🇵🇹 ESC Volunteering in Portugal 🌿 Gardens Animal Care and Community Life 🏡

Description

Promote environmental sustainability, community involvement and intercultural exchange through practical activities in our facilities and local community.

The volunteer will mainly support the daily maintenance and development of our outdoor spaces.

The main activities include: Maintaining gardens and green spaces; Taking care of the vegetable garden and plants; Watering and caring for plants; Taking care of animals and supporting their daily needs; Carrying out basic maintenance and improvement works; Helping with the reconstruction, renovation and improvement of existing spaces; Supporting the organisation and maintenance of community spaces and facilities.

Sometimes, particularly at weekends, the volunteer may also be invited to support community, cultural and sports activities organised by the organisation or its partners. These activities may include supporting events involving international communities, thematic and intercultural dinners, workshops, thematic meetings and other community events.

Participation in these activities will provide the volunteer with opportunities to meet people from different backgrounds, develop communication and organisational skills and become more involved in the local community.

Accommodation, food and transport arrangements

You will be staying at the facilities of the Sociedade Recreativa Operária, an association in Santarém where we carry out activities together and which provides all the necessary conditions, from accommodation to food.

Volunteers will be accommodated in a renovated 500-year-old palace located in the historic centre of Santarém.

The residence includes a fully equipped kitchen, private bathroom, dining room, living room, cinema room, games room with a pool table and board games, bar and an interior courtyard of approximately 100 m².

Volunteers will have to sort out their own meals.

Travel costs, food and the insurance provided within the European Solidarity Corps framework will be covered according to the project rules. The volunteer will also receive the pocket money and other financial support foreseen by the European Solidarity Corps programme.

Training during the activity

At the beginning of the activity, the volunteer will receive practical introductory training covering the main tasks, tools, equipment and safety procedures relevant to the project. The volunteer will be guided and supported by the project coordinator and other members of the organisation through direct supervision, practical demonstrations and hands-on learning. Specific guidance will also be provided regarding the care of plants, gardens and animals, as well as the safe use of tools and equipment.

No previous experience is required. Tasks will be adapted to the volunteer's abilities and experience, with responsibilities gradually increasing as the volunteer becomes more familiar with the activities.

Participant profile

The volunteer is not expected to have previous professional experience in gardening, agriculture, animal care or maintenance work. Motivation, responsibility, willingness to learn and an interest in practical, environmental and community-based activities are the most important requirements.

The project takes place in Santarém, a historic city with more than a thousand years of history, located in central Portugal and overlooking the Tagus River. With around 60,000 inhabitants, Santarém offers a combination of cultural heritage, nature and a relaxed lifestyle, while being well connected to other parts of the country. Lisbon is approximately 60 km away, the Atlantic coast around 50 km, Porto and the Algarve around 200 km, and the Spanish border around 120 km. The city is served by regular train and bus connections, providing convenient access to Lisbon and other Portuguese cities.

The exact dates are flexible, with a minimum volunteering period of 60 days.

Activity details

Activity type

Individual volunteering

Activity dates

A total of 15 week(s) during the period 05/10/2026 to 04/01/2027

Location

Urbanizacao Encosta das Cortezes 16 , SANTARÉM, Portugal

Deadline

No application deadline

Project code

2026-1-PT02-ESC51-VTJ-000402092

Topics

Looking for participants from

37 countries can apply. The activity takes place in 🇵🇹 Portugal.