Rota Vicentina is opening 2 long-term volunteering positions, with a monthly pocket money, for young people between 18 and 30 years old, starting in October 2024.
Do you feel like it’s time to put your backpack on and begin a new adventure?
Do you want to contribute to a responsible tourism project?
Are you interested in nature and outdoor activities?
Do you like photography, video and copywriting?
Do you want to discover a rural region of Portugal by diving into its community?
So there’s no doubt about it, you should sign up for this volunteer program!
Click on the questions below for more details 👇
What will I do?
During 12 months, you will carry out the following tasks:
Maintenance of the Rota Vicentina trails:
- Participate in maintenance hikes organized with the community
- Participate in conservation activities
- Participate in the regular maintenance of walking and cycling trails
Communication and marketing:
- Create innovative content (photos, videos, and texts)
- Contribute to promotional campaigns (Agenda Rota Vicentina, social media)
- Contribute to managing the Rota Vicentina TikTok account with short videos about maintenance and other interventions on the Rota Vicentina
- Contribute to the development of communication materials for the future Rota Vicentina’s Reception and Interpretation Center
Local identity and culture:
- Conduct interviews with local community members about cultural aspects
- Produce a map of points of interest along Rota Vicentina trails (landscapes, natural features, cultural spots, etc.)
Welcoming conditions
The young volunteer, in addition to receive a monthly pocket money (amount defined by the European Union), will be accommodated in individual rooms in a fully equipped shared apartment, with fantastic views of the Mira river, and a kitchen and bathroom.
It is necessary to bring some personal equipment, such as a computer and/or photo camera (not an exclusion factor).
Odemira is a small village located in a rural context, with low population density and an old community. It is about 20 km from magnificent beaches where you can surf, fish, and engage in other nature sports all year round.
There is a cinema on the weekends, and some cultural offerings, especially created by the community itself (considering the size of the village). All basic services (supermarkets, medical center, banks, etc.) are walking distance.
Travels related to volunteer activities will be provided by the Association Rota Vicentina. For the rest, you must rely on the public transport network (only during weekdays, please keep this in mind).
In addition to the Rota Vicentina project, the volunteers will be integrated into collective activities with other young people in the region, and will participate in a very exciting regular informal training program.
Who can apply?
In addition to the formal conditions of the program, which you can consult here, we are looking for motivated and positive people, with the following interests/passions:
- Rural world (get ready to live a year in the countryside!)
- Areas of nature tourism, responsible tourism and sustainable development
- Nature conservation and combating invasive species
- Photography and/or video
- Travel writing
- Outdoor sports –trekking, cycling
- Social networks and communication
- Languages (clear motivation to learn Portuguese)
Personal and social skills of candidates:
- Responsibility, autonomy, dynamism and creativity
- Organization and proactivity
- Communication and very good interpersonal skills
- Team spirit
- Oral and written English and/or Portuguese
- Flexibility for weekend activities
- Interest and technical knowledge about creating and publishing digital content, photography and other digital materials, design and communication
- It is strongly recommended to have a driving license
What has been done so far?
Rota Vicentina has been welcoming young volunteers for several years now, and a lot of things have already been done! From creative content within the activities to out-of-the-box personal projects, all these young people contributed greatly to the dynamism and development of Rota Vicentina.
To all of them a huge thank you❤️
To see some of the contributions made by the 2023/2024 volunteers, follow this link. Grab a chair and enjoy, this account is fantastic!
And what else?
There are various types (and durations) of volunteer opportunities at Rota Vicentina.
The European volunteer program is part of the Regenerar Odemira II project, coordinated by the Municipality of Odemira, with 3 local associations (Gaia Alentejo, Project Earthand Rota Vicentina) and is part of the European Solidarity Corps.These entities will also receive volunteers, and you can find more information here.
So? See you soon?
Nasceu em Montpellier, no sul de França, em 1982. Em 2005, muda radicalmente de vida e instala-se no Alentejo. Na Rota Vicentina, faz a gestão do projecto ID, com o intuito de aproximar cada vez mais o setor do turismo e a comunidade local. Gosta de costura, leitura mas também de atividades ao ar livre!