Trip Highlights
- Help in hippotherapy classes for disabled people
- Project makes a double impact of social inclusion and environmental protection
- Explore the city of Porto during free time and on weekends
- Stay in a centrally located hostel in Porto city center
- Meet other likeminded volunteers from around the world
- Option to combine the project with another program in Porto
Overview
Overview
In this program volunteers will be immersed in an authentic farming and forest experience, surrounded by nature and farm animals with horses.
Volunteers are placed in an NGO focused on supporting the local community through environmental education and conservation projects, supporting hippotherapy classes for disabled people and their social inclusion.
Volunteers work along with the organization’s staff as well as with the local youth community and will support the hippotherapy classes, give a hand on the vegetable garden, patrol the forest on a horse to prevent fires, supervise kids on their educational summer camps, reforest the wild areas with trees, collect seeds, and even herd a small flock of goats or sheeps.
The project is highly recommended for horse lovers. At the project, for the majority of the activities, horses will be your companion for the environmental protection and social inclusion activities and your transportation mode, so you can be able to help on the maintenance of the wild area, as well as support the horse school. This is also the best opportunity to learn how to ride a horse, if you haven’t yet. Extra horse riding classes are available at an affordable fee.
If you are keen to volunteer for a project which combines environment education activities as well working with disabled people then this project is highly recommended for you.
Program Requirements
Program Requirements
Volunteers must be 18 years or older at the time of joining the project. You need to have an open mind and a flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference. Participants must be fit and healthy at the time of joining the program and should be prepared to work outdoors and get their hands dirty. Participants in the program should have a keen interest and love for animal conservation work. Participants should have no criminal convictions and should provide a clean criminal background check report.
Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities
Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities
Volunteer duties in the project generally include the following :-
- Assist with Hippotherapy classes
- Patrol the forest on a horse to prevent fires
- Reforestation activities
- Assist in the vegetable garden
- Supervise kids on their educational summer camps
- Collect seeds
Volunteer Work Schedule
Volunteer Work Schedule
After the orientation day, volunteers will be assigned a morning, afternoon or evening shift at the project and will work for approximately 3 to 5 hours per day depending on the schedule of the project.
A typical daily schedule for an evening shift will look as follows:
- 09:00 Travel to your project by public transportation and join the local staff to volunteer at the center
- 13:00 Have lunch at the project site
- 14:00 Explore the city and the surroundings and learn Portuguese during your free time
- 18:00 - 19:00 Pickup dinner at the non-profit. After dinner you will have the remainder of the evening free to relax. Weekends are mostly free to set out for short trips & exploring the amazing landscapes of Portugal.
Please note that the actual schedule can change according to the season.
Living
Living
Airport Transfer
You will be picked up on arrival at Porto airport and transferred to the volunteer accommodation. For those participants who will already in Porto beforehand just let us know and we will arrange your pick up from any location in Porto.
Orientation
On the first day of the program, all participants are given an introductory presentation with the group giving further details of the program along with a walking tour of Porto city center for approximately two hours.
Accommodation
Volunteers in Porto are accommodated at a centrally located hostel.Located right at the city center, the hostel, provides a wide range of rooms, from dormitories to private rooms, a spacious and friendly lounge area where you can hang out, chill, listen to music, enjoy the atmosphere, play some games, and get to know other fellow travellers while enjoying a nice cold beer, a tasty cocktail or a glass of the famous Porto wine! The welcoming staff will always be there to make the guests experience to the fullest! All the guests can count on the best tips about the city, an endless energy and a welcoming smile!!
Situated in the heart of the city, right beside Porto’s most prestigious avenue (Avenida dos Aliados), the hostel has the perfect location. You can find the best restaurants, bars, clubs, shops, the Douro river and the most notorious monuments at a very short walking distance.
Meals
Portuguese food is delicious and during your time in Portugal, you will be sure to receive some incredible treats.The meals are prepared daily by a local non profit that promotes social integration of vulnerable people by assisting them with professional training. Volunteers are provided with three meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
Breakfast is self-serve at the accommodation and generally includes tea, coffee, bread, cheese, ham, spreads, cereal, yogurt and fruit.The non-profit will prepare lunch and dinner for you ! It is a 4 min walk from the hostel, where you can heat it, store it or eat it straight away. Besides, the hostel has a shared kitchen where you can store your food, cook or prepare your meals anytime you need.
During your Free Time
The weekends are free for you to get to know Portugal in a better way. We can help you to book the trips that you want to go to any point in the country. Besides that, we have one or two day programs, where you will have unique experiences on your own or in a group.
Some of the tours and experiences that you can enjoy during the freetime include :-
Douro, Port and Moscatel Tour – You will visit these wines Estates, taste them and have a typical lunch with amazing views.
Minho and Vinho Verde Alvarinho Tour – You will visit the beautiful Viana do Castelo, Melgaço, and Monção, taste the Vinho Verde and some of the best Portuguese cuisine
Aveiro and Bairrada Sparkling Wine Tour – Visit the beautiful city of Aveiro and get to know its wonders and traditions. The Lunch is going to be Roasted Suckling Pig accompanied by wine from the region of Mealhada.
Dão and Coimbra Tour - Visit Coimbra, a magic place with the most ancient University of Portugal and full of history. Taste the Dão region wines and the typical food and bakery.
Dates
Dates
2023
2024
January
01
15
February
05
19
March
05
19
April
02
16
May
07
21
June
04
18
July
02
16
August
20
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
07
21
May
05
19
June
02
16
July
07
21
August
04
18
September
01
15
October
06
20
November
03
17
December
01
15
Past Date
Available
Unavailable
Filling Fast
Costs
Costs
Please Note: -An application fee of $229 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment. (A 5% international banking fee is charged at the time of payment)
What are you Paying for?
- Airport Pickup and Transfer to accommodation
- Introduction session and Placement Orientation
- Guided Porto City Center Walking Tour
- Accommodation at a dormitory at a centrally located hostel in Porto
- Three meals a day
- Shared use of common spaces and free wifi
- Volunteer placement coordination
- Suggestion of weekly activities with the other volunteers
- In-country staff support 24/7 (and the best local tips to discover the city)
- Pre Departure Info Booklet
- Travel & Medical Insurance (Available at an extra cost)
- Certificate Of Completion (Upon Request)
What's NOT included?
- Round-Trip Flights to Portugal
- Return Airport Drop
- Visa Fees
- Vaccinations
- Any personal expenses
Reviews
Reviews
Frequently asked questions
FAQ's Application and Program Details
Health and Safety
Flights and Visa
Connect with Past Volunteers
Accommodation and Living
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