We are looking for english speeking participants for a training in Lousã – Portugal
Duration: 15.07.19 – 26.07.19
Olá malta!
We are welcoming you to our two-weeks adventure in Portugal, the land of beautiful nature, wonderfularchitecture, friendly people, tasty pastel de nata and bacalhau. Here you will experience the brightest sun and ocean of light, the breathtaking mountains and the freshest rivers. Become a part of our workcamp and enjoy it!
CAMP ORGANIZATION
Activar – Associação de Cooperação da Lousã Activar is an association created in 2000 that is involved in developing several community projects of social and cultural nature, in the areas of childhood, youth, nature tourism and professional training. “We activate the place, we value people” We are an NGO that aims to promote the local development of the county of Lousã in an integrated and sustainable way and in cooperation with other entities, in a perspective of improving poeple’s quality of life. We have been working in the field of youth for more than 15 years, organizing international workcamps and hosting and sending volunteers in Erasmus+ programme. +info: www.activar.org | www.facebook.com/activarlousa
LOCATION
The workcamp will take place in several villages of Lousã, a town surrounded by mountains, natural and cultural heritage, located 30 km from Coimbra. Lousã gives you an opportunity to discover a fantastic county, full of life, where you can enjoy the magnificent Serra da Lousã, sporting and cultural activities and a range of local products.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?
– Volunteers shall work 6 hours per day
– Volunteers will cook together in special teams
– There will be two free days to do activities within the group
– The camp is coordinated by 4 camp-leaders
The camp leaders will work together with the volunteers, but please DO NOT EXPECT that the camp leaders will organize everything for the group, so be open for teamwork! Workcamps are run according to the principles of communal living, group decision making, equal participation and collective problem solving. The quality of the workcamp depends very much on YOUR INPUT, IDEAS and INITIATIVE!
WHAT DO WE EXPECT FROM YOU?
– Willingness to work and to learn more about the topic
– Participation from the very first till the very last day
– Engagement in daily tasks (shopping, cooking, cleaning, setting the table, etc.)
– Help and shared responsibility by making suggestions for group activities, discussions, games, etc.
– Commitment to a group experience and to making decisions and solving problems together
– Respect for your peers and people in the hosting project
MOST IMPORTANT is that you are flexible and act in a friendly and responsible way. In a workcamp it is possible that things do not go according to the original plan. It can happen that things are organized differently than described in the info-sheet. As we are a non-profit organization (who also works with volunteers) please be open-minded and prepared for changes.
Other qualities that are welcome in your workcamp:
– Bringing own ideas for games and leisure activities
– Being ready to take initiative for the project and the workcamp group
GENERAL AIMS
– Value the cultural and ethnographic heritage of the parish of Lousã;
– Restore the fountains, community wash houses and irrigation tanks which are a cultural heritage in several villages of the parish;
– Raise awareness among participants and the local community of the importance of preserving the historical and cultural identity of regions, particularly through architectural heritage;
– Promote the historical and cultural heritage of the region;
– Value volunteering as a tool for local development (whether on the cultural, environmental or touristical level)
– Promote cultural exchange among young people from different countries around the world;
– Promote intercultural exchange between the young participants and the local community.
ACTIVITIES
– Cleaning fountains, community wash houses and irrigation tanks as well as its surrounding spaces;
– Painting and restoring the fountains and community wash houses;
– Cleaning the surrounding area of public spaces used by the community (sports court, former primary school building);
– Shopping for groceries, cooking and cleaning the place where the group will cook and eat.
Note: The participants will work outdoors for 6 hours a day,
with the support of other tecnicians whenever necessary.
LEISURE TIME
On the leisure time, the group will have the opportunity to know Coimbra and the old University, the Atlantic ocean, the river beaches in Lousã and at the evenings participate in some cultural activities with the local community. Lousã is a town surrounded by nature and there are many places to explore, relax and get together, both in the town and in the mountains.
ACCOMODATION & FOOD
Participants will be lodged in accommodation in the former primary school building in Levegadas (4Km from the center of Lousã). There is a kitchen where the group can cook and eat and big rooms with mattresses to spend the night (sleeping bags are needed). The camp includes 5 meals: breakfast; morning coffee break; lunch; afternoon coffee break, dinner and evening coffee break.
Interested candidates are asked to send their CV and Motivation letter to sending.advit@gmail.com with the subject “International workcamp in Lousã – Portugal”.
Deadline for applycation: 08.07.19