09 abril 2013

My first months in Lisbon

By now I have stayed in Lisbon for two months. These two months have been full of joy, happiness, fear, excitement, adventures and new experiences. And this is what EVS is all about.

For me Lisbon has always been something dreamy and somewhat unreachable. Even now, from time-to-time I find myself discovering the fact that I am really here. I am here and doing exactly what I want to be doing.

Volunteering in culture area is beyond perfect for me – I was lucky enough to get exactly the project that I hoped for. And even struggling with my portuguese adds some spice, no-one said it was going to be easy. Of course, this project is not only about Portugal itself with it’s difficult language, it’s also about the people in it. Until now I have met people from places so far that it’s even hard to imagine the odds of ever meeting them under such circumstances in the first place. And this fact increases enormously the value of this experience.

So all-in-all I can only say good words about my first impressions on taking part in this adventure. Everything is new, unusual, exciting and eye-opening – and I can’t wait to see what the next months will bring me!
Katrina

08 abril 2013

Grundtvig Training course: LINK UP !


The training analyzes the two-way relationship between environment and human beings seen as mutually reinforcing components of a global sustainable development.
The key-concept of the course is to “link up” ecology to urban development, social justice to economic growth,  environmental protection to fundamental freedom, nature to global society.
Let’s link up Ecology to Human rights to find out a new sustainable development!

LINK UP! is officially recognized by the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Commission. 
The EU LLP Grundtvig grant will cover all the expenses: lodging, board, training and travel costs. Apply now! (grants not available for Portuguese)

Find out more info in the course presentation. 
Send us the pre-registration form to intercambios.spin@gmail.com 

Deadline for registration: 26th April 2013

07 abril 2013

Sessão informativa sobre o SVE

Convidamos todos os interessados em fazer o SVE (e os que ainda estão a hesitar!) para participarem numa sessão informativa sobre o Serviço Voluntário Europeu na sede da Spin na terça-feira, 23 de Abril, às 15 horas.

Durante a sessão vamos explicar o que é o SVE e quais são os procedimentos até a partida do voluntário. Vamos também responder a todas as perguntas e falar do acompanhamento, da segurança e dos direitos e deveres do voluntário ao longo da implementação do projecto. Os voluntários que a Spin está a acolher agora vão partilhar connosco a sua experiência SVE em Portugal.

A sessão é gratuita e aberta a todos (inclusive os familiares e amigos das pessoas interessadas em fazer o SVE). Para te inscreveres, basta enviares um email para sve@a-spin.pt! A participação na sessão não implica a tua candidatura ao SVE.

Até breve!

29 março 2013

Uma foto, uma palavra, 5 anos!

Car@ amig@ da Spin! Como estás?

Nós estamos muito orgulhosos de te anunciar que a Spin está a fazer 5 anos de vida!. Estamos muito entusiasmados e a preparar tudo para que possamos celebrar em grande o nosso aniversário durante todo o ano de 2013...

Se participaste em pelo menos uma actividade de mobilidade através da Spin (SVE, intercâmbio juvenil, curso de formação, workshop, estágio profissional, etc.), queríamos agradecer-te por teres feito parte da nossa ONG! 

Através da tua participação contribuíste para o crescimento da Spin e para o que somos neste momento!

E nós queremos evidenciar o teu contributo e participação através da realização de um  vídeo feito das tuas fotos e palavras. Por isso te pedimos se nos podes enviar 1 foto e 1 palavra que sejam representativas da tua experiência como voluntário/estagiário/participante com e através da Spin, as quais possam espelhar o tempo que passaste connosco e/ou o que fizeste através de nós.

Estamos a recolher os feedbacks de tod@s para criar o vídeo de celebração dos 5 anos, o qual estará disponível muito brevemente nos nossos canais de comunicação (sitio, Facebook, You Tube).

Muito obrigada pelo teu apoio e participação!

Estamos desejosos de saber de ti neste momento e de receber a tua foto e palavra mais representativa para o email: geral@a-spin.pt!

Um abraço,
Equipa da Spin

One photo, one word, 5 years!

Dear friend, how is everything going?

We are very proud to announce that the Spin Association has reached 5 years of life! We are excited about it and are getting everything ready to fully celebrate our anniversary throughout 2013…

If you have participated in at least one of Spin’s activities (EVS, Youth Exchanges, Training Courses, Workshops, Workcamps, Internships, etc.), we wish to thank you for being part of our NGO!

With your participation in our projects you have contributed to shape what Spin is at this moment!

Therefore, we wish to highlight your contribution and your participation through a short video! We would like to ask you to email us one representative photo of your experience with Spin as a participant, trainee, volunteer and also one word that can sum up your time with us.

We will collect everybody’s feedback and create a video, which very soon you'll be able to watch in all our communication channels (website, Facebook, YouTube).

Thank you very much for your support and your participation!

Looking forward to hearing from you and receiving your most representative photo and word (email: geral@a-spin.pt)!

Hugs,
Spin’s team

22 março 2013

EVS Vacancy at ART Telheiras in Lisbon, Portugal

Associação Spin, acting as the coordinating organization, is currently looking for two EVS volunteers for the May, 1st deadline.

Hosting Organization: Associação de Residentes de Telheiras (2011-PT-33)
Coordinating Organization: Associação Spin 
Project name: Arting Telheiras
Activity start date: 1st September 2013
Activity end date: 28th February 2014
Vacancies: 2
Application deadline: 31st March 2013
Application consists of: CV and project-specific motivation letter
Application sent to: evs.art@a-spin.pt

Who is Associação de Residentes de Telheiras?
ART – Associação de Residentes de Telheiras, is a Telheiras (Lisbon neighbourhood) resident’s association which exists since 1988 and its aims are to foster the neighbourhood’s development, influencing political decisions, promoting social activities, and having a positive direct and indirect impact in the environment. 

ART has 3 different kinds of actions: 
- Regular activities: tai-chi, guitar classes, choir, amateur theatre, yoga, painting… 
- Intervention groups: solidarity, transition (discussion and intervention about environmental impact), elderly in action (regular and punctual activities to the retired population) 
- Events: festivals, blood donations, lectures, diverse workshops. 

ART works mostly with residents from the neighbourhood of Telheiras but not only, as it promotes many and diversified activities, the target group vary from children to elders. Our staff is mostly formed by volunteers and consists of 5 elements from the board from 23 to 65 years old; Also 3 part time volunteers in the secretariat (one of them is almost full-time based retired teacher who has more than 35 years of teaching experience); and other volunteers coordinating each activity. For the whole description of the tasks proposed to the volunteers, please read the full call for volunteers.

Who we are looking for?
Art Telheiras would like to host pro-active volunteers, aged 18-30 years, who bring their own ideas and opinions and that are able to jump into this journey that is a neighbourhood association with energy to collaborate with actual projects but also create new ones. It is not required to have any particular degree of formal education, the project is open to all volunteers who show to have interest in social and environmental actual and practical issues and are willing to be part of the process of change in the course of nowadays society tackling against isolation and environmental negligence. In this selection process, we will give preference to applications from volunteers who are interested in arts and organization of cultural shows, who also enjoy being involved in production and communication tasks as well as in field work.

Special remarks about Selection procedures (please read carefully):
- read the full call for EVS volunteers very carefully;
- mention the name of the project in the subject of the e-mail;
- add the contact details of your Sending Organization to your e-mail;
- applications sent after the deadline will not be considered;
- send your application to evs.art@a-spin.pt, applications sent through other communication channels will not be considered;
- we only accept complete applications that contain all the required documents;
- as we expect a high number of applications, keep in mind that if we do not get in touch with you until April, 10th it means you have not been selected this time;
- only selected volunteers will be contacted and invited for a brief Skype interview.

21 março 2013

SVE em França - projecto já aprovado!

Temos uma vaga aberta num projecto SVE de curta duração já aprovado em Saint-Pierre de Coutances / Coutances, em França! (Ainda não conheces o Serviço Voluntário Europeu? Visita a nossa página www para todas as informações!)

A estadia é de 2 meses; o projecto começará a 15 de Maio e decorrerá até 15 de Julho. A organização de acolhimento é a Association AVRIL (Association pour la Valorisation des Rivières). As informações gerais acerca do projecto encontram-se na sua página na base de dados do SVE.

Neste projecto participarão 4 voluntários europeus de Portugal, Alemanha, Geórgia e Hungria.

Abaixo segue a descrição mais detalhada das actividades propostas ao voluntário:

In this project the volunteers will discover the nature in Normandy and the management of a natural zone reserve like the seaside.

The volunteers will:
  • participate in nature activities with young children
  • participate in nature activities for tourist and wide audience
  • participate in European projects (youth exchange, workshops)
  • create a board game on the Environment and the Youth in Action, from materials recovery and materials from nature
  • make evaluation and youth pass
  • work on the seaside (can be physically hard!!) 35% of the project
    • cleaning the paths from useless plants on the seaside and maintain it,
    • make new paths with fences
    • take off ruins of old houses (very old little house with some rocks)
    • cleaning parcels on the seaside from invasive plants

A Catedral em Coutances

Se estiveres interessado/a, envia o teu CV e Carta de Motivação em inglês para sve@a-spin.pt mais brevemente possível.