Portugal: ESC: Child care & Artistic education

About the local hosting organization

YUPI - Association for Social and Community Development, existing since 2008, has as its mission to motivate, raise awareness, develop and empower young people in the community, resulting in an effective instrument for active participation and citizenship. YUPI's objectives are to promote youth mobility for diversified learning purposes; to encourage active participation and committed citizenship in young people; to use non-formal education as a tool for skills development and to encourage youth volunteering. In pursuit of its objectives YUPI has carried out numerous projects of local volunteering (Time4U - Volunteering and Youth Active Participation Exchange) and international volunteering (EVS - European Voluntary Service/ESC – European Solidarity Corps), international exchanges and training, development and recognition of non-formal education at national and international level and its integration into school contexts, support to initiatives of groups of young people for local community development, among others. YUPI is an NGO of 300 members under 30 years old with strong motivations to actively participate in civil society and cooperate with our local community and extends our activities to a European dimension. The four main dimensions of YUPI's work are: 1) Active participation and citizenship; 2) Volunteering in thecommunity; 3) Mobility in Europe; 4) Skills development in non-formal education. The mission of our organization is to motivate and empower young people in the community, functioning as an effective tool for active participation and citizenship. YUPI is a youth organization founded in 2008 from a former informal group. It was created with the support of the National Youth Institute and is now recognized and accredited as a youth organization. We are also accredited by the National Agency for Youth in Action Program to host, send and coordinate the organization for ESC action since 2010. We have been recognized several times in our projects for our best practices with youth outreach (in 2009 for our youth exchange in the field of social inclusion, in 2010 for our best practices in transnational youth initiatives in volunteering, and in 2011 for our best practices at the national level on youth participation and empowerment, all recognized by the National Agency for the Youth in Action Program). We received the Municipal Recognition for Innovation in Community Work 2 times (2017 and 2018) for projects related to youth volunteering and promoting active participation and entrepreneurship in young people. YUPI received the award for Good Practices in Youth Organizations given by the National Institute for Youth and Sports in 2017 and 2019 for projects related to the education human rights program and the development of cooperation with schools for the implementation of school participatory budget.

Presentation of the programme

The project will be promoted by YUPI and developed in a partner organisation, a learning community, MAWU, which consists of a community of families and educators who seek a living and free education by transforming the way of looking at learning, relationships, and communication. It is an innovative project that approaches education for freedom and creativity, proposing artistic education as a tool for self development and expression, under Pikler, Montessori and Project methodology principles with more than 35 children from 1 to 10 years old (mawu.arteducacao). Tasks are: observing and supporting children in different ages, with focus of from 3 to 6 years old (activities, meals, love), to prepare and lead different workshops and activities in the field of ecology, art, culture, music, language or other skills that can support the project to grow. To get more info, check our infopack: https://shre.ink/GJUz

About the accomodation

The volunteer will be accommodated in a house of with other students, with single room, and shared bathroom and kitchen, in Guimarães, a city that is 15min distance by train of Vizela, where Mawu is based. The towels, sheets and blankets are provided. Wi-fi available in the house and in MAWU. During lunch, vegetarian food will be provided at MAWU, and the dinner will be prepared by the volunteer (or taking extra lunch from school). Pocket money will be provided by the Hosting Organization as well as costs of travel, accommodation, food, local transportation and activities.

About the leisure activities

During the project the volunteer will receive on arrival training, provided by Portuguese National Agency in order to improve quality implementation. Also, the language course of Portuguese language will be offered via OLS platform, before arrival, as well as during stay in Portugal in a way to be easier to get involved in daily activities with the target groups, as well as with the local community. We support each volunteer with individual Portuguese lessons and also encourage the communication with children at school as it is a very engaging way of learning Portuguese.

Requirements

The Participant profile: We are looking to host 1 volunteer, experienced in working with kids, openminded, motivated, proactive, responsible, communicative, creative and able to work in an alternative educational system. Who is not afraid of physical work, insects, getting dirty or wet (or willing to expand own limitations). Digital/artistic skills are also welcomed. Mawu is a living, free, ever-changing community, and authentic communication is a core principle. This project is for you if you are interested in: innovative education, child care, creative expression (DIY, arts and crafts), sustainability, vegetarianism. Communicative English is required, but not obligatory as the team is multicultural.Deadline: 06/09/2026 23:59