Support our community and goals at our holistic education center in Vila Verde, Braga, Portugal

Details

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  Description

  We are an established education centre for children in the North of Portugal.
  Our aim is to provide our children with the best conditions to flourish into their unique potential. We want to teach them about life and what it means to be human. Our focus is not only on transmitting knowledge about the outer world but also investigating deeply into the world within. We value creativity and play just as much as the power of focused and structured, concentrated work.
  For over a decade, we have delivered comprehensive educational programs to children ranging from toddlers to teenagers, ages 2-16. In our daily activities we use Montessori, Forest School, and nature-based approaches amongst others. While we found these methods to be great tools in our work, we are not dogmatic about them and don't wear them as part of our identity. They are just the tools we prefer to use.
  We have years of experience in hosting volunteers through several platforms and programmes and are always happy to welcome them to our project. The cultural exchange and influx of different experiences and perspectives is incredibly valuable to our community and keeps us internationally connected.
  
  We are looking for kind, open, humble and focused volunteers who can:
  - Assist our team during meal times by keeping the children quiet and looked after;
  - Keep the learning spaces clean and organised;
  - Help in maintaining the learning centre and do small repairs;
  - Give a helping hand where needed;
  - Contribute to our online presence by creating digital content for social media and sharing their own experience on our volunteer blog.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Teaching

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Babysitting and creative play

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Interests

  

  Events & social

  

  Self development

  

  Vegetarian or vegan

  

  Sustainability

  

  Plant care

  

  Photography

  

  Writing

  

  Languages

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  Gardening

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Carpentry

  

  Blogging

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Nature

  

  Dancing

  

  Yoga / Wellness
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  As a volunteer you will be an important member of our team and help us towards our goal of providing our children with the space for truly holistic education that covers all aspects of life.
  Working together to achieve a higher goal is one of the most precious things in life and serving this shared goal selflessly is rewarding in and of itself.
  Our weekly dialogue and inquiry sessions for volunteers, where we explore the Art of Living, provide meaningful conversations and have direct, concrete impact on our personal lives. Sharing and learning with each other is one of the pillars of our community. We strive to create a space for learning and personal growth, not just for the children but for all members of the community - including our volunteers.
  While we do have an established order at the centre and expect our volunteers to respect the leadership of our educators, we also welcome initiative and additional expertise with an open heart.

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  We ask our volunteers to support the team during meal times by keeping the children quiet and looked after, help keep the learning spaces organised and clean, assist with maintenance tasks and small repairs, occasionally participate in activities with the children, offer a caring presence, provide help wherever needed, create digital content to promote volunteering at OMSN, and share personal experiences and updates on our blog.
  
  To ensure a stable environment for the children as they adjust to new faces at the learning centre, we prioritise volunteers who can commit to stays of more than three months.

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  Languages spoken

  German: Fluent
  English: Fluent
  Portuguese: Fluent
  Spanish: Intermediate

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  Accommodation

  Our volunteers stay in a shared bedroom at the local pilgrim’s hostel, which is within walking distance of OMSN. They have a designated space with Wi-Fi access and can prepare their own meals at the hostel when needed. On weekdays, OMSN provides vegetarian lunches at the learning centre.
  
  Our village lies along the pilgrimage route to Santiago, meaning the hostel often hosts pilgrims for short stays of one or two nights. This creates a unique opportunity to meet and connect with people from around the world. However, the volunteers' living space is fully separate from the pilgrims' area, ensuring they always have a private retreat.

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  What else ...

  Our project is located 40 minutes drive to the beach and 1 hour drive to Peneda-Gerês National Park the only national park in Portugal.
  As mentioned earlier, we are located along the pilgrimage route to Santiago and there are several local hiking paths to explore.
  Ponte de Lima and Viana de Castelo are two beautiful nearby towns that can be reached by public transport and are worth exploring.
  Porto airport is 45 minutes from our location. There is a regular bus connection from the airport to Braga. From Braga you can take a bus to get to our project. We will help you with the connections.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  This host can provide space for campervans.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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