From 10am to 4pm on Saturday, visitors will be able to speak to the organisations at the Abbaye de Neumünster Cultural and Community Centre about the roles on offer, the time commitment required and the skills needed. Organised by the Ministry for Family Affairs, the fair is free to attend and no registration is required.
The requirements are sometimes very specific. Médecins du Monde Luxembourg, which is attending the fair, has posted three calls for volunteers dated 23 September. The organisation is looking for social workers, psychologists and pharmacists or pharmacy assistants. Social workers must be authorised to practise in Luxembourg. Psychologists must hold a Master’s degree in clinical psychology or an equivalent qualification recognised in Luxembourg, and be able to devote a few hours a month to their role.
However, not all of the roles on offer require professional qualifications. The Aktiv Plus clubs invite volunteers to organise walks, help out at events or advise participants on how to use a smartphone. At Asti, they can take part in language coaching or the public writing service. The Luxembourg Red Cross’s Iris service, meanwhile, relies on volunteers who regularly visit elderly people suffering from loneliness.
Four interactive presentations will complement the discussions at the stands: on community engagement in Luxembourg at 11.00, volunteering by people with disabilities at midday, volunteering by and for older people at 1.00, and citizen participation in local authorities at 2.00. The Minister for Family Affairs, 
Widespread commitment, specific needs
In 2022, 35% of people aged 16 or over living in Luxembourg had taken part in voluntary work, according to a Statec analysis published in 2024. The country ranked fourth in Europe at the time. This figure includes both formal volunteering through an organisation and informal activities; the proportion of residents involved through an organisation stood at 25%. However, these figures do not indicate whether organisations are able to find the people they need.
In a survey conducted by Liser between November 2021 and April 2022 amongst 1,876 Luxembourg-based voluntary organisations, half of the respondents reported difficulties in attracting, recruiting or retaining volunteers. They cited issues such as time constraints, the challenge of finding young people to take over, and the need for specialist skills, particularly digital skills. The study covered all areas of the voluntary sector, extending beyond the social sector represented at the fair.
As far as residents are concerned, time remains the main obstacle cited. In a survey carried out for the Ministry of Family Affairs in 2021, 64% of the 1,383 residents surveyed who were not involved in any of the areas studied cited a lack of time. For 29%, the opportunity to become a volunteer had not arisen. The fair can help facilitate an initial encounter with local organisations.
Some activities do indeed require preparation or a regular commitment. To join the Iris service, you must be able to devote a few hours a week to home visits, complete a 20-hour training course and undertake a two-hour work placement with an experienced volunteer. At Médecins du Monde, volunteers work alongside staff: the organisation had 140 volunteers by the end of 2025 and reports that, with their help, it carried out 3,010 individual consultations during its drop-in sessions that year. Recruitment also involves training and supporting those who sign up.
Simply putting people in touch is not enough
Established in 2002, the Volunteering Agency aims to connect volunteers with organisations. Its 2025 annual report states that 3,002 people were registered as volunteers on its platform at the end of the year, although this figure does not indicate how many actually carried out a volunteering assignment. Since June 2026, Benevolat.lu recommends opportunities based on the interests and skills provided by users. At the time, the Agency had more than 120 assignments listed online.
Charities also need to find people to run them. In 2025, the Agency ran a campaign focused on recruiting board members. At the same time, it responded to 85 individual requests for legal advice and 291 calls to its helpline, particularly regarding articles of association and the formalities relating to the 2023 Act on non-profit organisations. The CLAE, which provides support for the establishment and management of associations, has called in July for a national policy to support community and civic life, whilst drawing attention to the burden of administrative and accounting procedures.
The issue was also raised in the parliament. “It is also important that volunteers are not put off by excessive administrative burdens,” writes the Minister for Justice, 
For the organisations taking part on Saturday, the immediate aim will be to raise awareness of their work and to meet people who might be interested in getting involved. The full programme and a map of the stands are available on the Ministry’s website.
