physically and emotionally demanding. On certain occasions, we have to work very long hours at short notice and deal with unfamiliar and challenging situations, including emergencies. 

Nevertheless, we provide support and training for our team and try to accommodate everyone’s needs depending on the situation.

Diversity Statement

We are committed to equal opportunities for everyone regardless of background, religion, or sexual orientation. We acknowledge that people from certain backgrounds are under-represented in humanitarian work and want to do what we can to correct this. We believe that a team with diverse religious, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds will be better able to support displaced people living on Samos.

We particulary encourage people from a refugee or minority background as well as those who identify as LGBTQIA+ to apply. past.

Requirements

  • Two months minimum commitment, but preferably longer, due to the nature of our work (if you are a returning volunteer, we can also consider you if you cannot meet the minimum commitment)

  • Can communicate in English

  • Over the age of 20

  • A working phone with WhatsApp

  • Self-funded: this includes organising and covering the costs of your own transport, living costs, and activities outside of our projects. (For more information, see our Travel & Accommodation page)

  • We accept researchers or interns on an ad hoc basis; please be very clear in your application what it is you intend to do, and be aware that Samos Volunteers can only offer limited added supervision and paperwork

General Volunteering

We are looking for people who are enthusiastic, professional and understand the sensitivites of working in the field with people on the move. You should be commited to our values and our code of conduct, and to carrying them out with compassion. We hope also you will bring with you fresh ideas and new ways of work, to help us constantly improve our community centres.

Our timetable and each volunteer’s role vary depending on day-to-day needs. For this reason, an open mind and a flexible approach to work are essential.

You may assist with:

  • Reception shifts;

  • Facilitating recreational activities,

  • Cleaning and maintenance of our spaces,

  • Teaching classes,

  • Translation (if applicable),

  • Logistic and maintenance,

  • Other tasks depend on our projects and needs.

Language teachers

We are looking for volunteers to join our team on Samos and teach adult English language classes.

We are looking for enthusiastic people who are passionate about teaching and education.

Although a teaching qualification would be beneficial, it is not required.

If you have teaching experience or would be interested in teaching and you can commit for eight weeks or more, we would love to hear from you!

In your volunteer application below, make sure to mention you are interested in the teaching position.

Logistics Volunteers

We are looking for practical, hands-on volunteers to support the upkeep of our spaces.

This role is ideal for people with basic maintenance skills, such as building repairs, plumbing, electrical work, basic carpentry, appliance repair, and general DIY tasks.

Woman Space facilitator

We are looking for female volunteers organizing and implementing recreational and well-being activities for women and girls for the community.

If you are creative and passionate about creating a safe space for women, join us in Samos to facilitate our Women’s Space sessions.  

Kids Sessions facilitator

We are looking for volunteers to join our team on Samos and facilitate kids activities’ sessions.

If you are energetic and patient, and if you have experience working with kids or in child friendly spaces, this might be the role for you!

LGBTQI+ Sessions facilitator

We are looking for volunteers who are sensitive about inclusion and LGBTQI+ topics and that would like to co-facilitate activities during the LGBTQI+ sessions.

Members of the LGBTQI+ community are encouraged to apply.  

If you have experience in creating safe space for the LGTBQI+ community and/or with refugees identifying as LGBTQI+ and would be interested in facilitating our LGBTQI+ safe space, we would love to hear from you!

Please refer any additional questions to recruitment@samosvolunteers.org via email.

For Volunteer positions, apply by pressing the button below!

Apply

Management Positions

At the moment, there are no open management positions.

How the team works together

We bring together a culturally diverse team of 20+ people from over 15 different countries. This diversity is something to be celebrated. However, it comes with unique challenges when working together as a team. Our Code of Conduct is based on lessons learned along the way, which help us all work together in a respectful, sustainable, and safe environment. Everyone on the team has agreed to adhere to these guidelines while at Samos Volunteers.

You can read our Code of Conduct here.

Questions?

You can find answers to some questions we’ve been asked about volunteering on Samos here.

Travel and Accommodation

You can find information for volunteers about travelling to Samos and accommodation on the island here.

Further reading about volunteering in a humanitarian context.

Without the contribution of volunteers to humanitarian work, life for displaced people living in Samos would be much more difficult than it already is. However, despite good intentions, untrained volunteers can cause harm or aggravate the problems they seek to address. We underline the importance of training our volunteers and encourage self-study to prepare people to work in this challenging environment.

We’ve selected the following article and videos to give you an idea of the challenges you may face as a volunteer and clarify the challenges that can and do arise from working in the environment we’re based in.

As Travel Opens Up Again, Aid Voluntourism Needs To Get Real.

Volunteer Tourists Are Still Showing Up at Greek Refugee Camps. Are They Really Helping?