Workshops
Hands-on sessions on topics young people care about, using non-formal methods such as simulations, games and role-play.
Local volunteering
Volunteer with EMOTiC
Help build our community of young people in Vienna. Reach out to your peers, organise workshops, debates and game nights, and grow personally and professionally along the way. The next cohort of volunteers, interns and trainees starts together on 1 November 2026; applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
Vienna, 1st district
at our office, Rauhensteingasse 7/18
10+ hours a week
the minimum, around your studies or job
Free membership
join our NGO without a membership fee
Erasmus+ priority
in the selection for our mobilities
Unpaid
no salary, but real experience and perks
The programme
Learn, grow, enjoy
Our volunteering programme responds to the interests and needs of young people who are motivated to contribute to the social transformation of their local community while growing personally and professionally. It is for everyone who shares values such as solidarity, inclusion, tolerance, diversity, justice, equality and interculturality, and who believes in the power of small actions to create a bigger impact over time.
As a volunteer you are at the heart of our community. You look after the young people who are already part of it and reach out to new ones, you help organise our workshops, debates and game nights, you promote our events and recruit participants, you keep our social media updated and active, and you support our facilitators with the logistics so every activity runs smoothly.
The programme never replaces the work of paid staff. Volunteering is unpaid, as our budget only covers recruitment, supervision and the programme itself, but you gain practical experience in community work and event organisation, new friends and a real boost for your next steps. Our volunteers also get priority in the selection for our Erasmus+ mobilities in Vienna and abroad. We keep it practical, meaningful and free of cost for you, without overwhelming you.
Who can apply
Anyone aged 18 or over with good English (B1) who lives in or near Vienna. Some exceptions are possible for motivated young people from 16.
Where
In Vienna, at our office in the 1st district and at our events around the city. Some tasks, like promotion, can be done online.
How much time
At least 10 hours a week, including some evenings for events.
How long
From one week to three years, depending on your interest and availability.
When you can start
The next cohort starts together on 1 November 2026. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
Recognition
A certificate and reference letters after 100 hours of volunteering.
Costs and pay
Volunteering is unpaid and membership is free. We cover the programme, supervision and materials.
Mentoring
A team member accompanies you from day one, gives feedback and helps you grow into new roles.
Our activities
Workshops, debates and game nights
These are the activities our volunteers help to plan, promote and run for young people in Vienna.
Debates
Structured discussions where young people practise arguing, listening and finding common ground on current issues.
Game nights
Relaxed evenings with board and card games, where newcomers meet the community and make new friends.
Model United Nations and Model European Parliament
MUN and MEP simulations
Every volunteer at EMOTiC is trained to be a MUN Chair, which means chairing and facilitating Model United Nations committee simulations. You are also trained to lead Model European Parliament (MEP) simulations.
Model United Nations
Chair a UN committee: open the session, keep the speakers’ list, moderate debates and caucuses, and guide delegates to a resolution and a vote.
Model European Parliament
Lead a simulated Parliament session: delegates debate a European topic in committees and political groups, amend the text and vote in plenary.
A weekly simulation, run by the team
Every week · 4+ hoursTogether, all volunteers, interns and trainees organise a weekly session of four hours or more, either a MUN or an MEP simulation.
- Everyone takes part and the roles rotate, so you practise chairing, debating as a delegate and organising
- You promote each session and engage external participants to join
Where you work
A modern office in the heart of Vienna
Our office at Rauhensteingasse 7/18 is in the 1st district, between the State Opera and St. Stephen's Cathedral and a few minutes' walk from Stephansplatz (U1 and U3) and Karlsplatz (U1, U2 and U4). It has everything you need for focused work, team meetings and our own trainings.
Kitchen
An espresso machine, kettle, microwave and hob for coffee breaks and lunch with the team.
Workspace
Height-adjustable desks, ergonomic chairs and a screen for your daily work and team meetings.
Seminar room
Our 55 m² training room, where we run workshops, trainings and events.
Lounge
A relaxed room with a sofa, bean bags and a bookshelf for breaks and informal talks.
What you do
Get involved in all areas
You don’t choose just one area: you get involved in all of them, work across topics and learn how community work, events and communication fit together.
Management
Support strategy and project management: plan tasks and timelines, coordinate with partners and participants, prepare meetings and keep track of our European projects.
Research
Take part in participatory research and needs analysis, run surveys and interviews, and help turn findings into reports, articles and policy papers for our projects.
Funding
Find funding opportunities, research calls and partners, and help prepare applications to Erasmus+, the European Youth Foundation, CERV and other programmes.
Community and outreach
Look after our community of young people, welcome new members, keep our group chats active and reach other young people in schools, universities, youth centres and online.
Events and activities
Organise workshops, debates and game nights with the team, from the first idea and the programme to invitations, the event itself and the evaluation afterwards.
Promotion and recruitment
Promote our events on social media, with posters and through partners, recruit and register participants, send reminders and answer their questions before each activity.
Logistics for facilitators
Support our facilitators before and during each activity: prepare the room, materials and equipment, welcome participants, keep time and help with sign-in lists.
Graphics
Design info packs, social media visuals, posters, certificates and publications for our projects and events, following the EU visibility rules and our own style.
Facilitation
Co-facilitate labs, workshops and trainings with our team and learn non-formal methods such as simulations, games, role-play, debates and reflection circles.
Social media
Create posts and reels, tell our stories in photos and short videos, plan the content calendar and keep our social media channels updated, active and engaging.
Partnerships
Search for partner organisations across Europe and beyond, prepare partner forms and agreements, and keep our network in more than 30 countries informed and active.
General
A mix of tasks where help is needed most, from event logistics and administration to translations and archiving, so you learn how every part of our work fits together.
What you get
Hands-on experience in community work and event organisation
Priority in the selection for our Erasmus+ mobilities in Vienna and abroad
Initiate, design, plan, run and evaluate your own ideas
Meet new friends with diverse backgrounds and perspectives
Become a member of an NGO without paying any membership fee
Join learning opportunities online and offline
Learn innovative methods and tools from our facilitators
Mentor new and younger members
Get reference and recommendation letters after 100 hours of volunteering
What we look for
High motivation, commitment, honesty and integrity
At least 10 hours a week, without being overstretched by other commitments
Enjoy meeting people and bringing them together
An energetic, organised and creative mindset
Good use of digital tools and programmes
Bringing your own initiatives and ideas
Confidence to talk with people outside the organisation, explain our programmes and events, and support recruitment
Openness to diverse backgrounds and identities
Commitment to inclusion, solidarity and justice
We seek a mix of cultural, gender, professional and educational backgrounds.
Your role
Tasks and responsibilities
Your exact tasks depend on what is going on and on what you enjoy most. Most volunteers take on a mix of the following.
Your tasks
- Help organise workshops, debates and game nights, from the first idea and the programme to the event itself
- Look after our community, welcome new members and reach out to other young people in schools, universities, youth centres and online
- Promote our events, recruit and register participants and answer their questions before each activity
- Support our facilitators with the logistics before and during each activity
- Create posts and reels and keep our social media updated and active
- Chair and facilitate our weekly MUN and MEP simulations and bring in external participants
- Develop and run an initiative of your own with the support of our team
Your responsibilities
- Give at least 10 hours a week, on a schedule agreed with the team
- Join our team meetings and share updates on your tasks
- Be reliable, meet deadlines and communicate openly with the team
- Take part in our weekly MUN or MEP session and rotate through the roles
- Represent EMOTiC respectfully towards participants, partners and the public
How to apply
Send us an email
Write to emotic.org(@)gmail.com, addressed to Mr. Sakr. We are very approachable, so get in touch any time. Please include a simple CV, a short video about you and your interests, and your social media accounts. Put "Local Volunteering" at the very beginning of the subject line.
1
Email us your CV, including all your experience: studies, summer jobs, youth groups, debating clubs, events you helped with and other activities.
2
Tell us when you would like to start, for how long and how many hours a week you can give (at least 10).
3
Name the two to four topics that interest you most, such as environment, equality, art, peace, employment or democracy, and what you would like to learn.
4
Put "Local Volunteering" at the very beginning of the subject line. A fun fact about you is welcome too!