The Welcome Office is in the process of establishing connections and partnerships with organisations and institutions in Florence in order to help EUI members who are interested in becoming active participants in the Florentine community through various volunteer activities. Volunteering is a great way to immerse yourself in Florentine culture, develop skills, make friends, and help others.
Below, you can find information on organisations that offer volunteering opportunities in various areas. Contact details are provided for each organisation, but please feel free to get in touch with the Welcome Office if you wish to request additional information.
Likewise, please get in touch if you know of any organisations interested in recruiting new volunteers.
Health
Address: Lungarno Soderini, 11
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://crifirenze.it/
Interested members must participate in a basic brief training. This course allows volunteers to participate in many CRI activities focused on supporting the Florentine population in need—grocery shopping, medicine pick-up and delivery, among others. Members who are interested in additional activities (such as volunteering on ambulances) will require an additional training.
CRI asks all members to participate in at least three shifts every two months. All languages welcome.
Address: Via Varchi, 63
Email: [email protected] (Ms. Silvia Celli)
Phone: 055-2466666
Website: https://associazionetumoritoscana.it/volontariato-domiciliare/
The ATT supports cancer patients in Tuscany in a number of ways.
Italian is not a requirement unless one wishes to volunteer in the administration sector.
The Association requires a brief training for those who wish to volunteer with patients in their homes.
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Culture and environment
Address: via Bassa 2/13, Ugnano (Firenze)
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.alpaHa.it
AlpaHa APS is an association of parents and professionals established with the goal of creating employment opportunities for young people with intellectual and relational disabilities. The initiative involves setting up an alpaca farm, including the entire wool supply chain and the production of handcrafted items using a loom.
Address: Piazza San Giovanni, 3
Phone: 055-2763757, 055-2763765
Email: [email protected] (Dr. Mauro Lastrucci, Volunteer Coordinator)
Website: https://www.arsetfides-firenze.it/
The association, which is part of a larger European network, offers free tours in the Churches of Duomo, Santa Maria Novella, and Santa Croce.
One shift per week (morning or afternoon) is required. Short-term volunteers (i.e. volunteers who will only remain a short time in Florence) receive a text in Italian or English about the church in which they will be giving the tour. Volunteers are asked to study the text, and when they are ready, they can start giving tours to tourists or interested visitors. Long-term volunteers receive a longer training with a guide.
No language requirements.
Address: Via de’ Michelozzi, 2
Email: [email protected] (Dr. Olivia Turchi)
Website: http://www.associazioneviamaggio.it/
Associazione Via Maggio is involved in a number of activities around Florence, such as cleaning graffiti and other acts of vandalism from buildings. During the COVID-19 emergency the Association has also created the project “Te la do io una mano”, helping people in Florence who require different type of assistance. Many volunteers participate also in the administrative or social media realm of the association.
The association requires to volunteer at least 2-3 hours per week. Knowledge of the Italian language can be required, depending on the type of volunteering activity.
Address: Via San Salvi, 12
Email: [email protected] (Ms. Mayka Cavarretta)
Website: https://www.lanuovatinaia.org/lab/
La Tinaia works with the public medical clinics located in the San Salvi area. It works closely with patients and helps them express themselves through art. The Association is open to volunteers and to the public for approximately two hours per day. Volunteers help in the Association archives, organizing each work of art in a paper and digital database. Volunteers might also be asked to assist with the organisation and set-up of art exhibitions.
Volunteers are asked to set up a weekly 2-hour volunteering schedule (opening hours are limited). Basic knowledge of the Italian language is preferred.
Food and clothes banks, people and elderly assistance
Address: Piazza S. Giovanni, 3
Email: [email protected] (Dr. Giuseppe Passaseo)
Website: http://www.caritasfirenze.it/ and https://www.fondazionesolidarietacaritas.it/
Caritas is part of the Catholic Church, and is comprised of various branches that aim at helping the local population: shelters, food banks, and other specific projects.
All volunteers are required to undergo an HACCP training for food handling and a security training. Depending on the type of volunteering activity, knowledge of the Italian language might be required.
The Association does not require a minimum amount of volunteering hours per week/month, but they ask that each volunteer respect their agreed-upon schedule.
Address: Various locations in Florence
Email: [email protected] (Mr. Niccolò Alpigiani)
Phone: 055-2393940
The Misericordia di Firenze is a historical association that helps the local population in many ways. There are five different locations in Florence, which often allows volunteers to choose the centre that is closest to them. There are several activities in which volunteers can participate, such as:
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Le Dodici Ceste: bringing food to local families in need
- Help for the elderly: volunteers visit the elderly or people with disabilities in their homes and help bathe them and change them
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Social and Health Services: accompanying the elderly, the sick, and people with disabilities to their appointments, and back home
Volunteers are asked to allocate 10 hours per month to volunteering activities. Training may be required, but only necessary to participate in emergency operations. Knowledge of the Italian language is preferred.
Address: Via Rucellai, 13
Email: [email protected] (Mr. Sandro Sanavio)
Phone: 055-294417
Website: https://stjames.it/st-james-episcopal-church-florence-italy/stjamesfoodbank/
St. James Episcopal Church organizes two types of activities to support the local community:
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Thrift shop on the first Wednesday of each month - volunteers at the church sell clothing items that the local community donated
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Food and clothes bank each Thursday - volunteers help distribute clothes and pre-packaged food to people in need
There are no formal requirements, although they are always in need of helping hands, especially during the food and clothes banks.
Animal shelters
Address: Viuzzo del Pantanino, 11
Email: [email protected] (Mr. Marco Trapani)
Phone: 0552744241—Call center open from 7:30am to 8:00pm, Monday-Sunday
Website: https://crifirenze.it/
Animal shelters and animal rescues.
Interested members must participate in a basic brief training. CRI also requires that all members present a doctor’s note of good health. Training for new volunteers takes place once per month, and is both theoretical and practical.
There are no language nor time requirements.