Student Volunteering in Tricity: Where to Get Involved?

Social and medical volunteering: Helping those most in need

This area requires a lot of emotional maturity, but it gives great satisfaction and teaches empathy. It is particularly popular among students of the Medical University of Gdańsk (MUG) and psychology and pedagogy of the University of Gdańsk.

Fr. Eugeniusz Dutkiewicz Hospice SAC (Gdańsk, 6 Kopernika Street)

It is one of the oldest and most respected institutions of this type in Poland, located in the Aniołki district of Gdańsk, close to the MUG campus.

• For whom? An ideal place for students of medicine, psychology and social work.
• Tasks: Medical volunteers help with the daily care of patients, while accompanying volunteers keep the sick company, read books, talk and support the families of grieving patients. Before starting work, each volunteer undergoes mandatory psychological and medical training.

St. Joseph’s Hospice in Sopot (34 Andersa Street)

An intimate institution located in upper Sopot. Volunteering here is based on close, family relationships with the charges and help in organizing cyclical charity collections (e.g. Fields of Hope).

Clinical volunteering at the University Clinical Center (UCK)

UCK (Gdańsk, 7 Dębinki Street) regularly looks for student volunteers to help in the paediatric and cardiology wards and in the hospital’s information zones. This is an invaluable opportunity for medical students to get used to the hospital environment outside of the rigid academic curriculum.

Helping animals: Volunteering in Tri-City shelters

If you love animals and want to help socialize them, Tri-City shelters offer structured volunteer programs. It’s a great escape from academic stress.

Shelter for Homeless Animals “PROMYK” (Gdańsk-Kokoszki, 14 Naturalników Street)

Located on the outskirts of Gdańsk. Access for students without a car is possible by the Pomeranian Metropolitan Railway (PKM) to the Gdańsk Karczemki station, and then by bus line 167 or 268 to the hostel itself.

• Tasks: The main task of volunteers is to take dogs for socialization walks, combing, grooming and behavioral work under the supervision of experienced trainers. There is also a thriving “cat” section, which deals with the socialization of free-living cats and preparing them for adoption.
• Requirements: Be at least 18 years old, have undergone health and safety and behavioural training and are obliged to make regular visits (at least 2 times a month).

OTOZ Animals – Shelter “Ciapkowo” (Gdynia, 3a Małokacka Street)

Located in Gdynia Redłów, close to the SKM Gdynia Redłowo station.

• Tasks: Just like in Promyk in Gdańsk, volunteers help with walks, grooming and promoting animal adoption on social media, which is a great option for marketing and journalism students who want to build a portfolio of social advertising campaigns.

Cultural volunteering: Festivals, museums and big events

For students interested in cultural management, PR or event organization, the Tri-City offers participation in the coordination of the largest cultural events in the country.

European Solidarity Centre (ECS) – Gdańsk, pl. Solidarności 1

ECS has one of the most developed civic and international volunteering programs in Poland.

• Tasks: Assistance in organizing debates, international conferences, handling permanent and temporary exhibitions, guiding foreign groups (excellent language training) and support in the Scientific and Archive Department.

Polish Film Festival (FPFF) in Gdynia

The most important film festival in Poland, held every year in September at the Gdynia Film Centre and the Musical Theatre.

• Advantage: Volunteering at the Polish Film Festival is a dream of students of philology, cultural studies or film production organization. You work in the service of festival guests, accreditations, in the press office or in the handling of cinema screenings.
• Advantage: In addition to invaluable experience, you gain free admission to film screenings and the opportunity to contact the leading creators of Polish cinema.

Academic Social Activity: International Circles and Networks

The easiest way to get started with volunteering is to get involved directly at your university.

Erasmus Student Network (ESN UG & ESN PG)

ESN is an international student organization supporting international students coming to the Tri-City as part of the Erasmus+ program.

• Tasks: By becoming a so-called “Buddy” (guardian), you help a foreign student acclimatize in Gdańsk (help with accommodation in a dormitory, registration in the dean’s office, showing the city). ESN also organizes team-building trips (e.g. to Hel), cultural evenings and legendary team-building events in Sopot clubs.
• Advantage: Perfect polishing of English (and many others), establishing international friendships and a huge advantage when applying for your own Erasmus trip (students working in ESN receive additional points in the university recruitment process).

Volunteer Centre of the University of Gdańsk (CW UG)

Located on the campus in Oliwa (Wita Stwosza Street). CW UG coordinates aid projects at the university: free tutoring for children from Gdańsk children’s homes, bone marrow donor registration campaigns (DKMS) and charity collections in the pre-Christmas period.

Comparison: Where to get involved depending on your field of study?

When choosing volunteering, it is worth adjusting it to your education profile to make the most of the synergy of science and practice.

How does volunteering help you win the Rector’s Scholarship? (Legal Notice)

Most students are not aware that certified volunteering activity is scored in university applications for the Rector’s Scholarship for the best students for the academic year 2026/2027.

In accordance with the Regulations of Benefits for Students of the University of Gdańsk University of Gdańsk and Gdańsk Tech, recruitment points can be obtained for:

• Active work in scientific clubs or student organizations implementing social projects.
• Documented volunteering of a long-term nature (e.g. at least 50 hours worked under a volunteering agreement with the Regional Volunteer Centre in Gdańsk).
• Participation in organizing committees of scientific conferences and university festivals.

Recommendation: Always sign an official volunteering agreement (regulated by the Public Benefit Activities and Volunteering Act) before starting volunteering, and after completing the project, request a written certificate with a detailed list of hours worked and the scope of duties. This will be a key attachment to your scholarship application in October.

Refuge in Pomieczyn and the NAVIGARE Foundation

The Tri-City volunteer market goes far beyond the classic help in hospices or city shelters. The proximity of the Bay of Gdańsk and Kashubia creates unique opportunities for involvement in pro-ecological and sailing projects.

Wildlife Rehabilitation Center “Ostoja” (Pomieczyno near Gdańsk)

It is a niche, but extremely important facility rescuing wild birds and small mammals (hedgehogs, squirrels, hares) from the Tri-City agglomeration.

• For whom? An ideal place for students of biology, biotechnology and veterinary medicine (UG) and natural sciences.
• Tasks: Volunteers help feed chicks and suckers, clean aviaries, assist with veterinary procedures and prepare animals for return to the wild. The work is extremely practical and teaches how to deal with wild animals.

NAVIGARE Foundation (Mateusz Kusznierewicz’s maritime education programs)

The foundation established by the Olympic champion implements sailing education programs for children and young people in the Bay of Gdańsk.

• Tasks: Volunteer students (especially those with sailing, instructor or rescue patents) help in the organization of free cruises, medical and rescue protection on the water, conducting ecological workshops on the protection of the Baltic Sea and the logistics of youth regattas.

Hevelianum (Gdańsk, Góra Gradowa 6) – Popular science and history volunteering

Located on a wooded hill of forts opposite the Gdańsk Główny Railway Station, the Hevelianum combines science, history and ecology.

• Tasks: Students of science (physics, chemistry at the University of Gdańsk Tech) work well here as assistants at scientific demonstrations and experiments for children. On the other hand, history students (UG) are involved in the history section – they help in archiving documents, preparing military reconstructions in Prussian forts and guiding groups in period costumes. It is a great, living form of popularizing science.

The legal issue of volunteer insurance (30-day rule)

Hardly any student knows their insurance rights resulting from the Act on Public Benefit Activities and Volunteering. This act introduces a key time division into periods above and below 30 days, which radically changes the insurance obligations of the host organization.

Agreement for a period of LESS than 30 days

• Accident Social Insurance Contribution: Polish State
• Requirement: Oral or written agreement
• Risk: Difficulty in pursuing claims

Agreement for a period of MORE than 30 days

• Accident Social Insurance Contribution: Host Organization
• Requirement: Absolutely written agreement
• Risk: Full protection from day 1

Why is it important for a student?

• Arrangement up to 30 days: If you are involved in a one-off project (e.g. running a marathon in Gdańsk over the weekend), you are guaranteed accident insurance by the Polish state under the so-called Supply Act. The organization does not have to buy you a separate policy.
• Agreement over 30 days: If you sign a contract for systematic assistance (e.g. dog walks in Promyk throughout the semester), the organization is absolutely obliged to insure you against accident insurance at its own expense. Always check whether there is a provision in the long-term contract confirming the payment of the accident premium or the number of the group accident policy.

Points in the Resident Card “I’m from Gdańsk” for volunteering

Gdańsk is one of the few cities in Poland to combine the city volunteering system with the city’s loyalty program. By acting as a volunteer associated in the database of the Regional Volunteer Center (RCW) in Gdańsk, you collect points that directly contribute to your Gdańsk Resident Card.

• How does it work? For each documented hour of social work (e.g. at the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, food collections of the Food Bank in the Tri-City or the operation of city runs), the RCW system sends data to the Resident’s Card database.
• What do you gain? You can exchange the collected points for real benefits: free tickets to Trefl Gdańsk matches in the Ergo Arena, free cinema tickets, discounts on city swimming pools or free tickets to paid observation decks (e.g. in the tower of St. Mary’s Basilica).

Deduction of the volunteer’s “own costs” from PIT

Not many students (especially those working on contracts of mandate) know that the costs they incur out of their own pockets in order to carry out volunteering can be legally deducted from their income in the annual tax return (PIT-37).

According to Polish tax law, costs such as:

• purchase of fuel for commuting to the “Promyk” hostel in Kokoszki,
• purchase of art materials for classes with children in the community center,
• costs of meals during a volunteer trip,

may be considered a donation for public benefit purposes.

Formal condition:

For the deduction to be effective, you must have a written volunteer agreement, and the organization must issue you receipts confirming that you have incurred these costs for them, or sign an agreement with you to cover expenses, which you then resign from to the organization in the form of a donation. You deduct this amount in the PIT/O attachment (up to 6% of your annual income).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is student volunteering free?

According to the legal definition, volunteering is a free and voluntary activity. The volunteer does not receive financial compensation for his work. However, the organization has a legal obligation to cover the costs of accident insurance for the volunteer, and in the case of business trips or work for more than a certain number of hours – it can provide meals, reimbursement of the costs of commuting by public transport (ZTM/ZKM/SKM) and free tickets to events (e.g. film screenings during the festival in Gdynia).

Can I count volunteering as a mandatory student internship?

Yes, at most faculties of the University of Gdańsk and Gdańsk Tech it is possible to pass volunteering as a compulsory student internship (usually it is required to complete 3-4 weeks of internships). However, the condition is that the learning outcomes coincide – the tasks performed as part of volunteering must directly correspond to the profile of your field of study (e.g. an IT student creating a free website for a foundation can count this as a programming internship). The decision to pass is always made by the internship representative at your faculty.

What are the legal requirements to become a volunteer at the “Promyk” shelter?

To become a volunteer at the “Promyk” shelter in Gdańsk, you must be at least 18 years old, undergo mandatory theoretical and practical training organized by the shelter’s staff, and sign a volunteer agreement for a period of at least a few months, declaring regular attendance (e.g. on selected weekends). No health contraindications to physical work with animals are also required.

Where is the Regional Volunteer Centre in Gdańsk located?

The main office of the Regional Volunteer Centre in Gdańsk is located in the very centre of the city, in the building of the European Solidarity Centre (ECS) at 1 Solidarności Square (close to the Gdańsk Główny railway station and the shipyard). This is where you can go in person so that volunteer counsellors can help you choose the perfect social engagement offer tailored to your university schedule.

Can foreign students (e.g. from the Erasmus program) participate in Tri-City volunteering?

Yes, Tri-City organizations (especially ECS and the Regional Volunteer Center) are very open to international volunteers. Knowledge of English at a communicative level is often sufficient, and in the case of projects such as the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) – even crucial. It is an excellent opportunity to integrate foreign students with the local community of the Tri-City.

Volunteering in the Tri-City is an extremely rich market of opportunities, from which every student of UG , Gdańsk University of Technology or MUG can choose something for themselves. Regardless of whether you are interested in medical assistance in the Dutkiewicz Hospice, working with animals in Promyk, coordinating film screenings in Gdynia, or helping foreign students as part of ESN – the experience gained will shape your soft skills, make your CV more attractive and make it easier to start your career in Tri-City corporations.

Be active, collect certificates and get satisfaction from the real help of the local community on the Baltic Sea.