Apply to volunteer as a sports coach abroad

4 steps to your sporting adventure abroad. Experience and adventures guaranteed.

A volunteer sports coach consults with his team's young players on the pitch during a tournament.

4 steps to your sporting adventure abroad. Experience and adventures guaranteed.

We are looking for committed sports coaches over the age of 18 who are willing to use their expertise to support social projects and develop local coaches. Our verification process ensures that volunteers are well prepared for the challenges and promotes a safe and enriching experience.

Coach Abroad builds relationships and connects cultures. By living with host families, sports volunteers experience daily adventures that broaden their perspective on foreign cultures. It’s not just about giving; it’s a two-way learning process where mentors, local youth and volunteers grow together.

What should you bring as a sports volunteer?

  • Sports skills and enthusiasm for the area of interest
  • Commitment to the values of the project
  • Curiosity about other cultures and lifestyles
  • Flexibility and creativity in dealing with sporting challenges
  • Willingness to work both independently and as part of a team
  • Patience and ability to adapt to a new environment
  • Enjoy working with children and young people
  • A sense of responsibility and commitment to sustainability
  • Cultural awareness and sensitivity towards the local community
  • Willingness to learn personally
  • Organisational skills to work towards solutions
  • Language skills in a common local language

Things to think about before applying to become a sports volunteer abroad

Volunteer coaches talking to local coaches and players on a concrete pitch surrounded by small houses.
Whether you are coaching children and young people or working with local coaches, as a volunteer sports coach you will need to be culturally aware and sensitive to the local community.

Before you start your sports volunteering adventure with COACH ABROAD, it is important to think about your expectations, challenges, ideas and learning opportunities.

Ask yourself some key questions:

  • How do you feel now?
  • How do you want to feel after your sports volunteering experience?
  • What do you want to achieve and why?
  • Is there an issue that is important to you?
  • Do you want to make a difference in the world?
  • What are your expectations for the coming weeks and months?

How do I apply?

Find your favourite project

Browse the projects, choose your country of choice and see where your skills can best be used.

Still undecided or haven’t found what you’re looking for? We will be happy to help. Request your application information and we will contact you to discuss further details.

Complete the volunteer application

Apply to find your ideal coaching project.

You will receive a detailed application form in PDF format, which you can complete and email to us.

You can either apply directly for a specific project that interests you, or send us your application and we will provide you with options to choose from.

Let's get to know each other

We will check your application for completeness before arranging an online or telephone interview with you.

The purpose of the call is to get to know you better, to check your motivation and skills, to optimise your commitment and, of course, to answer any questions.

Read the following section “Useful tips before our phone call” to find out more about the call.

Travelling abroad as a sports coach

Once we have placed you in the project of your choice and clarified all the details, you will be ready to use your skills to help young people in sport.

Get to know the country and its people and experience a new culture with fantastic impressions.

icon tipps telefoninterview

Useful tips before our phone call

Please be prepared for questions that will help us, the project and ultimately yourself to find the right match. In addition to general key data, these are more personal questions such as motivation, skills and expectations. Here are some examples from the application form and what we might discuss during a phone call:

  • Why do you want to volunteer, what is your motivation?
  • What can you bring to the project?
  • What do you hope to learn from volunteering?
  • How can sport contribute to development and teach life skills?
  • What role will you play as a volunteer?
  • How will the children in the project perceive you and how should this influence your behaviour?
  • How do you feel about living with a host family and in a small village or town?
  • What do you know about the place and the country, e.g. social challenges, etc.?
  • Do you have specific goals for yourself or the project?
  • What do other people think you can do well?
  • What do you think you could do better?
  • What qualities would you associate with a good coach and which of these do you already have?
  • Do you have an idea of what your day will be like?

Quick-FAQ

There is no fixed application deadline as each project has a specific start and end date for when you can volunteer. Some projects have fixed start dates at the beginning of the month, while others are flexible in terms of when you can start volunteering.

Check the project months for possible start and end dates, especially during the school holidays when some programmes take a break. You may also want to combine your free time with a private trip to get to know the country better. If you have any ideas or travel plans in advance, we or you can discuss them with the project and plan and integrate them into your stay.

Due to our own application process for quality assurance and any VISA applications you may need to make, which can take several months depending on the country, it may take some time. Once we have received your application, we will review all your documents. We will then arrange an online interview to discuss your motivation for volunteering and to clarify any mutual questions. We will then clarify the project’s interest and approval.

If you do not need a special visa to enter the country of your chosen project, you can theoretically apply up to 6 weeks before the start of the project. Please note, however, that you will still need to organise things such as your flight and any necessary vaccinations. As a general rule, we recommend that you apply at least 4 months in advance of your intended stay to allow sufficient time for preparation.

Due to the varying and sometimes changing visa requirements and processing times, we are unable to give you any binding information on how long your visa application will take. Please check the visa requirements for the country you are interested in and also note the validity period of short-term visas. Please also note that certain medical documents may be required depending on the country. For South Africa, for example, a radiological report from a doctor certifying that the lungs are free of tuberculosis is required for a stay of more than three months. The validity of your passport should also be carefully checked in advance, as it can take some time to apply for a new passport if it has expired.

Do you need help or more information?

Have a look at our Help Centre / FAQ section or simply send us an email. Please provide us with your contact details and preferred method of communication and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Request volunteer application info

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