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 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

Communication and Financial Sustainability for NGOs is a practical, hands-on 5-day program designed specifically for NGO leaders, project managers, and communication officers who want to master the art of impactful storytelling while building a resilient, multi-stream funding strategy. Set in the inspiring city of Lisbon, this course provides insider knowledge on Erasmus+ grants, European funding lines, and crowdfunding, combined with modern marketing tools. Learn how to turn your social impact into a sustainable future.

Duration: 5 days (25-30 hours)

Target:
-teachers working with all types of learners in both formal and non- formal context
-staff in educational institutions
-trainers

Objectives:

• Build a Strategic Communication Plan that effectively showcases their NGO’s social impact to donors, partners, and the public.
• Navigate the Erasmus+ ecosystem and successfully understand the requirements for KA1, KA2, and other European funding lines.
• Diversify NGO income streams by exploring corporate partnerships, crowdfunding, and social entrepreneurship models.
• Write compelling grant proposals that stand out to evaluators and align perfectly with funding priorities.
• Network and collaborate with international NGOs, opening doors for future cross-border partnerships and consortiums.

Learning Outcomes:

• Develop a strategic communication plan that clearly communicates their NGO’s mission, activities and social impact to donors, partners, stakeholders and the wider public.

• Navigate the Erasmus+ funding ecosystem by identifying relevant funding opportunities, distinguishing between Key Action 1 (KA1), Key Action 2 (KA2) and other European funding programmes, and understanding their main eligibility criteria and application requirements.

• Identify and assess alternative funding opportunities by exploring corporate partnerships, crowdfunding, social entrepreneurship and other income-generation models to strengthen their NGO’s financial sustainability.

• Design and write compelling grant proposals that respond to funding priorities, address application requirements, define clear objectives and expected outcomes, and demonstrate the relevance and impact of proposed activities.

• Apply practical strategies for communicating social impact by selecting appropriate messages, communication channels and impact indicators to strengthen donor engagement, build stakeholder trust and increase organisational visibility.

• Build international networks and explore cross-border cooperation opportunities by exchanging good practices with representatives of other NGOs, identifying potential partners and developing initial ideas for future European project consortia.

• Develop an actionable organisational development plan identifying priority steps to improve fundraising, communication and international cooperation within their NGO.

Programme:

Day 1 – Does the World Know Your Impact? 
Presentation of training institutions, trainers and participants
Introduction to the programme, warmers and icebreakers
Presentation of communication tools and channels (branding and storytelling related)

Day 2 – Amplifying Your NGO’s Voice 
Strategic communication – Digital storytelling, branding, and content creation for social impact
Social Media Mastery – Free tools for NGOs
Public relations & media outreach

Day 3 – Learning How to Diversifying Income  
Introduction to the Erasmus+ Programme and European funding lines
Practical examples
Alternative fundings and self-sustaining

Day 4 – How Can We Communicate to Win?
Writing to win – How to design the narrative, project logic, and budget for an Erasmus+ grant proposal and to disseminate it on social media
Pitching your project
Practical tasks

Dia 5 – I’m ready for Long-Term Impact! 
Knowledge into action
It all comes together
Closing and evaluation of the course

Course details:

Course Fee: €400 per participant (5 training days × €80/day)

Includes:
– Course preparation and delivery by qualified trainers.
– Five days of structured training, including workshops, practical activities and group discussions
– Training materials and educational resources
– Administrative and organisational costs
– Certificate of participation (upon 80% attendance)
– Europass Mobility (upon 80% attendance)
– Pre-course coordination and participant support.

Not included: Travel, accommodation, meals and local transportation. These expenses are the responsibility of the participants or their sending organisations.

Register HERE.

Upcoming session
1) Starting on 10/05/2027 – Ending on 14/05/2027

Looking forward to meeting you in Lisbon!

Prioritizing You: Self-Care for Resilient Educators is a transformative, hands-on 5-day program designed exclusively for teachers and educational staff who need to step back, recharge, and build sustainable emotional resilience. Set in the relaxing and inspiring city of Lisbon, this course blends practical wellness training with enriching cultural experiences. It’s time to invest in yourself so you can return to your students with a renewed mind, a healthy body, and a lasting passion for education.

Duration: 5 days (25 – 30 hours)

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

Objectives:

Identify the signs of stress and burnout and implement proactive, research-based self-care strategies.
Practice and lead mindfulness exercises (such as breathing techniques, grounding, and sensory awareness) tailored for both educators and students.
Cultivate emotional regulation and resilience to manage challenging classroom environments and daily educational pressures.
Design a personalized Well-being Action Plan to sustain healthy habits and personal self-care beyond the training.
Network and collaborate with international peers, creating a supportive community focused on mental health in education.

Learning Outcomes:

• Recognise and identify common signs, symptoms and contributing factors of stress and burnout in educational settings, identifying when additional professional support may be needed.
• Demonstrate and facilitate basic mindfulness exercises, including breathing techniques, grounding and sensory awareness, adapting them to the needs of educators and learners.
• Apply evidence-informed self-care and stress-management strategies to strengthen emotional regulation, resilience and well-being when facing challenging classroom situations and everyday professional pressures.
• Design and implement a personalised Well-being Action Plan, incorporating realistic self-care routines, healthy habits, stress-management techniques and strategies to maintain well-being beyond the training.
• Integrate practical mindfulness and well-being activities into educational practice to support a more balanced, supportive and emotionally aware learning environment.
• Collaborate and exchange good practices with international peers, sharing experiences, exploring approaches to mental health and well-being in education, and building professional connections to support continued learning and mutual support.

Programme:
Day 1 – Is Stress Already Taking Over? 
Presentation of training institutions, trainers and participants
Introduction to the programme, warmers and icebreakers
Mapping our triggers – Presentation of current challenges and coping mechanisms participants already use

Day 2 – Becoming Aware of My Inner Space 
Introduction to Mindfulness
Micro-practices for the classroom – Breathing exercises and grounding techniques
Emotional awareness and regulation tools

Day 3 – How to Teach with Joy 
The Pillars of Self-Care
Practicing self-compassion and overcoming “educator guilt”
Creative expression and movement

Day 4 – How Can Tech Be a Support and Not a Stressor?
Digital well-being – Establishing boundaries with technology and emails
Mindful communication with students, parents, and colleagues
Practical tasks

Dia 5 – I’m ready to transform Education!
Knowledge into action
It all comes together
Networking, closing, and evaluation of the course.

Course details:

Course Fee: €400 per participant (5 training days × €80/day)
Includes:
– Course preparation and delivery by qualified trainers.
– Five days of structured training, including workshops, practical activities and group discussions
– Training materials and educational resources
– Administrative and organisational costs
– Certificate of participation (upon 80% attendance)
– Europass Mobility (upon 80% attendance)
– Pre-course coordination and participant support.

Not included: Travel, accommodation, meals and local transportation. These expenses are the responsibility of the participants or their sending organisations.

Register HERE.

Upcoming session
1) Starting on 26/04/2027 – Ending on 30/04/2027

Looking forward to meeting you in Lisbon!

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN EDUCATION

Are you ready to bridge the gap between traditional teaching and the digital future?

The Digital Transformation in Education course is a dynamic, hands-on 5-day program designed to empower educators with the digital pedagogical skills needed for the modern classroom. Set in the vibrant city of Lisbon, this course blends intensive, practical training with cultural experiences, allowing you to learn, network, and transform your teaching practice.

Duration: 5 days (25 – 30 hours)

Target:

• teachers working with all types of learners in both formal and non- formal context
• staff in educational institutions
• trainers

Objectives:

• Identify and integrate cutting-edge classroom management and presentation tools into their daily teaching.
• Gamify the learning experience using interactive quiz apps and language-learning platforms to boost student engagement.
• Leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) ethically and effectively as an assistant for lesson planning, material creation, and productivity.
• Design and implement digital-first lesson plans that seamlessly combine technology with pedagogy.
• Network and collaborate with international peers, sharing best practices in a supportive environment.

Learning Outcomes:
1.Identify and select appropriate digital classroom management and presentation tools to enhance teaching effectiveness and support learner engagement.
2.Design and implement gamified learning activities using interactive quiz applications and language-learning platforms to increase motivation and active participation.
3.Apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools ethically and effectively to support lesson planning, develop educational materials, and improve teaching productivity, while considering data protection, copyright, and responsible use.
4.Develop digital-first lesson plans that integrate digital tools, interactive resources, and sound pedagogical approaches to address diverse learning needs and learning objectives.
5.Collaborate and network with international peers, exchanging good practices, sharing digital teaching resources, and developing ideas for applying innovative approaches in their own educational contexts.
6.Evaluate the educational value of digital tools and AI-supported activities, identifying opportunities for improvement and adapting their use to different teaching and learning contexts.

Programme:

Day 1 – Is Digital Transformation already happening?
Presentation of organizations, trainers and participants
Introduction to the programme, warmers and icebreakers
Presentation of tools.

Day 2 – Becoming aware of my Digital Transformation
Classroom management tools
Presentation tools – Nearpod, Thing Link, NoteBookLM
Presentation tools – Mentimeter, Canva

Day 3 – Learning how to teach with fun!
Quiz tools – Flippity, Quizlet, Quizizz
Language learning apps
QR Codes

Day 4 – How can the AI be a tool and not a replacement?
AI apps
AI prompts
Practical tasks

Dia 5 – I’m ready to transform Education!
Knowledge into action
It all comes together; Networking
Closing and evaluation of the course; certificates.

Course details:

Course Fee: €400 per participant (5 training days × €80/day)
Includes:

• Course preparation and delivery by qualified trainers.
• Five days of structured training, including workshops, practical activities and group discussions
• Training materials and educational resources
• Administrative and organisational costs
• Certificate of participation (upon 80% attendance)
• Europass Mobility  (upon 80% attendance)
• Pre-course coordination and participant support.

Not included: Travel, accommodation, meals and local transportation. These expenses are the responsibility of the participants or their sending organisations.

Register HERE.

Upcoming session
1) Starting on 12/04/2027 – Ending on 16/04/2027

Looking forward to meeting you in Lisbon!

Empowering Voices: Human Rights & Inclusive Pedagogy is an interactive 5-day program designed for adult educators, trainers, and community leaders. Set in the vibrant, multicultural city of Lisbon, this course equips participants with practical tools, participatory methodologies, and human rights-based frameworks to address social inequality, encourage critical thinking, and build truly inclusive learning environments for diverse adult learners.

Duration: 5 days (25-30 hours)

Language: English

Target:
teachers working with all types of adult learners in both formal and non- formal context
staff of educational institutions
trainers

Objectives:
– Apply Human Rights Education (HRE) principles to learning contexts and non-formal education frameworks.
– Identify and deconstruct implicit bias, discrimination, and barriers faced by marginalized learners (e.g., migrants, seniors, disadvantaged socio-economic groups).
– Utilize participatory, learner-centered methodologies to address sensitive issues.
– Design inclusive learning activities and curricula that promote social justice, active citizenship, and democratic participation.
-Network and collaborate with international education practitioners to build inclusive European educational projects.

Programme:
Day 1 – Where Do Human Rights Begin?
Presentation of hosting organization, represented schools/organizations, trainers and participants
Human Rights in our everyday practice – Presentation of tools and approaches

Day 2 – Understanding the Adult Learner
Core frameworks – Human Rights Education (HRE), intersectionality, and addressing privilege in the classroom with practical examples
Deconstructing stereotypes and implicit bias in adult learning spaces
Creating safe and brave spaces for difficult conversations and vulnerable learners

Day 3 – Learning How to Teach for Empowerment
Transformative pedagogy
Storytelling and narrative methodologies for social inclusion
Practical tasks

Day 4 – How Can Tech Be a Support and Not a Stressor
Gamification and interactive tools for teaching civic rights and active citizenship
Adapting learning materials to meet diverse accessibility, linguistic, and cultural needs
Addressing contemporary Human Rights challenges: Digital rights, climate justice, and migration in adult education

Dia 5 – I’m ready to transform Education!
Knowledge into action
It all comes together
Networking
Closing and evaluation of the course

Learning Outcomes
1. Apply Human Rights Education (HRE) principles to formal, non-formal and adult learning contexts, integrating human rights, equality, dignity and democratic values into educational practice.
2. Identify and critically analyse implicit bias, discrimination and barriers to participation experienced by marginalised learners, including migrants, older adults and/or people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.
3. Facilitate participatory and learner-centred learning activities using methodologies such as Theatre of the Oppressed, story circles and critical dialogue to explore sensitive issues and encourage reflection, empathy and mutual understanding.
4. Design inclusive learning activities and educational programmes that promote social justice, equal opportunities, active citizenship and democratic participation, responding to the diverse needs and experiences of adult learners.
5. Apply inclusive facilitation strategies to create safe, respectful and accessible learning environments where participants can express different perspectives, challenge stereotypes and engage in constructive dialogue.
6. Exchange experiences and good practices with international education practitioners, identifying opportunities for cross-border collaboration and developing initial ideas for inclusive European educational projects.
7. Develop an action plan for integrating Human Rights Education into professional practice, identifying practical approaches to address discrimination, strengthen inclusion and promote a human rights-based learning culture.

Course details:

Course Fee: €400 per participant (5 training days × €80/day)
Includes:

• Course preparation and delivery by qualified trainers.
• Five days of structured training, including workshops, practical activities and group discussions
• Training materials and educational resources
• Administrative and organisational costs
• Certificate of participation (upon 80% attendance)
• Europass Mobility  (upon 80% attendance)
• Pre-course coordination and participant support.

Not included: Travel to Lisbon, accommodation, meals and local transportation. These expenses are the responsibility of the participants or their sending organisations.

 Pre-Register HERE .

Looking forward to be meeting you in Lisbon!

Available vacancies: 2 (for residents in EU)

Long-term ESC

• Activity start date: November 30th 2026
• Activity duration: 6 months

PROPOSED ACTIVITIES

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

• assisting with the logistical organisation of Spin’s international projects (Youth Exchanges, Training Courses, etc.);
• providing administrative support for Spin’s sending activities (Portuguese ESC volunteers or groups of Portuguese participants in Youth Exchanges, Training Courses, etc.);
• helping to organise and actively participating in Information Sessions about Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps at the office, schools, seminars and conferences to promote the programmes;
• researching and collecting information on international mobility opportunities for Spin’s monthly newsletter, website, blog and social media.

Within the Image and Communication Department, volunteers will:

• contribute to the creation of written, graphic and audiovisual content and regularly update the blog, website and social media channels;
• prepare the monthly newsletter;
• design brochures, posters, flyers and other promotional materials;
• help disseminate youth-related opportunities and events through social media, as well as in the Carnide area and schools and universities across the Lisbon Metropolitan Area;
• document Spin’s activities and support their dissemination.

All volunteers will also support the management and staff of the SPIN Hostel by welcoming international groups, responding to requests for information, cooking and cleaning together with guests, organising cultural activities, decorating rooms and contributing to the hostel’s communication and promotion.

LOGISTICS & PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Travel costs – Round-trip travel (from the volunteer’s place of residence to Lisbon and back) will be reimbursed up to the limit established by the European Solidarity Corps distance bands.

Accommodation – Associação Spin will provide accommodation in a shared flat located as close as possible to the office and the city centre. Depending on the apartment’s location, volunteers may take around 45 minutes by public transport to reach the office. Volunteers will usually share a room with another volunteer, student or young person. Accommodation and related expenses are fully covered by Associação Spin. Alternatively, volunteers may choose to receive a monthly accommodation allowance and arrange their own housing.

Food & local transportation – Volunteers will receive a monthly allowance of €210 to cover food expenses and local public transport.

Pocket money – Volunteers will receive €180 per month as pocket money.

Working hours – Volunteers are expected to work 30–35 hours per week. The weekly schedule includes language learning, lunch breaks, social activities and time to develop personal project ideas.

Days off – Volunteers are entitled to two days off per week (which may not always fall on Saturdays and Sundays) and two additional vacation days for each full month of volunteering.

VOLUNTEER PROFILE

• We are looking for volunteers aged 18–30 who are open-minded, eager to learn and motivated to contribute to the project’s activities. 
• No specific educational background is required. We value a positive and proactive attitude, flexibility, tolerance, adaptability, motivation and enthusiasm.
• Knowledge of Portuguese is considered an asset but is not required.
• All applicants must be registered with the European Solidarity Corps.

SELECTION PROCESS

To be considered, applicants must complete the Google Form and send one single email to esc.spin@a-spin.pt containing:

• an up-to-date CV;
• a project-specific motivation letter;
• a short presentation about Associação Spin (the format is completely free—be creative! We encourage applicants to explore our website and communication channels before preparing it).

Application deadline: November 2nd 2026

Good luck!

Hosting Organization: Associação Crescer a Cores
Coordinating Organization: Associação Spin
Activity start date: 30 November 2026
Activity duration: 6 months
Vacancies: 1 (for female volunteers residing in Spain, France or Italy exclusively)
Application deadline: 2 November 2026
Application consists of: filling this Google form + CV, project-specific motivation letter and presentation (more info below)
Application sent to: esc.cac@a-spin.pt

Crescer a Cores – Associação de Solidariedade Social – IPSS is recognized by the Portuguese law as a charity organization. It is a non-profit association with regional reach and its main aim is to accompany and support the social inclusion of vulnerable children, youngsters and families, through providing community responses and services within the fields of psychology, education and health. The ESC volunteers will work mainly with the organization’s biggest target group: children aged 4 months to 4 years old. 

PROPOSED VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES:

• Provide support to the educators in the daily activities for children aged 4-36 months old (general support, helping with meals, hygiene and cleaning, telling stories, puppet theatres, playing with the children, drawing and painting, etc.);
• Support in the organization of cultural events with families, children and local community by preparing creative informative materials, making contacts with stakeholders, arranging decorations and preparing the spaces for hosting the beneficiaries;
• Collaborating in local projects with the community on the frames of project “Pulsar” which promotes the dialogue, interaction and local interventions among neighbours and residents of the local council parish (Carnide);
• Participate in creating materials and activities & in the organization and implementation of celebration days and Summer activities with children.

Crescer a Cores intends to support the volunteers to create their own events or initiatives, in accordance with their principles and upon Board’s approval.

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 – Coordinating & 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 workplace 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 (usually Saturday and Sunday) as well as 2 extra days of vacation for every month of their voluntary work.

VOLUNTEERS’ 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 degree of formal education, but to have positive and proactive attitude, show tolerance, flexibility and capacity to adapt, motivation and enthusiasm. In this project, age and maturity are important due to direct work with small children and families in the neighborhood. We encourage applications especially from youngsters who already have some experience in volunteering or in working with small children and are, at this moment, available to commit to a long-term experience of volunteer work abroad. We will give some priority to candidates who have at least a basic level of Portuguese, however it’s not a requirement for the application.

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 an idea you would like to implement with the children (the format is absolutely free for you to choose, be as creative as possible).

The complete applications (CV + project-specific Motivation Letter + presentation) should be sent to esc.cac@a-spin.pt no later than November 2nd, 2026.

FINAL REMARKS (please read carefully):

• this project is already approved by the ESC Program;
• only candidates residing in Italy, France or Spain may apply;
• as this volunteer placement involves direct work with children, the selected volunteers will have to provide us with their criminal record certificates;
• we only accept complete applications that contain all the required documents;
• one vacancy has no assigned sending/supporting organization (we will partner up with the sending organization of the selected volunteer);
• In this selection process priority will be given to candidates whose profile is well-suited to the proposed activities and who can be considered fewer opportunities candidates;
• 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 online interview);

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.

The current status of recruitment is as follows:

Click on the host organization’s name to see the full call for volunteers (including the procedure on how to apply).

If you would like to receive our future calls for volunteers, sign up for our Partnership Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

All Spin Association 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.

Here you will find some great details about our activities (past, present and future). This information is here for those who would like to join or learn more about who we are and what we do.

The website has two different menus for navigation. Above, is the main menu (blue letters). Here you can access comprehensive information about all our activities. On the left-hand side of the page (black background) is the simplified menu. Here you can quickly locate the information you desire. Also there is the site map, which gives a complete picture of all the website components (link at the bottom right).

The news on the main page is split into two different categories: “Opportunities” which are listed on the photo slider, and Institutional / Local news which can be found in the centre of the page, beneath the slider).

You can return to the Portuguese version of our website by clicking on the flag in the upper right-hand corner.

Our department of image and communication have created this page with you in mind. Please give us feedback and let us know if there is anymore information you would like to find here. You can leave a comment here or write to dic@a-spin.pt. Any suggestions are very welcome!

Do not forget to follow us on our other platforms, such as liking us on Facebook and subscribing to our newsletter.

See you soon! Team Spin.

Hosting Organisation: SPEA
Supporting Organisation: Associação Spin
Activity start date: 1st November 2026
Activity end date: 31th October 2027
Activity duration: 12 months
Vacancies: 1 (open to residents in EU or EFTA countries)
Application deadline: 1st of October 2026
Application consists of: filling this Google form + CV and project ­specific motivation letter
Application sent to: esc.spea@a-spin.pt

The Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds is a non­-governmental non-­profit environment organization that promotes the study and conservation of birds and their habitats in Portugal, funded in 1993. It is the Portuguese member of BirdLife International.

PROPOSED ACTIVITIES:

SPEA intends to support the volunteers to create their own events or initiatives, in accordance with their principles and upon Board’s approval.

The volunteer will be mostly involved in biological conservation work – on the field and at the office (around 70% of time) and environmental education actions (around 30%), integrated in several different projects, mainly at SPEA’s Conservation Departament – Terrestrial Area (ca. 75%) and Environmental Citizenship and Education Department (ca. 25%), with a diversity of tasks including:

– Field work: bird surveys/census (e.g. steppeland birds), prospection of birds under powerlines, etc;
– Office work: database input; data analysis (with Excel, QGIS, etc), etc.;
– Environmental education: support the preparation and realization of actions for schools (e.g. story-telling, support exhibition touring, field visits);
– Events: support the organization of events for the general public (e.g. nature days, conferences), including birdwatching activities;
– Support other staff members of SPEA with their projects;

SPEA intends to support the volunteers to create their own events or initiatives, in accordance with their principles and upon Board’s approval. 

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 – Coordinating & hosting organization, Associação Spin, will provide the lodging in a flat as close to the office and the city centre as possible with all expenses included. If the apartment is located in the city centre, the volunteers will spend around 35 minutes to reach the working place. The volunteers will have to share the room with another volunteer/student/young person. 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 in Lisbon.
• Food & transportation – A monthly allowance will be provided to cover food expenses (180€) and  local public transportation in Lisbon (30€). While doing field work, food, accommodation and transportation will be provided by SPEA (some activities are away from Lisbon). 
• Pocket money – Every month the volunteers 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 (usually on Saturday and Sunday) as well as 2 extra days of vacation for every month of their voluntary work.

VOLUNTEERS’ PROFILE: WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

We are looking for young motivated volunteers aged 18-30, open minded, eager to learn about new cultures and lifestyles, as well as to participate in the project activities.It is not required to have any particular degree of formal education, but to have positive and proactive attitude, show tolerance, flexibility, motivation and enthusiasm. In this project, patience and the capacity to work in a team, sometimes in a isolated Island environment, will be highly appreciated. We encourage applications especially from youngsters who already have some experience in volunteering or in working with environment related issues, namely with birds (e.g. birdwatching), environmental education, simple design (e.g. CANVAS) and GIS software, available to commit to a long term experience of volunteer work abroad and willing to know more about the work developed in ornithology and environmental preservation in Portugal. Any knowledge of Portuguese is 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

The complete applications (CV + project-specific Motivation Letter) should be sent to esc.spea@a-spin.pt no later than September 22th 2026.

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);
• only candidates residing in EU or EFTA countries may apply may apply;
• 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 October 6th 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.