Volunteer in Poland
A supported gap year volunteer programme in Poland for 18 to 30 year olds, with school placements that allow you to support pupils, build confidence and experience everyday life in Poland.
What Kind of Placement Will You Have in Poland?
Our Poland programme focuses on school placements, supporting pupils and classrooms day to day.
Support teachers in local Polish schools, working with pupils in classrooms and school activities while gaining real practical experience in an education setting abroad. A genuinely hands-on gap year volunteer placement for anyone who loves being around children and learning.
Why Volunteer in Poland?
Volunteering in Poland offers a gap year experience that combines real classroom experience with cultural immersion, living locally with a host family and discovering one of Europe's most underrated and rewarding countries.
No Polish is required. English is used in schools, giving you genuine classroom experience every day while living in Poland gives you plenty of opportunities to pick up the language, from chatting with your host family to exploring local towns and markets.
Live with a local host family who will help you settle into Polish life while providing structure, support and a real window into everyday Polish culture. Home cooked food, local traditions and a warm welcome included.
Support pupils and teachers in local schools through placements with real, day to day value in classrooms. Poland is one of the few destinations where volunteers get genuine hands-on classroom experience from the start.
Carefully vetted placements, clear guidance, and ongoing support available throughout your time volunteering in Poland. For you and your family, that reassurance matters.
A structured, supported gap year volunteer programme in the heart of Europe, perfect for building independence, language skills and confidence while experiencing a country that will genuinely surprise you.
What Your Gap Year in Poland Looks Like
A gap year volunteer programme in Poland combines real classroom experience with cultural immersion, host family life and the chance to explore one of Europe's most fascinating and welcoming countries.
Day-to-Day Life
Settle into a routine at a local Polish school, supporting classroom activities and school life, with time to explore your town, discover Polish culture and experience the country outside your placement hours.
Skills and Confidence
Gain practical experience, responsibility and confidence that can support your future study, career or volunteering ambitions.
Independence and Social Life
Live with a host family, experience daily life in Poland, and build friendships with other volunteers and the people you meet locally.
Support Throughout Your Placement
You are never on your own, with guidance before you start and support available throughout your time volunteering in Poland.
Meet Your Poland Programme Manager
Your safety and wellbeing during your gap year is our priority.
Beata Skokowska
Programme Manager Poland
Beata has worked in international volunteering for 17 years and has built connections with people and communities all over the world. She is a black belt in Aikido and has trekked 48 kilometres through the Tatra mountains in two days, so she knows a thing or two about pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone.
“Meeting people who genuinely want to help others is what keeps me doing this work.”
What Volunteers Say About Their Time in Poland
Real feedback from young people who have completed a gap year volunteer programme in Poland.
10 months in Poland - or how I discovered my love to polish mountains, language and black tea
For the past 10 months, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to live in the beautiful city of Żywiec. Located in the heart of the southern Polish mountains, this town is known not only for its brewery, scenic lake, and delicious highlander cheese, but also for its remarkable high school: Zespół Szkół Mechaniczno-Elektrycznych. If you’re wondering how to pronounce that—congratulations! That’s exactly how I felt before coming here. But after 10 months of practice, not only can I now confidently say the name of my placement but have even reached a communicative level of Polish. Sometimes I still surprise myself by actually understanding the conversations around me.
As a language assistant, I primarily worked in English classes. I helped students prepare for their matura exams, built vocabulary, played games, and—my favorite part—had one-on-one conversations with my students in English.
Thanks to my coordinating teacher Asia and my two wonderful host families, I experienced Polish hospitality at its finest. Celebrating traditions on Christmas Eve, Easter, and national holidays, skiing and hiking in the nearby mountains, and visiting stunning cities and the Polish seaside were definite highlights of my time here. But what truly made this experience unique were the small moments: making silly jokes with my younger host siblings (being the “big sister” was a first for me), walking the dog, or chatting with students in the hallway.
I also really enjoyed meeting up with the two other volunteers who were working in different parts of Poland—sharing stories, laughs, and experiences was always fun.
I’ve learned a lot—about myself, about the power of communication, and about what it feels like to not understand anything at first, which has made me more tolerant and open-minded. But perhaps my most unexpected personal growth? Learning to love black tea. I used to hate it, but during those cold Polish winter days and boredom in the teachers’ room, I slowly got used to it. Now, I have to admit: nothing beats a good, hot cup of czarna herbata.
