Portugal – European Solidarity Corps

One or two volunteers are welcomed each year under the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) scheme: if you live in the EU, Iceland, Switzerland or Norway, are under 30 and are willing to spend six to 12 months working at Cruzinha, you could apply to be the next ESC volunteer.

This opportunity would ideally suit a gap year student or graduate looking for conservation experience, though it is open to anyone who fulfils the above criteria. ESC volunteers receive free flights to and from their country of origin (within the EU), free board and lodging, free language classes and about 100 € a month.

Successful ESC applicants would be based at Cruzinha, our bird observatory and field study centre set in the Alvor marshes in the Algarve. Cruzinha has a capacity to accommodate up to 14 people; volunteers are normally accommodated in male or female dormitories.

Please note that A Rocha Portugal’s participation in ESC depends on an annual application, submitted in October and subject to ESC’s decision early in the following year.

The ESC application process is separate from our general volunteer application process; please contact A Rocha Portugal directly for information at portugal@arocha.org.