June 26, 2025
Last chance to apply for these projects in Italy starting early July! Our Italian branch is urgently seeking volunteers for two projects!
IMPORTANT! Our international database is down today (26 June). If you are interested in either of these projects, please contact Alaa in VSI.
Rebuilding Utopia
Country: Rome, Italy
Date: 8th – 17th July 2025
Number of Volunteers: 10
Age: 18-99
Project Code: IT-SCI 13.1
About the Project: La Città dell'Utopia in Rome’s San Paolo district is a hub for active citizenship and local development. The 400-year-old building hosts events and brings together the local community and international volunteers. For 20 years, volunteers have maintained the space, but ongoing restoration is needed.
This year volunteers will restore the building and outdoor spaces—painting, repairing furniture, and improving the garden. The goal is to make the space functional and welcoming. There will be study sessions on heritage, sustainability, antifascism, and social engagement, focusing on human rights and community involvement.
Accommodation is basic and in mixed rooms for up to 7 people.
Important: The work will be manual and physically demanding, especially in high temperatures. The schedule will be adjusted to cooler hours.
Renovate a Franciscan Convent in Palermo, Sicily
Country: Palermo, Italy
Date: 9 - 24 July 2025
Number of Volunteers:
Age: 18-99
Project Code: IT-SCI 12.1
About the project: Manual restoration of a centuries old convent in Palermo, in the heart of Sicily. The voluntary work at the Santuario San Benedetto il Moro Compatrono will include, cleaning, removal of rubbish and heling to document the site. Volunteers will participate in workshops on cultural identity and heritage, there will be guided reflections on the history of the site and methodologies used.
More info and how to apply
This project is part of VSI’s International Volunteer Projects (IVP) programme, a unique form of values-based volunteering that brings together people from around the world to work on short-term projects with local communities. More info on the programme here.
1. Apply online on the SCI international website
Please note: When you click on the links below you will leave the VSI website and go to the website of Service Civil International (SCI) VSI is the Irish branch of SCI.
Application is through our international online placement system. You need to register on the website to apply: How to Apply
View these projects on our international database here:
Renovate Franciscan Convent in Palermo, Sicily
View other available projects on the: SCI database
The projects listed on the database are managed by SCI branches and partners across Europe, the project titles and descriptions are generally written by non-native English speakers, so please excuse us if some of them are hard-to-understand or use unusual language! The database serves over 130 organisations in more than 90 countries worldwide!
2. Pay the project fee - return to this page and follow the links below
VSI is a small charity and we charge a fee (€55 - €155) to volunteer on our projects, this includes food, accommodation, basic insurance whilst on the project and VSI annual membership. Volunteers pay for their own travel to the country and internal travel to/from the projects and any visa fees.
Fees
Project in Europe:
Project Waged €155
Project Unwaged €105
Click here to pay the project fee
Please note, some of the descriptions mention an additional fee (of €50.00) when applying through non-SCI organisations, VSI is an SCI branch and this additional fee does not apply.
No fundraising is needed to volunteer on our projects.
If you have any questions or would like more info on a project, please contact us at info@vsi.ie .