The power of volunteering for people and nature

20th of May 2025, late in morning. I look at the lighthouse overhanging the endless North Sea. The sun is at its zenith. From the cape of the Kullaberg peninsula, where I stand, I can catch sight of the small town of Mölle, far away.

That is where I realised: being an IVY Volunteer has taken me places that I had never thought I would go – and not just physically.

Being a volunteer at EUROPARC

My way to supporting people and nature has been to devote my time and energy for the GREENHEALTH project, through the Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY) programme.

The latter allows young people to contribute to Interreg projects and programmes for a maximum of six months. I joined the team of the EUROPARC Federation, the advisory partner of GREENHEALTH, in Regensburg, Germany. My work focused on communication: editing videos, creating visuals for social media and updating the website were part of my daily tasks all along my time as volunteer.

The essential support of volunteers in nature conservation projects

All throughout Europe, volunteering initiatives are allowing people to connect with nature and support others. Two EUROPARC members are also highlighted within the GREENHEALTH project as ‘Good Practices‘ that can serve as inspiration for other across Europe. In the Murcia region of Spain, over the past six years, 350 volunteers from the association Zancadas sobre Ruedas have enabled people with disabilities to connect with nature and enjoy outdoor activities through the use of adapted wheelchairs. In the Kullaberg Nature Reserve in Sweden, a volunteer programme has been established to address challenges related to visitor management, littering, and trail maintenance. Volunteers received training in nature conservation and cultural heritage, providing them with skills to educate visitors on how to respect and care for the area.

In these two inspiring measures, the key driving forces are the volunteers, individuals who dedicate their time and energy to support both people and nature. While not financially compensated, they gain experience, new skills and a sense of purpose by belonging to a new community. The value of volunteers cannot be underestimated, and it is necessary to recognise their significance at all stages of work: whether it is in the management of the project, or directly in the field implementing conservation measures.

Volunteering as a way to experience European cooperation

GREENHEALTH has been an opportunity to experience actual European cooperation. I had the chance to participate in an Interregional Learning Workshop in Sweden, where we gathered with all the partners of the project. It was a delight to join such an international group, learning from each other’s culture, celebrating our differences and sharing our common values. Participating in the workshop made me realise once again the importance of European cooperation: one can draw inspiration from foreign practices, learn from stakeholders coming from a different country and a different context, while being all in pursuit of shared goals. I discovered inspiring initiatives implemented by the Kullaberg Nature Reserve to foster accessibility and inclusivity to nature, one of the main focuses of the GREENHEALTH project. Particularly inspiring were Kullaberg’s all-terrain wheelchairs allowing people with disabilities to hike, as well as a newly adapted trail for visually impaired visitors with multiple sensors.

A chapter filled with learning

My period as an IVY volunteer at EUROPARC allowed me to engage in a meaningful project while gaining new communication skills, professional experience in an international environment, dive into German culture, and last but not least, it allowed me to discover a whole new range of possibilities to better link nature, health and well-being.

Don’t hesitate to choose motivated young people to support nature conservation project through the IVY programme and of course, don’t hesitate to volunteer!

Article and photos from Océane Bailly, IVY Volunteer at EUROPARC for the Interreg Europe GREENHEALTH project from February to July 2025