ESC vacancy at Boutique da Cultura, Lisbon, Portugal

Associação Spin, acting as the Coordinating Organization, is currently looking for 1 ESC volunteer for a project with our local partner Boutique da Cultura.

Hosting Organization: Boutique da Cultura
Coordinating Organization: Associação Spin
Activity start date: 1st October 2021
Activity end date: 30th September 2022
Activity duration: 12 months
Vacancies: 1 (for candidates residing in Spain, France or Italy)
Application deadline: July 7^th, 2021
Application consists of: filling this Google form + CV, motivation letter and small presentation about an activity (more information below)
Application sent to: evs.boutique@a-spin.pt

Boutique da Cultura is a Portuguese non-profit association founded in 2013. Its main aim is to promote culture in its diverse forms of expression. The regular activities include creation, preparation and implementation of theatre plays, dance shows, concerts, photo exhibitions, cultural trips, workshops for families and training courses on cultural and artistic topics. Each cultural show/project may be designed for a specific audience or be for all general public to attend. The organization’s underlying purpose is to include all sorts of public in all our regular activities.

The organization works with an array of local partners in diverse areas. At the moment, Boutique da Cultura is in the process of creating the House of Arts of Carnide, while also managing three ongoing projects: an “Art Incubator”, the “Local Workshop” and a “Solidarity Library”.

PROPOSED VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES:

– Support the activity of the “Local Workshop”: dissemination, support for workshops, logistics;
– Creation of posters and flyers related with the activities;
– Support in the management of Espaço Boutique da Cultura, which includes the “Incubadora de Artes” and “Livraria Solidária” projects, together with the coordinating team;
– Support the production of plays, dance performances and concerts: take care of the stage, sets, costumes, create media materials for promotion and dissemination (videos, photos, posters, flyers);
– Support the organization and implementation of celebrations and workshops: suggest and implement ESC volunteer’s own ideas for events, support the organization and logistics of parties and workshops for the general public;
– Front office and back office work: answering requests for information from the general public, preparing press releases, helping with ticket management, with artists, creating invitations to public entities and local partners, etc.

All these activities and tasks are aimed at providing the best cultural option at the best possible social price (if possible, even for free) for the local community in order to tackle ignorance and contribute to social inclusion. “People with culture are free people (…)” was said by Angel Ganivet and it is also the belief of the Boutique da Cultura. By providing all sorts of artistic and cultural high-quality options to all audiences, with special attention to the integration of people from disadvantaged backgrounds, the organization aims at broadening of horizons and stimulating the active participation and citizenship among the local population.

LOGISTICS & PRACTICAL INFO:

• Travel cost – The two-way travel (from place of residence to Lisbon and back) will be reimbursed up to the limit given by the distance band of the place of residence, according with ESC rules;
• Accommodation – The coordinating organization, Associação Spin, will provide the lodging in a flat as close to the office and the city centre as possible. If the apartment is in the city centre, the volunteers will spend around 45 minutes to reach the office by bus and subway. 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.
• Pocket money – Every month the volunteer 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 (which sometimes may not be Saturday or 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 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. We encourage applications especially from youngsters available to commit to a long-term experience of volunteer work abroad and willing to know more about the social and cultural work developed in a special community of Lisbon, Carnide. We will give some priority to candidates who have at least a basic level of Portuguese, however it’s not a requirement for the application.

All candidates must be registered with the European Solidarity Corps.

SELECTION PROCESS:

In order to be considered for the vacancies, each candidate has to fill this Google form and send (in only 1 single e-mail):

1. up-to-date CV,
2. project-specific Motivation Letter
3. presentation about an idea/activity you would like to implement at Boutique da Cultura (you can do the presentation in a video, poster, prezi, be as creative as possible! )

The complete applications (CV + project-specific Motivation Letter + presentation) should be sent to evs.boutique@a-spin.pt no later than on July 7^th, 2021.

FINAL REMARKS (please read carefully):

• this is an open call with no assigned sending/supporting organizations (we will partner up with the sending organizations of the selected volunteers);
• please make sure you are registered with the European Solidarity Corps;
• we only accept complete applications that contain all the required documents;
• In this selection process priority will be given to candidates whose profile is well-suited to the proposed activities and who can be considered fewer opportunities candidates;
• 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 4^th through our website.

GOOD LUCK!