OPEN CALL

WILD CARE

How to apply

Fill the online form below.

Infos and questions:
The deadline to apply is 15 October 2026.
The pre-selected candidates will be invited to an online interview
PROJECT ID: 2026-1-IT03-ESC51-VTJ-000402323
Call for volunteering in a wildlife shelter in Italy

PROJECT DETAILS

WHERE? Poggio San Lorenzo, Italy
WHEN?
From 15 March
to 11 December 2027
HOW LONG? 9 months
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?
18-30 years old citizens living in EU member countries other than Italy
DEADLINE FOR APPLYING: 15 October 2026

ACTIVITIES

Care of local wildlifeTaking care of injured or sick local animals: distributing food and cleaning enclosures, with the final aim of (if and when possible) reintroducing them into their natural environment.
Care of exotic animalsTaking care of exotic animals that cannot be released in the wild: distributing food and cleaning enclosures.
Evolutionary knowledgePromoting and spreading knowledge of evolutionary processes through the direct observation of animals.
Environmental educationCarrying out education and environmental education activities to support the development of a right relationship between humans and other animals.
CommunicationSocial media and communication: taking pictures and videos, writing texts for the centre’s website and social media.

LOGISTICS AND SUPPORT

Food will be bought by volunteers with a food allowance of 6 euros per day, given monthly, and cooked autonomously in their house kitchen.
Accommodation will be in a house at 2 minutes walking distance from the Park, in rooms shared with other volunteers of the same gender. The house is equipped with kitchen, bathrooms, toilets, wi-fi and washing machine.
Pocket money of 6 euros per day.
Health insurance is provided through Henner (www.henner.com).
Travel expenses Travel expenses will be refunded up to a fixed amount (28 € from 10 to 99 km distance, 211 € from 100 to 499 km distance, 309 € from 500 km to 1999 km, 395 € if more). In the case of green travel, the budget is 56 € from 10 to 99 km distance, 285 € from 100 to 499 km distance, 417 € from 500 km to 1999 km, 535 € from 2000 to 2999 km. Green travel is defined as the travel that uses low- emissions means of transport (such as bus, train, boat or car-sharing) for more than half of the itinerary.

CRITERIA

18-30 years old citizens living in EU member countries other than Italy
Available for the whole duration of the project
A passion for outdoor physical work
Collaborative spirit with a willingness to take initiative
Practical problem-solving skills and adaptability
Respect for community living, sustainable practices, and eco-friendly lifestyles
Ready to live in an intercultural context in a rural area, where the closest bus stop is 20 minutes on foot downhill and the closest shops are 10 minutes by car
Basic level in English
Interested in learning Italian
Driving license is very welcome

Volunteers will work 35 hours per week on assigned tasks, with two consecutive free days per week (not necessarily Saturday and Sunday). These hours include 1 hour for a meeting with the coordinator of the activities, who coaches the volunteers on their tasks, meetings with the mentor, who evaluates the volunteers’ project, satisfaction and learning process, and 10 Italian language sessions.

Volunteers will dedicate an additional 7 hours per week to shared community responsibilities such as cleaning and cooking. While we encourage volunteers to engage in community life, we expect everyone to approach their roles with dedication and reliability.

HOSTING ORGANISATION

The project is hosted by Parco Faunistico di Piano dell’Abatino, founded in 1980, a rescue center for injured, sick, or confiscated wild animals, including those from vivisection labs or harmed by humans. The park cares for around 400 animals, aiming to rehabilitate and release them back into the wild when fully recovered.