The volunteering agency was created in September 2002 and has about 18 member associations as of July 2022. Photo: Romain Gamba

The volunteering agency was created in September 2002 and has about 18 member associations as of July 2022. Photo: Romain Gamba

Representatives from the Agence du Bénévolat share three pros of volunteering as an expat in Luxembourg.

Volunteering offers several advantages that will help your integration journey in the grand duchy. The volunteering agency which was created in 2002 and supported by the Ministry for Family Affairs, Integration and the Greater Region, is a consultation, information and exchange centre for prospective volunteers and associations in search of volunteers.

The agency’s top representatives--Dr. Martine Mergen, president and delegate of Ligue Luxembourgeoise du Coin de Terre et du Foyer, and Mike de Waha, vice-president and director of the Jugendrot explain that  volunteering as an expat in Luxembourg comes with several benefits for those who would like to get to know the local community better. 

It helps with “integration in Luxembourg. Volunteering allows you to discover the culture, learn or practise a language, meet new people, make social contacts, create networks for possible professional integration, and acquire new skills and knowledge,” says the association’s president.

In addition, it helps with “”getting to know fellow citizens. [Being] part of local life and your commune, [and] discover[ing] projects to participate in.”

But it shouldn’t feel like a chore and “having fun” is key. “Volunteers can enjoy leisure activities, have a good time together, but also give pleasure to others by committing to an important cause, helping a particular group, [and] giving meaning to your actions.”

There are 18 member associations of the agency of of 2022, with most of the most of the member associations being umbrella organisations that regroup multiple associations. For example, “the CTF League,  has 119 members, which are largely independent non-profit organisations. The UGDA groups together all the music societies in the country. Info Handicap has 58 member associations and Scouting in Luxembourg (LIS) groups together all the guide and scout troops.”

The integration minister during a press conference in April had announced that a new online platform that aims to match people looking to volunteer with available opportunities will launch later this year. An earlier survey, commissioned by the ministry and conducted by TNS-Ilres had indicated that 73% of respondents were open to devoting their time to future volunteering missions.  

A list of services and member associations of the agency is available .

 It has been edited to fit the online format and to include more information.