🇵🇹 ESC Volunteering in Portugal – Acting Local, Changing Global III 🌍❤️

Join the Red Cross Portugal and make a lasting impact across four vibrant cities! 🤝✨

🏛️ Organisation

Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa – Delegação de Braga 🇵🇹
Part of the Portuguese Red Cross, this dynamic organisation leads initiatives that empower local communities and promote solidarity, inclusion, and social care across Portugal.

🌍 About the Project

Are you ready to make a difference while experiencing the warmth and culture of Portugal? ☀️
Acting Local, Changing Global III is a 152-day ESC volunteering project taking place across four cities – Bragança, Braga, Sanguedo, and Guimarães – each offering a meaningful community experience.

Here’s what you’ll do in each location:

🏙️ Bragança – Support isolated elderly, refugees, migrants, and the LGBTIQA+ community.
🎒 Braga – Work with children, homeless individuals, and people recovering from addiction while engaging with the Roma community.
🐾 Sanguedo – Collaborate with a daycare, Roma community, and animal shelter.
🧺 Guimarães – Support children, elders, and homeless people while managing a social shop and food basket distribution for families.

Together, you’ll contribute to real social change — improving lives, building empathy, and spreading hope. 💫

More info: youth.europa.eu/solidarity/opportunity/48534_en

🏠 Accommodation, Food & Transport

🏡 Accommodation provided by host organisations in each city
🍽️ Monthly allowance for food
🚆 Local transport arrangements included depending on the branch

Each local branch ensures comfortable living conditions and support throughout your volunteering journey.

📚 Training & Networking

During the project, you’ll participate in:

🤝 National Networking – Meet other Red Cross volunteers across Portugal
🌍 Inter-delegation Project – Collaborate with other branches on joint initiatives
💡 Personal Development Sessions – Design and lead your own mini-project in your area of interest

👥 Participant Profile

We’re looking for motivated young people aged 18–30, especially those with fewer opportunities (economic, social, educational, or geographic).

Ideal volunteers are:

💬 Open-minded, empathetic, and proactive
🌍 Excited to engage with multicultural communities
🧠 Willing to learn, grow, and adapt
💪 Ready to take initiative both independently and in teams

No prior experience is required — your motivation and compassion matter most! ❤️

🗓️ Activity Dates

19 January 2026 – 19 June 2026

📍 Activity Locations

Guimarães, Braga, Sanguedo, and Bragança – Portugal 🇵🇹

🌟 Activity Topics

Social challenges
Education and training

🌍 Eligible Countries

🇦🇹 Austria, 🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇧🇬 Bulgaria, 🇭🇷 Croatia, 🇨🇾 Cyprus, 🇨🇿 Czech Republic, 🇩🇰 Denmark, 🇪🇪 Estonia, 🇫🇮 Finland, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇬🇷 Greece, 🇭🇺 Hungary, 🇮🇸 Iceland, 🇮🇪 Ireland, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇱🇻 Latvia, 🇱🇹 Lithuania, 🇱🇺 Luxembourg, 🇲🇹 Malta, 🇵🇱 Poland, 🇷🇴 Romania, 🇸🇰 Slovakia, 🇸🇮 Slovenia, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇸🇪 Sweden