Q&A: Volunteering in Denmark

If you want to do voluntary work in a Danish organisation or initiative then go to Volunteering.dk where you can find listings for volunteer positions written in English. This is an indication that the organisation is ready to take in volunteers who might not speak Danish or only have limited knowledge of the Danish language.

The short answer is: nearly everyone! Denmark have a long established tradition for volunteering in connection to social work, sport unions, cultural associans and so on. About 40 % of all Danes have volunteered within the last year and about 60 % have volunteered within the last five years. These numbers have been steady for many years.

Both men and women, young and old as well as CEOs and unemployed do voluntary work and, therefore, you can meet a lot of ressourcefull, competent and exciting people when volunteering in Denmark. So if you want to establish an interesting network - that you also could benefit from professionally - volunteering is definitely the way to go.

Of course! There might be some voluntary jobs where it it will be more expedient to have volunteers who speak Danish, but many job listings can be done even though the volunteer is not perfect at Danish. Even a limited knowledge of the Danish language could be a starting point for a great volunteer experience. Voluntary work might also be a good way to practice the Danish language in a social context. It you find an interesting volunteer job or organisation then do not hesitate to contact them.

If you want a way into the Danish Labour market then volunteering might be the way to go. If you volunteer you experience situations close to the Danish work culture and you learn how to interact with Danish people. You also gain valuable experience for your resume which might help you land a paying job because you can bring relevant experience to the table.

If you want to talk to person who can help you find a suitable place to volunteer as well as guide you to working as a volunteer in the Danish culture, then you should contact your local volunteer center. You can use this map to see which one is closest to you. Your local volunteer center can can help you get an overview of the many voluntary organisations near you and guidance in to finding the right fit for you, you situation and interests.

The Danish people is a volunteering people - 42 % are estimated to participate in volunteer work. So if you want to meet new people in Denmark, volunteering might be the way do achieve that. If you are new to the Danish culture, volunteer work can give you insight into how Danes socialize. The Danish people are rumored not to be so open and a bit difficult to get to know but if you meet them where they are - e.g. volunteering - then you make some new friends.

The Danish people is a volunteering people - 42 % are estimated to participate in volunteer work. And in Danish volunteer organisation you would quite often meet the socioeconomically advantaged people who are in good jobs and well-educated - and when volunteering you meet them in a more informal context and can make contacts that can be good to have in your professional work life.

It you are not a Danish citizen you have to pay attention to what and how much volunteer work you can to. The rules have been amended in the summer of 2018 and have been relaxed a bit. You can read more here.