Host: Junta de Freguesia de Carnide
Coordinator: 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 and project-specific motivation letter
Application sent to: esc.jfc.senior@a-spin.pt

The hosting institution, Junta de Freguesia de Carnide, is the local administrative unit of the Carnide area in Lisbon. In this organization, the volunteer is going to work in the Senior Academy (a type of a Third Age University).

The volunteer’s tasks will be to:

• Cooperate with Senior Academy’s volunteers and Coordinators
• Support the cultural and recreational activities promoted in the Academy, such as language and dance classes
• Promote and implement cultural and recreational workshops for the seniors (ex: language teaching workshop, dance, handicrafts..)
• Participate and support the Organization of Senior’s Arraial (Popular party)
• Support to organization and implementation of cultural visits
• Participate in Elder’s summer colonies

“Junta de Freguesia de Carnide” intends to support the volunteers to create their own events or initiatives, in accordance with their principles and upon Board’s approval. To get a general idea of the CES at Junta de Freguesia de Carnide, watch a four-part documentary made about the previous volunteers (it is in Portuguese): part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4.

Conditions:
Volunteers are expected to spend 30-35 hours a week working. Their timetable will include space for work at the Academy, language lessons, days off, social activities and development of their own project ideas, etc.

Volunteer profile:
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 in the local community. It is not required to have any particular degree of formal education, but to have a positive and proactive attitude, show tolerance, flexibility, motivation and enthusiasm.
We encourage applications especially from youngsters who already have some experience in volunteering or in working with the elderly and are, at this moment, available to commit to a long term experience of volunteer work abroad and willing to know more about the work developed with and for the seniors of a special Lisbon community of Carnide. Priority is given to candidates with fewer opportunities (please consult the sending organization whether this status applies in your situation).
Knowledge of any level of the Portuguese language is a plus.

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.

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);
• as this volunteer placement involves direct work with children, the selected volunteers will have to provide us with their criminal record certificates;
• 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 April 2nd through our website.

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+