Volunteering in Aarhus

Located across the street from University Park, Studenterhus Aarhus is a gathering place for students to meet, exchange ideas, and build community through a variety of events and clubs. It’s a cultural hub for all students in Aarhus and they offer several volunteer opportunities.

• The Bar Group

Become a volunteer bartender in the study café or at events in the Student House. Both day and night shifts are available, and you only need to work 3-4 shifts per month. PLUS, no experience is required! You get to hang with a great group of Danish and international students and experience a different side of Aarhus.

• The Culture Group

This group is for those who want to gain experience in project management, planning, and execution. You’ll have the opportunity to propose event ideas, book concerts, and help execute these events. You’ll get to be a part of some of the best student events in the city!

• The International Group

Have you ever been curious about what happens behind the scenes at ESN Aarhus? Then look no further than the international group! Similar to the culture group, the I-Group plans and executes events with the goal of making Aarhus the best city to be an international student. However, they go one step further and plan intro days for new students, trips, dinners, language cafes, and the infamous Tuesday I-Nights.

Learn more at Become a volunteer - Studenterhus Aarhus

This café is run by volunteers and donates its proceeds to projects around the world, working to make it more just and sustainable. They serve Fair Trade coffee, organic beer, and vegan food. They also host events, concerts, and debates. In summary, if you want to have your hand in an organization that’s fighting for change, this may be the place for you!

Aside from volunteering in the café, you can also join one of ActionAid Denmark’s other groups or projects. These include:

1. The Climate Group – Fighting for climate justice.
2. The Refugee Solidarity Group – Organizing events to strengthen refugee social movements in Denmark.
3. The Refugee and Asylum Project – Working to give refugees a stronger sense of security and community in Denmark.

Learn more at Café Mellemfolk | Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke (ms.dk)

AIESEC is a non-political, independent, not-for-profit global organization run by students and recent higher education graduates and they attract members who wish to develop their leadership potential. As a volunteer, you’ll gain cross-cultural experience that will contribute to your personal development and allow you to leave an impact on the world.

Learn more at Global Volunteer | AIESEC in Denmark

A non-profit tech school providing access to free digital education, this organization is changing the globalization narrative by offering education that breaks down barriers and connects the leaders of tomorrow. Their core values are: Caring, Playful, Reliable, and Useful.

There are four ways you can volunteer:

• Teacher

“Volunteer teachers teach groups of 10-20 learners during a semester. Each semester lasts 3-4 months and each course runs 1-2 times a week. You never teach alone, with each team consisting of 5-7 teachers. You rotate within your teaching team so you can work more flexibly.”

• Mentor

As a mentor, you’ll get to support learners and alumni alike on their learning and career journeys in 1:1 sessions. In exchange for helping them develop their tech skills or prepare for the job market, you’ll build a relationship with a great person!

• Career Trainer

This position is specifically for HR, tech recruiter or other IT-related professionals who can lead a career-related workshop. These workshops focus on teaching job-seeking skills such as CY writing, LinkedIn profiles, and job interview prep.

• Developer or Designer in a Product Team

Your goal is to advance ReDI’s internal platforms, ReDI Connect and Talent Pool. The platforms connect learners and alumni with mentors (Connect) and job opportunities (Talent Pool). You’ll get to collaborate closely with the product owner and Agile Coach, conducting research, design tests, and code. Perfect for any IT developer student!

Learn more at Become a volunteer — ReDI School (redi-school.org)

The AU Student Ambassador Network connects current international students from all faculties with prospective students from all over the world! As a volunteer, you get to pass on your wisdom to future students and help paint a picture for them as to what life is like as an international student at AU. Volunteering opportunities include Unibuddy, Instagram takeovers, writing blog posts (such as this one!), meeting prospective students on campus, Intro Days, and being a friend to new internationals just finding their footing in Aarhus. You also can network with current AU internationals and build a community through events hosted by the International Center! It’s also a great way to build up your CV!

Learn more at AU Ambassador network

This non-profit focuses on asylum seekers in Danish deportation and asylum centers. Their mission is two-fold:

1. Support rejected asylum seekers in Denmark by creating activities that will foster human interaction and build community. By establishing human connections with those who are excluded by society due to their status, they aim to satisfy a basic human need for interaction and show them that they are not alone.
2. Spread awareness about migration by building a platform for discussion of social issues and bring these issues to light in local Danish communities.

Their 4 key values are: Independence, Humanity, Impartiality, and Privacy/Confidentiality

Learn more at Aarhus for Solidarity | Aarhus | Facebook

This may seem like a no brainer, but the Red Cross in Aarhus has a large variety of volunteer opportunities, no matter your interests.

Just to name a few:

• The Social Stove – A place for volunteers to cook for and participate in communal dining. If you like to cook or just want to meet new people, as well as fighting food waste, this is a great place to go! They host food clubs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
• Visitor’s Service – Get paired with someone who experiences loneliness and keep them company, whether that be over a cup of coffee, going for a walk, or playing board games!
• The Bicycle Service – Equipped with an electric cargo bike, you’ll build a bridge between those with limited physical mobility or loneliness and the outdoors. You and your rider will get some fresh air while touring Aarhus’ natural surroundings.
• KREAféen – A creative community where you can network while knitting, sewing, painting, upcycling, and more! As a volunteer, you’ll be ready to help participants with their creative endeavors. This is a great spot for those who wish to share their creativity with others.

And there are even more on the Red Cross Website.

Learn more at Activity Archives - Aarhus - Red Cross (drk.dk) (you may need to set your computer to translate Danish to English).

As you can see, there is no shortage of opportunities to volunteer in Aarhus, and these are just a select few that fellow international students have pointed out. There are many more opportunities outside of those listed above, including volunteering as coaches in sports clubs!  

No matter your passions or interests, there’s an organization that’s looking for someone like you to join their mission and make this world a better place. So, if any of these organizations caught your eye or you found another one not listed above, I encourage you to check them out! Who knows, you might gain more from that experience than you could ever give back.