• Enthusiasm about the marine world!
• Willingness to work hard
• A positive attitude
• Fitness to dive. We recommend that every volunteer goes to a doctor to ask for medical clearance for diving prior to departure
• Proactive, motivated and flexible people – tasks are not necessarily allocated to you, you have to ask and offer
• For one-week trips, a PADI qualification is required
• For two-week trips and upwards, no previous diving experience is required as you can be trained on-site
• No previous marine conservation experience required
• Ability to speak and understand English

• The longer that you participate, the more of a contribution that you will make.
• We would recommend staying for at least 2 weeks.
• For novice divers, we would suggest staying for at least 2 weeks, and preferably 3 or 4.
• The longer that you stay, the more experienced you will become with diving and the more qualified you will become – and the more time you will have enjoying Barcelona.

The dive school is keen for volunteers to finish this project with a passion for diving and a good level of marine conservation volunteering experience. For that reason, everyone will leave the project with further diving experience and a PADI qualification:

For beginners (no certification):
Week 1: Open Water Certification
Week 2: Marine Ecology Specialty Trash collection dives
Week 3: Advanced open water certification Nitrox specialty + Trash collection dives
Week 4: Fun dives for a cause Trash collection dives
Week 5: Trash collection dives
Week 6: Advanced Open Water certification
Week 7: Trash collection dives
Week 8: Rescue specialty or adapted diving + Trash collection dives
Week 9: Diving with people with disabilities
Week 10: Trash collection dives
Week 11: Oxygen specialty + Trash collection dives
Week 12: Rescue diver certification

It is recommended to stay at least 2 weeks to guarantee the Open Water certification as it depends on weather conditions and 1 week might not be enough.

If you are new to diving there will be a short online exam that will be sent prior to your arrival. Your first day at sea will be spent in ‘confined waters’ which will be about 3 metres deep. For the following 3 days you will complete more open water submersions.

Already Open Water certified:
Week 1: Advanced open water certification
Week 2: Marine Ecology Specialty
Week 3:  Fish Identification
Week 4: Fun dives for a cause

Already Advanced Open Water certified:

Week 1: Fish Identification
Week 2: Fun dives for a cause
Week 3: Fun dives for a cause
Week 4: Marine Ecology Specialty

If you are advanced in diving, you will take part in adventures such as sub-aquatic navigation, search and recovery and night immersion.

The Mediterranean basin is so populated with plastic waste, that by 2050, it is predicted that there will be more plastic in the ocean than marine life. Removing this plastic, combined with all of the fishing gear that gets tangled up and lost, means your contribution can make an enormous difference. This beautiful stretch of coastline and the marine species in the Mediterranean are being preserved because of volunteers like you.

This is also a fantastic opportunity to learn to dive in safe shallow waters with expert tuition. You’ll gain a PADI diving qualification which is internationally recognised. If you want to gain marine conservation experience, whether it be on a gap year or as a holiday with a difference, this could be the aquatic adventure for you!

Barcelona marine conservation projects are so important and we need volunteers like you to keep them in operations.

Oyster assesses projects carefully to ensure that they offer high standards of animal welfare and environmental practice. We also check that volunteers understand key points of good practice before working with animals. To find out more, see our animal welfare policy.

Whilst late-availability is possible, we would advise booking as soon as you can to guarantee your ideal dates. Our projects are very popular and spaces can fill up several months in advance, especially for the months of June to September when this conservation volunteering program is very popular.

• Barcelona experiences hot summers and mild winters
• Winters in Barcelona are mild. December, January and February are the coldest months, with average temperatures around 12 °C (55 °F) during the day and 5°C (40 °F) at night
• Generally the summer season lasts about six months, from May to October. July and August are the warmest months, with average temperatures around 28–29 °C (82–84 °F) during the day and 22–23 °C (72–73 °F) at night
• Average annual temperature of the ocean is about 18 °C (64 °F).  In the warmest month – August, the average sea temperature is 25 °C (77 °F)

• You know your spending habits best!  However we would recommend budgeting approximately £50 – £100 a week for free time activities and dinner
• For anything a little more adventurous, or if you are planning to travel a little further, we suggest increasing your budget
• Although all meals are included at the hostel,  there are many great restaurants that you will find hard to resist!
• Volunteer programs in Spain are not expensive during the volunteers program, it is the city that can be however!

• There are cash machines located all over Barcelona
• You should take at least two cards with you, and let your bank know that you will be going away
• We recommend a international fee free card such as Revolut or Monzo

Typically you won’t need a visa for stays up to 3 months. You should make sure your passport is valid for the duration of your stay.

Most of our volunteers are independent travellers and you will become part of a group of people from around the world here. It is fine to travel with friends or as part of a small group too however- more the merrier!

The simple answer to this question is, yes absolutely! If you want to help the marine ecosystem by becoming part of the marine stewardship mission, this conservation program is perfect to combine with some site-seeing!

It is important to bear in mind however that this may not be like other holidays that you have taken. Remember that you are volunteering, and this means that you will be put to work! This sort of holiday is a world away from sun loungers and cocktails, with our volunteers often heading home tired but immensely satisfied. If you think that you will need a bit of relaxing time on your trip too, do make sure to factor this in when your time on the project is complete.

You should visit your doctor or travel nurse to find out what vaccinations you will need. Your routine vaccinations will need to be up to date. You should follow your doctor’s advice.

For any information related to Covid-19, please see the Fit for Travel website or the UK government’s travel advice page for Spain.

Doctors, pharmacies and hospitals are located within 30 minutes of the accommodation.

Spain is a developed, cosmopolitan country. There are similar crime levels in Barcelona to any city in the world, however Barcelona is known for it’s elevated levels of pick pocketing in highly touristic areas. You should keep an eye on your belongings when you are out and about and always keep your valuables very close.

The hostel rooms have individual lockers on the dorm rooms where you can keep your valuables. There is also a safe at reception. At the dive centre there are also lockers for your valuables.

Volunteers travel in groups or with the volunteer co-ordinators on their first day. We encourage you to travel together on the metro, especially after dark.

There is free wifi provided throughout the hostel.

We would suggest that you download the App Whatsapp prior to arrival so that you can be added into the volunteer group once you are in Barcelona.

There is good phone reception in Barcelona.

Barcelona is GMT+2.

You will need a European adaptor.

Generally, you will be free in the afternoons from 13:30 on wards. You will also have weekends free to do things around the volunteer opportunities.

• Take a sightseeing bus of Barcelona visiting special landmarks such as the Sagrada Familia church, Gaudi’s Park Guell or the Gothic cathedral
• Experience the Mountjuic Cable car and the city from up high!
• Enjoy great food, bars and night clubs
• Go surfing, visit the aquarium or take a boat trip
• Play volleyball or laze on the beach
• Go diving
• Learn Spanish
• Take a day trip such as the Montserrat Monastery tour or visit the Camp Nou football stadium

Supervision will be fairly intensive during the first few days, when you will receive a thorough induction and work-related training. Once you are comfortable with things, you might not always have a supervisor working alongside you, but there will always be staff and other volunteers around to help, and you will always be accompanied for any high risk activities.

Staff at Oyster’s head office and in-country will be responsible for your safety and welfare while you are at the project. This will start from the moment you are picked up from the airport until the end of your project. Before and after these times, you will be outside Oyster’s responsibility and should make sure that you act safely and avoid risk. This is also true if you choose to leave the project during your time off. We will give you plenty of guidance and advice about this.