ESC Vacancies at SPEA, Lisbon, Portugal
Associação Spin, acting as the Coordinating organization, is currently looking for 2 ESC volunteers for a ESC project with our local partner, Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves, starting in March, 2020!
Hosting: SPEA
Coordinator: Associação Spin
Activity start date: 1st March 2020
Activity end date: 31st December 2020
Activity duration: 10 months
Vacancies: 2 (for candidates residing in EU or EFTA countries)
Application deadline: 10th January, 2020
Application consists of: filling this Google form + CV and project specific motivation letter
Application sent to: evs.spea@a-spin.pt
The Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds is a non-governmental non-profit environment organization that promotes the study and conservation of birds and their habitats in Portugal, funded in 1993. It is the Portuguese member of BirdLife International.
PROPOSED ACTIVITIES:
Project 1: SPEA’s Marine Conservation Department
The volunteer will be integrated in the Marine Terrestrial Department and will be mostly involved in in the new project “Life Ilhas Barreira”, coordinated by SPEA. Intervention area (and field work) is in the south of Portugal (Ria Formosa Natural Park, Algarve), and office activities will be mostly done in Lisbon, at SPEA’s headquarters. The project can include a variety of tasks:
– Seabird census at sea
– Support in capture-manipulation-ringing-release of seabirds (e.g. Audouin’s Gull, yellow-legged gull, little tern)
– Seagull monitoring and counting in fishing ports and landfills
– Coastal inspections to detect dead birds
– Mapping native and invasive plants, and removal of invasive plants
– Mapping, capture-marking- realease (including camera-trapping) of introduced mammals – cats and rodents
– Support to raising awareness actions for the general public
– Support to the production of os raising awareness resources and reports
– Work with databasis: insertion of data, processing of photos from camera-traps
– Possibility of collaboration in other activities (ex. birdwatching training) and projects
– Possibility of developing a personal project.
» Project 2: SPEA’s Terrestrial Conservation Department
The volunteer will be integrated in the Terrestrial Conservation Department, collaborating in several projects (e.g. Impacto f Powerlines in Birds, Impacto f Agroenvironmental Measures in Biodiversity of Farmlands, etc) with a diversity of tasks including:
– Field work (in several regions of Portugal) : bird surveys/census; prospection of birds under powerlines, etc
– Office work (based in Lisbon – SPEA’s headquarters): database input; data analysis (with Excel, GIS software, etc); etc
– Support in events for the public: (ex. activities for schools, birdwatching days, nature fairs and festivals)
– Possibility of collaboration in other activities (ex. birdwatching training) and projects
– Possibility of developing a personal project.
SPEA intends to support the volunteers to create their own events or initiatives, in accordance with their principles and upon Board’s approval.
LOGISTICS & PRACTICAL INFO:
- Travel cost – The two-way travel (from place of residence to Lisbon and back) will be reimbursed up to the limit of 275€; volunteers facing economic obstacles will be able to request a higher limit, depending on their country of residence.
- Accommodation – Coordinating & hosting organization, Associação Spin, will provide the lodging in a flat as close to the office and the city center as possible. If the apartment is located in the city center, the volunteers will spend around 35 minutes to reach the working place. The volunteers will have to share the room with another volunteer/student/young person (room and connected expenses are paid by Associação Spin). They may also – if so wished by the volunteer – receive a monthly accommodation allowance and be solely responsible for finding and paying for their own accommodation.
- Food & transportation – A monthly allowance of 180€ will be provided by Associação Spin to cover food expenses and local public transportation in Lisbon. While doing field work, food, accomodation and transportation (from Lisbon to the work area) will be provided by SPEA.
- Pocket money – Every month the volunteers will receive 150€ as pocket money.
- Working hours – The volunteers are expected to spend 30-35 hours a week working. The daily timetable includes time for language learning, lunch, social activities and development of own project ideas, etc.
- Days off – Volunteers are entitled to two days off per week (usually on Saturday and Sunday) as well as 2 extra days of vacation for every month of their voluntary work.
VOLUNTEERS’ PROFILE: WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
We are looking for young motivated volunteers aged 18-30, open minded, eager to learn about new cultures and lifestyles, as well as to participate in the project activitie
s. 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, patience and the capacity to work in a team will be highly appreciated. We encourage applications especially from youngsters who already have some experience in volunteering or in working with environment related issues, namely environmental education, available to commit to a long term experience of volunteer work abroad and willing to know more about the work developed in ornithology and environmental preservation in Portugal. Any knowledge of Portuguese is a plus, however it is not a requirement.
All candidates must be registered with the European Solidarity Corps.
SELECTION PROCESS:
In order to be considered for the vacancies, each candidate has to fulfill this Google form and send (in only 1 single e-mail):
- up-to-date CV,
- project-specific Motivation Letter
The complete applications (CV + project-specific Motivation Letter) should be sent to evs.spea@a-spin.pt no later than January, 10th 2020.
Final remarks (please read carefully):
- this is an open call with no assigned sending/supporting organization (we will partner up with the sending organization of the selected volunteer);
- only candidates residing in EU or EFTA countries may apply may apply;
- please make sure you are registered with the European Solidarity Corps;
- we only accept complete applications that contain all the required documents;
- 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 January, 20th through our website.
GOOD LUCK! 
