EVS Vacancy at Crescer a Cores (Lisbon, Portugal)

Associação Spin, acting as the coordinating organization, is currently looking for one Italian for our partner organization, Associação Crescer a Cores.

Host: Associação Crescer a Cores (2013-PT-57)
Coordinator: Associação Spin
Sending IT: Accademia europea di Firenze
Project name: It’s your Turn!
Activity start date: 01-09-2015
Activity end date: 31-08-2016
Activity duration: 12 months
Vacancies: 1 (Italian residents exclusively)
Application deadline: 14th August 2015
Application consists of: CV and project-specific motivation letter
Application sent to: evs.cores@a-spin.pt

“Crescer a Cores – Associação de Solidariedade Social – IPSS” is an Association officially considered as a Private Institution for Social Solidarity by the Portuguese Law. Crescer a Cores is a non-profit association with regional reach which main aim is to accompany and support the social inclusion of our target groups which are Children, Youngsters and Families who are in social disadvantage situations, through providing community responses and services on the fields of psychology, education and health. EVS volunteers will work mainly with our biggest target group: children aged 4 months to 13 years old.

The volunteers’ tasks will be to:
1. provide support to the educators in the daily activities for children aged 4-36 months old (general support, helping with meals, hygiene and cleaning, telling stories, puppet theaters, playing with the children, drawing and painting, etc.)

2. support in the organization of cultural events with families, children and local community by preparing creative informative materials, making contacts with stakeholders, arranging decorations and preparing the spaces for hosting the beneficiaries

3. help the Psycho-pedagogical Resources Center by: collaborating in local projects with the community on the frames of project “Pulsar” which promotes the dialogue, interaction and local interventions among neighbors and residents of the local council parish (Carnide), and “Bip Zip” which is a project for interventions in socially marginalized neighborhoods of Lisbon;

4. participate in the creation of materials and activities & in the organization and implementation of Summer camps with children aged 6-13 years;

5. participate in School sessions for children aged 9-12 years old in order to promote their social integration;

6. participate in meetings of the Community’s Youth, Education and Social Advisory Council of Carnide.

Crescer a Cores intends to support the volunteers to create their own events or initiatives, in accordance with their principles and upon Board’s approval.

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

Concerning the stay of the EVS volunteers, the coordinating organization, Associação Spin, will provide the lodging in an apartment, double bedroom with fully equipped kitchen, toilet, laundry facilities and living room. The costs with electricity, water, gas, tv, are covered by the Coordinating Organization. The volunteers will have to share the apartment with other volunteers/students/young people. Each volunteer will also be sharing their room with another youngster, volunteer or student, of the same gender. The flat will have all standard and safe living conditions as well as respect all hygiene and general Portuguese safety standards. It will be located as close as possible to the workplace and the city center. The Coordinating Organization will provide towels and bed linen for the entire period of the project.

The volunteer will use the public transportation network with the “Lisboa Viva” card which will be provided.

A monthly allowance is provided by the coordinating organization to cover food expenses and local public transportations, including also pocket money.

Volunteer profile:
We are looking for young motivated volunteers aged 20-30, 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 positive and proactive attitude, show tolerance, flexibility, motivation and enthusiasm. In this project, age and maturity are important due to direct work with children and families in the neighborhood. We encourage applications especially from youngsters who already have some experience in volunteering or in working with children and youngsters and are, at this moment, available to commit to a long term experience of volunteer work abroad and willing to know more about the social work developed in a special community of Lisbon, Carnide. Priority is given to candidates with fewer opportunities (please consult the sending organizations whether this status applies in your situation). Any knowledge of Portuguese is a plus, however it is not a requirement.

Activities at Crescer a Cores.

Special remarks (please read carefully):

• this project has already received funding from the Erasmus+ Program, so it is sure that it starts in September
• only candidates residing in Italy can apply (our sending partner organization is from Italy, there is no possibility of change in this regard)
• as this volunteer placement involves direct work with children, the selected volunteers will have to provide us with their criminal record certificates
• we only accept complete applications that contain all the required documents
• we can´t consider applications sent after the deadline
• send your application to evs.cores@a-spin.pt, applications sent through other communication channels (Facebook, Youthnetworks, etc.) will not be considered
• 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 August, 19th through our website