Become a happy volunteer at the Happy Bus summer project in Poland!
The Happy Bus project – Have you already got plans for summer? Do you want to do something fun, meet people from all over the world and at the same time do something good for others and for yourself without spending too much money?
Happy Bus is a charity project run by the Happy Kids Foundation that takes place every year during the summer holidays in Poland. A team of volunteers from Poland and many other countries departs from the city of Łódź in central Poland to visit rural areas and bring joy to children there. In each village, the team usually stays for three days and provides local kids with free games, attractions and activities around the Happy Bus, a regular bus converted into a mobile playground. In recent year,s the project has also supported many Ukrainian children who found shelter in Poland, giving them a safe and playful space during the holidays.
As a volunteer you help to look after the attractions and make sure they are used in a proper and safe way. You take part in competitions, sports and typical kids’ games, paint faces, braid hair and help with simple workshops. The most important thing is that you give the children time and attention and share what you can do and what you enjoy. Everyone brings something unique to the team and together you create a friendly environment in which children and volunteers feel relaxed and have a great time.
The project is also an adventure. Sometimes you sleep in simple conditions, walk a bit to reach showers or stay up late to fix something or move to the next place. You should be ready for challenges and surprises, but the special atmosphere of the Happy Bus project usually makes it all worth it.
Who can join the Happy Bus summer project?
Volunteers should be at least 18 years old on the day of arrival and able to communicate freely in English. You need to be motivated to work with children and ready to live and cooperate in an international team. A clean criminal record is required. It is helpful if you enjoy leading games and simple educational or animation activities, can work both independently and in a group and feel comfortable with different age groups such as children and teenagers. Responsibility, creativity, communication skills and a proactive attitude are very important. Experience with workshops or manual skills is a plus, but not obligatory.
What do volunteers receive?
Accommodation and food are free and provided by the foundation. Before you start, the team offers training on how to use the equipment safely and usually an additional first aid course. During the project you can improve your language skills in English and often in other languages spoken by the volunteers. You gain experience working with children and in an international team, make friends from Poland and abroad and take part in trips or fun activities on days off whenever possible. At the end of the project the foundation can provide a volunteering certificate.
The project usually starts at the beginning of July and ends at the end of August. The organisers prefer volunteers who can stay for the whole two months, but shorter stays can sometimes be discussed directly with the coordinators.
General info
By joining the Happy Bus summer project in Poland you gain a lot of experience working with kids, find friends from all over the world and become part of a cheerful travelling team. The project normally runs from early July until the end of August and moves between small towns and villages.
Volunteer profile and expectations
Foreign volunteers must be at least 18 years old and have no criminal record. You should be able to lead simple games and animation or educational activities for children, work both on your own and as part of an organised team and feel comfortable working with different group sizes. Volunteers are expected to be responsible, creative, communicative and ready for challenges related to working with children. Experience in workshops or animation is welcome but not required; any manual skills or hobbies that you would like to share with the children can be useful.
Daily duties include taking care of the children, playing with them, painting faces, watching that they stay safe on the playground and helping to set up and pack down the attractions in each village. The schedule is usually about 6–7 hours of help per day, six days per week, so you should be ready for a busy but rewarding routine. During the project there is usually some time to travel around Poland or nearby countries, depending on the final plan for each edition.
Fees transparency 🔍
There is no participation fee for volunteers. You need to cover your own flight ticket and health insurance.
VISA
Information about visas for Poland can be found here:
https://www.msz.gov.pl/en/travel_to_poland/visa/.
The foundation can offer advice and basic assistance if necessary, but cannot guarantee visa approval.
Number of volunteers and period
The project usually hosts around 20 volunteers at a time. The main volunteering period is July and August.
Accommodation
Volunteers generally sleep in cultural centres or schools in the villages visited by the Happy Bus. Most of the time there are no individual beds and everyone sleeps together in one space using sleeping bags and mattresses. It is simple, collective accommodation that suits people who are comfortable with basic conditions.
Diet
The standard diet is omnivorous. Vegetarians and vegans are welcome and the team does its best to provide suitable options.
Volunteer benefits and free time
At the end of the project you may receive a certificate confirming your participation. The foundation tries, when possible, to organise a free excursion to interesting places in Poland for the volunteers. Before the project starts, foreign volunteers usually attend a workshop on animation games for kids and a basic first aid course. After work there is time for rest, personal activities and integration with other volunteers or locals. Sometimes extra attractions are organised by the communities that host the Happy Bus, and on some evenings there may be an open air summer cinema for volunteers and residents.
Language
The main working language on the Happy Bus summer project in Poland is English.
How to get to the project
Most volunteers arrive in Poland by plane. The Happy Kids Foundation is based in Łódź, and volunteers usually meet there before the project starts and then depart together on the Happy Bus route.
Internet access
Internet access is available, but the quality can vary. In some villages there is a good connection, in others it can be weak or temporary. The coordinators try to help volunteers access the internet whenever possible, but it is better not to rely on a constant strong connection.
CONTACT DETAILS 🔍📧 How to apply?
Please note: This volunteer project listing may be outdated. Information regarding availability, dates, tasks, and requirements might no longer be accurate. We recommend contacting the hosts directly to confirm the project’s current status.
You can learn more and see photos from previous editions on the project social media:
Happy Bus Facebook page.
You can also visit the Happy Kids Foundation Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/fundacjahappykids/.
IG: https://www.instagram.com/fundacja_happy_kids
Host contact: Ewelina D. (via Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ewelina.dabrowska.338)
Email: happybus@happykids.org.pl