The GEAL - Museu da Lourinhã is located in the centre of Lourinhã, that is a municipality located on the coast of the Oeste (West) Region. It has an area of 146 km2, and a population of about 23,000, distributed among 11 parishes. Lourinhã is 65 km far from the capital Lisbon and close to other important cities like Torres Vedras (20km), Peniche (17km) and Caldas da Rainha (40 km). It has good transport links with these cities and is in a strategic place, that allies modernity to innovation and new technologies to the tranquility and natural beauty around the municipality.
The municipality has 12 km of coastline, with its combination of beautiful beaches, rugged cliffs and tranquil bays on a route that enjoys bright sunshine all year round create a uniquely rich landscape.
These natural conditions are ideal for various nautical sports and activities such as sports fishing, underwater fishing and photography, surfing and jet skiing.
The inland part of the municipality, characterized by a rural landscape and harmonious colours, offers excellent opportunities for a peaceful, relaxing holiday. There are several rural tourism establishments where people can be in direct contact with nature and life on the farm, and take part in lots of outdoor activities, such as horse-riding, tennis, mountain biking, game shooting, mini-golf and go-karting, or just relax.
The main services are: schools, health centre, court, sports and leisure parks, library, free internet shops, beaches, youth hostel, hostels, etc.
The presence of a coordinating organization in this project is important for the success, mainly because the hosting organization doesn't have experience in EVS.
GEAL - Museu da Lourinhã is involved in lots of projects where EVS volunteers can be involved. The hosting organization has a large experience and a motivated team that will give the necessary support to the volunteer.
ProAtlântico - Associação Juvenil has high experience on EVS projects and will take care of the administrative and practical issues, in order to make this project fulfill all the expectation of all partners.
Concerning the stay of the EVS volunteer, ProAtlântico will provide accommodation and the volunteer might have to share the room with another volunteer of the same gender.
A monthly allowance is provided by the coordinating organization to cover food expenses out of the working time. During the working time the hosting organization will provide meals or an allowance to cover food expenses of the volunteers. The volunteers may find a variety of eating choices in Lourinhã (commercial centre, small local restaurants, supermarkets, local food markets, etc.). The team of the hosting organization will help the volunteer to become familiar with these services.
A monthly local transport allowance is provided by the hosting organization to the EVS volunteer.
A monthly allowance (pocket money) is provided by ProAtlântico to the volunteer.


The EVS volunteers will be able to develop several competencies, in order to improve their performance. Therefore, the host organization will provide the opportunity to EVS volunteers to have learning opportunities in different fields, such as:
o approach to the tasks of the project: develop responsibility for the project; become more open to new ideas; develop the sense of initiative; ability to plan and organize activities to the project; flexibility/adaptability and coping to new challenges; proactive attitude and independent work;
o leadership abilities: develop positive attitude in difficult situations; positive attitude in order to take pride in team performance; team work with colleagues to achieve desired goals; ability to maintain open communication; ability to contribute to an environment of motivation;
o team orientation: work effectively with others volunteers or other members of the team; active attitude to contribute to the achievement of group and organizational goals; acceptance of shared responsibility and ownership of projects; maintenance of open communication among team members; assume commitment to team success; consistent contribution with new ideas to the organization / new projects;
o innovation and creativity: ability to develop and implement innovate ideas to the projects; ability to provide unique/different perspectives to improve activities; ability to encourage innovation in themselves and others;
o Personal characteristics: maintain a positive attitude on the work; ability to act responsibly; ability to share information willingly; ability to make judgement and to make decisions;
o Cultural expression: knowledge about Portuguese culture; willing to show volunteer's culture and spread the multicultural projects;
o Communication in a foreign language: ability to communicate in Portuguese in order to feel more integrated among the others; positive attitude in learning process of Portuguese language; persistence to improve communication in Portuguese language;
In the end of the Activity, the EVS volunteers involved can ask for the Youth Pass in order to get a certification of their learning outcomes.
The role of the EVS volunteers will mainly be assist the team of the hosting organization to develop it's projects in practical tasks. The Mentor will assist the volunteer in the definition of his/her tasks and give personal support.
The EVS volunteers will be encouraged to implement their own ideas and experiences, according to their skills and interests, having in mind the team's objectives and the organization possibilities. We believe this topic is important to the volunteer's integration and adaptation to the dynamics of the organization, in order to make him/her feel part of the group.
The volunteers will take part in many different tasks, according to their interests, abilities and skills that will be planned together with the staff and the mentor.
The EVS project will be developed in the museum facilities (exhibition pavilions, reserves, laboratory and museum shop) but also on the field where excavations take place.

The EVS volunteer can participate in all activities of the museum:
- office/reception work: digitalization of documents, contacts with partners and visitors, schedule school visits, create translation of documents, etc.
- information and education materials: update the database and adapt the information about the dinosaurs and fossils in order to create an internet platform that works as an educational tool, create informational and educational materials, etc.
- exhibitions and guided visits: setup exhibitions, assist in guided visits, reception of the visitors, promote animation activities, surveillance of the museum
- divulgation and promotion of the museum: update the website information, create divulgation flyers and posters for new activities, write press releases, etc.
- practical work: fossils preparation, excavation work, cleaning, cataloging museologic reserves
- Promote EVS and other youth activities: organize exhibitions, presentations in schools, universities and in youth clubs, etc.
- Participation in the planning of the work: the volunteers might attend to the planning meetings to propose ideas, solutions for specific problems, become aware of the working methodologies of the organisation, place their doubts or questions about the work, evaluate, etc.
- Personal project: the volunteers have freedom and will be challenged to promote a personal project, an original idea or whatever they desire that comes in accordance with the regular philosophy of the organisation.
The tasks weren't designed to achieve profit, because the organization is non-profitable and doesn't intend to make financial gain from its activities.
The first few weeks after the volunteer's arrival will be considered as a period of integration, during which the volunteer will be introduced to the project team and will gain familiarity with the new living and working environment.
The coordinating organization ProAtlântico - Associação Juvenil will welcome the EVS volunteers on the arrival and will give support in administrative tasks: airport transfer, open a bank account, registration in the health services, residence certificate, school registration for language course.
On the first days, the team of ProAtlântico will also help the volunteers to get familiar with the services around the project and will present the volunteer to the hosting organization team.
The schedule of the EVS activity will be agreed between the volunteer and the hosting organization in a total of 35 hours a week: 30 hours of work and 5 hours to trainings (language, task-related, mentoring).
The volunteer will collaborate 5 days a week from Tuesday and Sunday and will have 2 free days per week, generally on Sunday and Monday but it can change according to the needs of the volunteer and the hosting organization.
The volunteers will start Portuguese lessons shortly after their arrival in Portugal that will be provided by a public school or a private teacher, minimum 50 hours.
The volunteer will receive training for developing the tasks, according to the needs and the previous knowledge.
The volunteer will have 2 days of holidays per month for the duration of the project, to be taken in agreement between the volunteer and the team of the hosting organization.

In order to receive applications of candidates to this project, ProAtlântico - Associação Juvenil will promote a transparent recruitment process by taking different actions:
- send information about the project to European networks and to National Agencies by e-mail
- create a website that can give information about the project and all the selection process.
The coordinating organization will create a selection group that will make a pre-selection of the candidates, firstly based on practical issues (selecting only the candidates that have CV, motivation letter and sending organisation details). After reading the CV and Motivation letters, the selection group makes a choice, considering the interest of the volunteers to work with disabled people, their commitment to volunteering service and the reason presented to choose this project.
During this process all the information about the selection process and the results will be available on ProAtlântico website. The volunteers will be chosen taking in consideration what they can bring, their experiences and culture, to enrich the hosting project and local community.
The project is totally based in free activities to the participants. Therefore, the presence of EVS volunteers can't be at any moment seen as job substitution.
There are no specific requirements for volunteers. Generally they must be: self-motivated, dynamic, versatile, good mood, flexible, with self initiative, creative, with handwork skills, willing to take on new challenges, openned to work with people of all backgrounds and cultures; mature to work and to relate to a group of people with different ages; willing to develop new activities and with sense of responsibility; like to work indoor and outdoor places; motivated to work in a dusty environment (excavations), interest in fields like biology, museology, archeology, paleontology, preparation of fossils, conservation, history, motivation to work with informatics in office work.
We will look for volunteers who are interested in working with a commitment to volunteering, with interest in the field of the project, and had chosen the project because of the experience and development they will gain not only because it's in Portugal.


The team of GEAL - Museu da Lourinhã will provide extra personal support to the EVS volunteers according to their needs. ProAtlântico - Associação Juvenil is also available to give assistance to the EVS volunteers and to the hosting organization. Before the project starts, the volunteers will be asked to describe the specific needs and the sending organizations will also be consulted in order to arrange the conditions to host them:
Integration: The team from the hosting organization will give support to the volunteers on their integration in the country and in the local community, showing them the main services in the local community, explaining the most relevant aspects of Portuguese culture and offering the opportunity to the volunteers to contact frequently with other young people (ex: local volunteers, international volunteers, students, EVS volunteers, Portuguese ex-EVS volunteers). The previous experience of the hosting organization in hosting volunteers from other cultures and different economic and social backgrounds will create a better integration of the EVS volunteers.
Personal Support: the mentor will be available to help the volunteer to feel supported during the project. In order to provide a good mentorship, there will be organized weekly meetings between the volunteers and the mentor to talk about the ongoing of the project, the needs and expectations of the volunteer. If the volunteer needs, the mentor will be available to provide extra support to the volunteers according to their needs (ex: organizing daily meetings arrange psychological assistance from specialized people, etc.). The volunteers will have the chance to contact their families, friends and sending organization by phone and e-mail during the project, at least once a week, in order to feel supported from people of their confidence. The EVS coordinator of ProAtlântico is also skilled to provide personal support to the volunteer and to mediate conflicts, based on the previous experience with other EVS volunteers and on educational background in the field of Social Work.
Task-related Support: The team of the hosting organization will prepare specific moments with the volunteers to teach them how to work with specific tools and techniques, in order to improve the volunteers performance and their skills, according to the volunteers needs and background. The team of the hosting organization will draw a working plan together with the volunteer according to needs and expectations of the volunteer and of the hosting organization. In this way, the match of wishes among them, will bring motivation to accomplish the objectives and will be easier to identify possible problems, needs or conflicts that might occur.


The GEAL - Museu da Lourinhã as an employer is obligated to accomplish a set of requirements for the safety of the workers. The volunteer will work with the team of the hosting organization so it's already provided protection and safety: all workers are covered by insurance; have access to a first aid box; have safety equipments available like fire extinguisher; have to make a check-up diagnosis every 6 months. Besides that, the hosting organization provides all material needed to the workers protection like masks, coats and helmet. The EVS volunteers will be covered by the same rules as the workers.
During the activities, the volunteer will always be accompanied by a member of the team (ex: workers, museums experts, experienced volunteers). If some accident occurs, the volunteer will have support of the team and be transported to a doctor if needed.
In order to guarantee safety and protection of EVS volunteers, they will know the general procedures in case of a dangerous situation. The volunteers will also be informed about the main telephone numbers and localization of useful services like, national emergency number, fire department, police office, hospitals, and pharmacies. They will also be aware about the contact people inside the organization like mentor, team, etc.
The volunteer will be covered by AXA insurance and has to be insured also by the European Health Insurance, in order to have the same rights of medical assistance as a Portuguese citizen.
For the preparation of the hosting of EVS volunteers will be created a Welcome Guide, which will provide information about the lodging, cleaning of the flat, consumption of supplies (water, electricity and gas), transports available, money issues (food, transport and pocket money), training and formation, extra information: cultural information, transports, etc.
Every EVS Volunteer will have a Mentor that will be directly responsible for his/her personal support and to whom he/she can turn in case of problems. The integration of the volunteers in the hosting organization is responsibility of the mentor. The mentor will have meetings with the volunteers, depending on the duration of the activity and the kind of activities developed, in order to give personal support to the volunteer and identify the obstacles and difficulties that the volunteer may face.
The volunteer will do his/her activity with autonomy and supervision of the team. The mentor will be available to mediate conflicts and help the volunteer in his/her needs. Every EVS volunteer will have special training about the organization working methods and prevention of risk behaviors.