Join our “Active Hope: facing global concerns and building regenerative futures”, a participatory learning journey to help teachers, educators, staff in educational institutions and trainers, to explore Active Hope, navigate uncertainty and concerns about global challenges and transform these concerns into meaningful action towards a more sustainable, compassionate and hopeful future.

Context

We live in a global reality that worries and distresses us, particularly with regard to future prospects. There are many areas of concern, from climate change, economic crises, wars, decline in biodiversity, increased socio-economic inequalities, social isolation and mental health problems, among others. Lack of confidence in the future and uncertainty are common psychological realities (*). These realities are generally considered “depressing”, “negative”, and they remain largely ignored, denied and unspoken. How can we change something we don’t think or talk about?

Aims

In this course, we explore our sense of purpose and connectedness with each other as human beings and with life as a whole, to nurture and strengthen our ability to face our concerns for the world and to contribute to a fair and humane world.

This learning journey invites teachers and educators to explore the local and global issues that matter most to them and their learners, and to discover meaningful ways to contribute to positive change. Recognising that every person brings unique experiences, interests, skills and perspectives, it will support participants in identifying and developing their own authentic and meaningful responses within their educational contexts, while empowering them to inspire learners and communities to help shape a “hope-full” future.

Target: Teachers working with all types of learners in both formal and non-formal context; staff of educational institutions; educator’s and trainers.

Duration: 5 days (25 – 30 hours)

Venue: Lisbon, Portugal

Working Language: English

Learning methods

Experiential and non-formal learning, where participants actively participate in the process through small group interactions, deep listening, personal reflection, and (where possible) time outdoors to reconnect with the natural world, music, and movement, along with presentations and conversations on concepts such as Systems Science, Deep Ecology, the state of the world, and the aspiration to a life-sustaining society.

Programme

Hosting Organization: Associação Spin
Activity start date: 14th April 2026
Activity end date:  14th October 2026
Activity duration: 6 months
Vacancies: 1 (for residents in EU)
Application deadline: March 16th, 2026
Application consists of: CV + project-specific motivation letter + presentation about Spin Association (more information below)
Application sent to: esc.spin@a-spin.pt

Associação Spin para o Intercâmbio, Formação e Cooperação entre os Povos («Spin Association for Exchange, Training and Cooperation among Peoples») is a non-profit nationwide association, whose fundamental objectives are to promote and defend the intercultural dialogue, human rights, equal opportunities, solidarity and social inclusion. The organization’s main activity consists of promoting and implementing intercultural exchanges, (inter)cultural activities, training courses and other international cooperation projects. Its headquarters is located in Bairro Padre Cruz – Lisbon, Portugal.

PROPOSED ACTIVITIES:

The volunteers will participate in the activities of the European Programmes and Mobility Department, which can include:

- help in the logistical organization of Spin’s international projects (Youth Exchanges, Training Courses, etc.);
- administrative support to Spin’s sending activities (Portuguese ESC volunteers or groups of Portuguese participants in Youth Exchanges, Training Courses, etc.);
- help in the organization of and active participation in Information Sessions about Erasmus+ at the office, in schools, seminars and conferences in order to promote the program;
- research and collecting information on international mobility opportunities for Spin’s monthly newsletter and Spin’s website, blog, Facebook and Twitter.

In the Image and Communication Department, the volunteers will :

- contribute to content creation (text, graphic and audio-visual) and regular updates of the blog, website, Facebook and Twitter pages;
- prepare the monthly newsletter;
- create brochures, posters, flyers and other promotional materials;
- distribute and share flyers, brochures, posters and/or other promotional materials for youth related events through social networks, in the Carnide area and specifically in schools and universities of the Lisbon Metropolitan area;
- document all Spin’s activities and disseminate the information.

All volunteers will also support the management and staff of the SPIN Hostel (by hosting groups, answering to requests for information, cooking and cleaning together with international groups, arranging cultural activities with the groups staying in the Hostel, decorating the rooms, creating and maintaining communication regarding the Hostel, etc.).

LOGISTICS & PRACTICAL INFO:

• Travel cost – The two-way travel (from place of residence to Lisbon and back) will be reimbursed up to the limit given by the distance band of the place of residence, according with ESC rules;
• Accommodation – Supporting & hosting organization, Associação Spin, will provide the lodging in a flat as close to the office and the city center as possible. If the apartment is located in the city center, the volunteers will spend around 45 minutes to reach the office by bus and subway. The volunteers will have to share the room with another volunteer/student/young person (room and connected expenses are paid by Associação Spin). They may also – if so wished by the volunteer – receive a monthly accommodation allowance and be solely responsible for finding and paying for their own accommodation.
• Food & transportation – A monthly allowance of 210€ will be provided by Associação Spin to cover food expenses and local public transportation.
• Pocket money – Every month the volunteer will receive 180€ as pocket money.
• Working hours – The volunteers are expected to spend 30-35 hours a week working. The daily timetable includes time for language learning, lunch, social activities and development of own project ideas, etc.
• Days off – Volunteers are entitled to two days off per week (which sometimes may not be Saturday or Sunday) as well as 2 extra days of vacation for every month of their voluntary work.

      VOLUNTEER PROFILE: WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

Volunteers aged 18-30 years, open minded, eager to learn and motivated to work on the proposed project activities. It is not required to have any particular degree of formal education, but to have positive and proactive attitude, show tolerance, flexibility and capacity to adapt, motivation and enthusiasm. Any knowledge of Portuguese will be considered a plus, however it is not a requirement.

All candidates must be registered with the European Solidarity Corps.

SELECTION PROCESS:

In order to be considered for the vacancies, each candidate has to fill this Google form and send (in only 1 single e-mail):

1. up-to-date CV,
2. project-specific Motivation Letter,
3. short presentation about Spin Association (the format is absolutely free for you to choose!; for the best content do a little research on our various websites and communication channels!).

The complete applications (CV + project-specific Motivation Letter + presentation about Associação Spin) should be sent to esc.spin@a-spin.pt no later than on March 16th, 2025.

• FINAL REMARKS (please read carefully):
  • this is an open call with no assigned sending/supporting organization (we will partner up with the sending organization of the selected volunteer);
  • please make sure you are registered with the European Solidarity Corps;
  • we only accept complete applications that contain all the required documents;
  • due to the high number of candidates, we are only able to contact the short-listed candidates (in order to invite them for a brief Skype interview);
  • all the other candidates will be informed about the selection results by April 2nd, through our website.

GOOD LUCK!

All Spin Association’s projects aim to contribute to the dissemination and implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, unanimously approved by 193 UN Member States in 2015.

Project name: “Time for Rights II”
Duration: 18 months – From 09/01/2024 to 02/28/2026
Topics: Human Rights and rule of law
Active aging
Education for global citizenship
Intercultural learning
Digital content and pedagogical practices

Project objectives:
– Recognition of the identity and image of Associação Spin as a non-formal adult education entity and consolidation of its internationalization
– Development and improvement of the technical, linguistic and personal skills and competencies of the Association’s staff
– Improving quality and innovation in adult training promoted by Spin
– Improvement of basic skills in digital literacy, foreign language and soft skills of 8 seniors with fewer opportunities.

Planned activities:
1. Job shadowings and international training courses for Spin staff, with the aim of learning new technical knowledge, practices and methods to develop new ideas, share new know-how with the entire team and improve the quality of training actions of the Association. The selection criteria will be: 40% Curriculum (Valuation of international experiences in the past, communication and networking skills); 30% Knowledge of a foreign language; 30% Motivation and availability to participate in mobility.

2. “Time of Rights” training cycle for 8 senior apprentices (over 55 years old) and final event Biblioteca Viva. Activities carried out by Associação Spin, not financed by the project but an integral part. Calendar and schedule available soon.

3. Hosting of an international specialist invited to one of the sessions of the training cycle on an Open Day basis to the public.

4. International mobility of senior apprentices (location to be determined).
This is an international group mobility that will involve apprentices participating in the 2nd edition of the training sessions on human rights “Time for Rights” and 2 companions from Associação Spin with the objective of learning in the context of voluntary action, for 1 week, in November 2025.
It will serve to integrate the knowledge obtained during training, combined with practical experience and acquisition of new learning.

For group mobility, 8 senior participants will be selected.
Selection criteria:
-be over 55 years old
-motivation for learning
-be resident in Portugal
-availability and interest in traveling outside the country
-obstacles and/or fewer opportunities in life
-be a member of the Spin Association.

In the event of a tie, priority will be given to registrations from residents in Carnide, participants in more than one previous activity of the Association and in order of arrival of registrations. The gender balance in the group will also be taken into account. Participants will be selected by three members of the Association’s staff after checking the registration forms and conducting an individual interview with each registrant.

Registration for participation in the training cycle and international group mobility (volunteering) will open soon!

The program of this mobility includes volunteering actions carried out in organization(s) that promote human rights, within the scope of their activities, cultural visits to places of pedagogical-cultural interest in the host city and at the end after return, carrying out of a final “living library” event.

The “Living Library” is an innovative, simple and concrete method to promote dialogue, reduce prejudices, break stereotypes and improve understanding between people of different ages, sexes, lifestyles and cultural background. This event will be open to the public, with several “books” (books are human) and a catalog of “titles” (stories) from senior learners and will promote respect for human rights as well as stimulate intercultural and intergenerational dialogue.

For more information, contact: international@a-spin.pt or call 21 7145520 (between 10am and 5pm).

Project co-funded by Erasmus+