PROJECT ENVIRONMENT:
Junta de Freguesia de Linda-a-Velha is located in Linda-a-Velha in Oeiras Municipality. Oeiras is an important Village (45,8/km2) that offers the dynamism of large number of habitants (162.124) mainly young, near Lisbon the capital of Portugal (15 minutes), and 20 minutes from Sintra - World Patrimony, and 10 minutes from Cascais bay.
Oeiras has got many infrastructures of economic development such as Tagus Park, Lagoas Park and Quinta da Fonte (business centres). The Cultural opportunities are guaranteed not just because of the village environment and heritage (such as the Palace of Marquês, the old gunpowder Factory, the Poets Park and the recreation harbour) as for the preservation and good use of the space by the local authorities. The Shopping Centre Oeiras Parque is a good example of an infrastructure that provides entertaining activities (shopping, cinemas) and rapid access to basic primary products to the inhabitants of the municipality.
Linda-a-Velha is near to Carnaxide (north), Cruz Quebrada e Dafundo (West and South) and Algés (East). According to the last statistic information (2001), the population of Linda-a-Velha has 21952 inhabitants representing 13,5% of the total population of Oeiras municipality. As far as public transportation is concerned, bus is the only service available, offering several regular connections to several train stations of the two lines (Cascais and Sintra) and that allows EVS volunteers to reach easily to Lisbon (5 min), Sintra (35 min) and Cascais (40 min).
The excellent natural conditions of the municipality, soil quality for agriculture production and the proximity with the sea were always determinant to the growth of this region in terms of population and development. Till the last decades, Oeiras municipality had strong rural marks. Due to it's privileged location near to Lisbon and also to the dynamic development, permited the growth and modernisation of the municipality. Today, Oeiras municipality has a big science and technological business centers (640 enterprises) and some traditional activities like agriculture and industry.
In terms of social-economic context, the economics activity of Linda-a-Velha reflects a typical urban structure. The creation in the last decade, of large business and commercial structures, has strongly contributed to the development and urbanism of the village, which has grown from a rural border area to a more dynamic place.
It is an area where most population can be considered high economic class, but has also some population with low financial incomes, existing more needs near to some neighbourhoods where poverty is more concentrated. Following the tendency of the majority of municipalities like Lisbon, this region is being affected by the aging phenomenon, at the same time we assist to a decrease of young people population. It has a Mediterranean continental climate with very hot summers, long and rigorous Winters with low precipitation levels. The proximity with the sea provides good aqua activities (surf, body board, windsurf, sailing) along 20 km length beaches from Oeiras to Cascais.
Nowadays, Linda-a-Velha provide several services and infrastructures of public utility: schools, kindergartens, health care centre, pharmacies, police and fire departments, restaurants, shops, commercial centers, post office, library, non-governmental organisations of social care and social solidarity in infancy, youth and elderly fields, recreative, cultural and sports associations.
The presence of a coordination organisation in this project is vital for the success mainly because the hosting organisation don't have experience in EVS projects.
ProAtlântico with high experience on EVS projects will take care of the administrative and practical issues. in order to make this project fulfil all the expectation of all partners.
Concerning the stay of the EVS volunteer, the coordinating organisation ProAtlântico - Associação Juvenil will provide the lodging in a flat or in a hosting family. The volunteer might have to share the room with another volunteer.
A monthly allowance is provided by the coordinating organisation to cover food expenses out of the working time. During the working time the hosting organisation will provide meals or an allowance to cover food expenses of the volunteers. The volunteers may find a variety of eating choices in Oeiras (commercial centres, small local restaurants, supermarkets, local food markets, etc.). Junta de Freguesia de Linda-a-Velha staff and volunteers will help him/her become familiar with these resources.
A monthly local transport allowance is provided by the hosting organisation to the EVS volunteer.
A monthly allowance (pocket money) is provided by the coordinating organisation to the volunteer.
PROPOSED ACTIVITIES FOR EVS VOLUNTEERS:
In Junta Freguesia de Linda-a-Velha EVS volunteers will be able to develop several competencies, in order to improve their performance. Therefore, the host organisation will provide the opportunity to EVS volunteers to have learning opportunities in different fields, such as:
- approach to the tasks of the project: develop responsibility for the project; become more open to new ideas; develop the sense of initiative; ability to plan and organize activities to the project; flexibility/adaptability and coping to new challenges; proactive attitude and independent work;
- leadership abilities: develop positive attitude in difficult situations; positive attitude in order to take pride in team performance; team work with colleagues to achieve desired goals; ability to maintain open communication; ability to contribute to an environment of motivation;
- team orientation: work effectively with others volunteers and other members of the team; active attitude to contribute to the achievement of group and organizational goals; acceptance of shared responsibility and ownership of projects; maintenance of open communication among team members; assume commitment to team success; consistent contribution with new ideas to the organization / new projects;
- Personal characteristics: maintain a positive attitude on the work; ability to act responsibly; ability to share information willingly; ability to make judgement and to make decisions;
- Cultural expression: knowledge about Portuguese culture; willing to show volunteer's culture and spread the multicultural projects;
- Biological agriculture: acquire knowledge about biological agriculture techniques;
- Recycling and reutilization of materials: acquire knowledge about Recycling and reutilization of materials;
- Gardening: learn gardening techniques;
- Communication in a foreign language: ability to communicate in Portuguese in order to feel more integrated among the others; positive attitude in learning process of Portuguese language; persistence to improve communication in Portuguese language;
In the end of the Activity, the EVS volunteers involved can ask for the Youth Pass in order to get a certification of their learning outcomes.
o what will be the role of EVS volunteers in the Host Organisation,
The EVS Volunteer will work with the team that is already running this project and will help them in their tasks, by taking part in the meeting of all activities in which they will participate.
The EVS Volunteer will be encouraged to participate with their own ideas and experiences and during their EVS experience they will have the chance to introduce new activities according to their skills and interests and be able to participate in voluntary activities, always taking into account factors such as the characteristics of the volunteer, the previous professional training and the personal preferences.
We believe those aspects are fundamental to the volunteer's integration and adaptation to the dynamics of the organisation in order to make him/her become part of the group.
The Mentor will assist the volunteer in the definition of his/her tasks and give personal support. The EVS Volunteer activities will generally consist in giving support to the project staff in their daily activities.
The project intends to promote intercultural learning, exchange and awareness of environment issues where the volunteers exchange experiences in the gardening field, to include in the "Quinta Pedagógica". For this project it will be created a multidisciplinary team which will accompany the volunteers during their activities in the Junta de Freguesia de Linda-a-Velha, to guarantee not only the logistic but also the educational field.
o the activities in which the volunteers could be involved and the activities the volunteers could create in your organisation. Please give examples of typical activities for the volunteers.
In this project the EVS volunteers will help the Junta de Freguesia de Linda-a-Velha to develop the activities, in the gardening field, protection and environment education as well to improve inter-relations competences in order to develop and to promote the tolerance through the social inclusion of the European Union, participating in the activities of the Volunteer Bank of the Junta de Freguesia de Linda-a-Velha.
The volunteers will take part in many different tasks, according to their interests, abilities and skills that will be planned together with the staff and the mentor.
- Promoting biological agriculture - 15%;
- Recycling and reutilization of materials - 15%;
- Prepare and Promote environment workshops - 15%;
- Promotion of the EVS project and its effects, cooperation with media, social and civil journalism, schools, Daily Centre - 10%;
- Cultural Exchange between the volunteers and the local population (promote the mutual comprehension amongst the young people from different countries) - 15%
- Aware the local community about the importance of the gardens - 20%
- Developing their own project/workshop/event: 10% - the vounteers are expected to propose and work on their own ideas.
The tasks weren't designed to achieve profit, because the organization is non-profitable and doesn't intend to make financial gain from its activities.
The first few weeks after the volunteer's arrival will be considered as a period of preliminary induction, during which the volunteer will be introduced to the project team and will gain familiarity with the new living and working environment.
During this time the coordinating organisation ProAtlântico - Associação Juvenil will welcome the EVS volunteers and create right conditions for the development of the project, giving the volunteers the opportunity to integrate in the new culture, different environment and new language.
ProAtlântico will provide the language course and will create the opportunity to EVS volunteers to establish the first contacts with the local community, with Junta de Freguesia de Linda-a-Velha and with the different projects that will be developed during their stay. At the same time, the EVS volunteers will be introduced in the hosting organisation, mainly to the staff and Portuguese Volunteers.
In this period, the EVS volunteers will have the opportunity to settle down, observe and plan the tasks in which they will be involved. The volunteers will also participate in activities organised by ProAtlântico - Associação Juvenil for the cultural training about integration in the Portuguese culture and dealing with cultural shock.
After this initial adjustment period, a more comprehensive induction programme will be formulated together with the volunteer. The volunteer will work directly in the tasks defined in Junta de Freguesia de Linda-a-Velha with the staff of the organisation. Before the beginning of each task, the EVS volunteers will have the necessary briefing and/or training by qualified people to obtain the necessary knowledge to perform well in their functions. During this process all the training will be structured according to the needs of the EVS volunteers and be provided by other volunteers and the staff.
At the first sight, it won't be necessary any formal training, just the practical procedures will be trained. Even though, if needed, will be possible to have more formation depending on the volunteers needs.
The team will meet with the volunteer two times each month to evaluate the tasks and to check if the objectives are fulfilled.
The schedule will be set between the volunteer and the mentor, considering their interests and needs.
The volunteer will collaborate 35 hours per week during 5 days between Monday and Saturday, having 2 consecutives free days each week and 2 more days of holidays per month for the duration of the project, to be taken by agreement between the volunteer and the team.
The volunteers will have 3 to 5 hours of Language Training Course per week, given by a school or private teacher.
VOLUNTEER PROFILES AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS:
In order to receive applications of candidates to this project, ProAtlântico - Associação Juvenil will promote a transparent recruitment process by taking different actions:
- sending information about the project to European networks, to National Agencies by e-mail
- creating a website that can give information about the project and all the selection process.
The coordinating organisation will create a selection group that will make a pre-selection of the candidates, firstly based on practical issues (selecting only the candidates that had the CV, motivation letter, and sending organization). After reading the CV and Motivation letters, the selection group makes a choice, considering the interest of the volunteers to work in environment field, their commitment to volunteering service and the reason presented to have chosen this project.
During this process all the information about the candidates, the selection process and the results will be available in the Internet site. The volunteers will be chosen taking in consideration that can bring something of their own experiences and culture, to enrich the hosting projects and local community.
The project is totally based in free activities to the participants. Therefore, the presence of EVS volunteers can't be at any moment seen as job substitution.
The profile of the volunteer will have general requirements: self-motivated, patient, dynamic, versatile, good mood, flexible, with self initiative, creative, enthusiastic; with good communicational skills, willing to take on new challenges, openned to work with people of all backgrounds and cultures; enthusiastic to participate in the project; should have the ability to generate empathy, team work spirit. We would highly appreciate the volunteer's being flexible and treating an obstacle as a challenge; willing to develop new activities and with sense of responsibility.
We will look for volunteers who are interested in working with a commitment to volunteering, have a genuine interest in working with nature and to protecting the environment and had chosen our project because of the experience and development they will gain not only because it's in Portugal.
Factors as race, sex, age, religion or political ideals are not conditioning factors for appreciating the applications.
SPECIAL NEEDS
The volunteers will have several resources available to cover their needs: the location of Junta de Freguesia de Linda-a-Velha is a calm and peaceful place where volunteers with fewer opportunities can develop their activities in a relaxed and therapeutically way. The tasks are mainly practical which help the volunteers with difficult social, cultural or educational backgrounds to get motivated and improve their skills, finding new interests or just put in practice their own ideas.
RISK PREVENTION, PROTECTION AND SAFETY:
The volunteer will work with the team of Junta de Freguesia de Linda-a-Velha and so he/she will be provided with the same protection and safety of the existing staff.
Every EVS Volunteer will have a Mentor that will be directly responsible for his/her personal support and to whom he/she can turn in case of problems. The integration of the volunteers in the hosting organisation is responsibility of the mentor. The mentor will have meetings with the volunteers, depending on the duration of the activity and the kind of activities developed, in order to give personal support to the volunteer and identify the obstacles and difficulties that the volunteer may face.
The volunteer will do his/her activity with autonomy with supervision of the team and sculptors. The mentor will be available to mediate conflicts and help the volunteer in his/her needs. To prevent risks, the EVS volunteers will be accompanied by a member of the team whenever possible, who will also help the volunteer to intercede in case of conflicts.
In order to guarantee safety and protection of EVS volunteers, they will know the general procedures in case of a dangerous situation. The volunteers will also be informed about the main telephone numbers and localisation of useful services like, national emergency number, fire department, police office, hospitals, and pharmacies. They will also be aware about the contact people inside the organisation like mentor.
The volunteers will also be covered by health and accidents insurances, in order to guarantee their safety and protection.
In order to prepare the hosting of EVS volunteers will be created a Welcome Guide, which will provide information about the lodging, cleaning of the flat, consumption of supplies (water, electricity and gas), transports available, money issues (food, transport and pocket money), training and formation, extra information: map between ProAtlântico's office, Junta de Freguesia de Linda-a-Velha and the flat, services available nearby (restaurants, pharmacies, shops, etc.)
The young people aged 16 or 17 will be protected and be under supervision of Junta de Freguesia de Linda-a-Velha team. A mentor will be identified by the hosting organisation to assure their full protection, safety and will prevent crises and risks, by taking several meetings during the EVS activity. The volunteers will be informed about rules and procedures of Junta de Freguesia de Linda-a-Velha and also the law in Portugal for young people under 18.
There will be local volunteers available to talk and help the volunteer in the tasks and in their integration.
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