You Are the World. And the World is You. -- Learn about your Self through daily service at O Mundo Somos Nós.
O.M.S.N. - O MUNDO SOMOS NÓS, ASSOCIAÇÃO
Goães, Ribeira do Neiva, Vila Verde, Braga, Portugal
Description
Our Krishnamurti-inspired education centre for children in the North of Portugal, O Mundo Somos Nós (www.instagram.com/omundosomosnos), is looking for long-term volunteers (6 months) starting in January 2026. Beyond the daily physical tasks of supporting our staff around meal times and helping with small repairs and maintenance tasks around the centre, we organise weekly Dialogue sessions. During these sessions we have the space to go into topics like responsibility, relationships, awareness, and more. Each week we set a focus topic to sit with and inquire throughout the week. Additionally, we provide a variety of physical and digital resources for extra guidance and going deeper. Through practical involvement in our daily operations, volunteers participate in the greater service of providing a loving space for our young ones to grow and flourish. Each moment becomes an invitation to become fully present. No previous experience required, just a genuine interest in changing oneself.
Accommodation, food and transport arrangements
Our volunteers are accommodated at the local pilgrims hostel “Albergue de Peregrinos S. Pedro”. The Albergue is within a walking distance from OMSN. The volunteers will have their own reserved area within the Albergue with Wi-Fi connection. OMSN provides vegetarian lunches during weekdays and the hostel kitchen can be used to prepare any additional meals. In accordance with the ESC program, a monthly allowance for food and pocket money of €270 will be provided on a monthly basis. The travel expenses will be reimbursed based on the distance bands defined by the ESC Programme Guide.
Training during the activity
During their stay, our volunteers receive training and mentoring provided by OMSN to enhance their integration into the project. The weekly Dialogue sessions are a central activity of the project. The volunteers have the space for dialogue and inquiry into their own experience and inner world. The focus is always on direct observation without ideologies. Additionally, a Portuguese language course is offered via the OLS platform before their arrival and throughout their stay in Portugal. The volunteers will be able to practice their Portuguese at OMSN while engaging in activities with children.
Participant profile
We are looking for volunteers who are: 1. between 18 and 30 years old; 2. eager to learn and motivated to work on the proposed activities of OMSN; 3. demonstrating kindness, humility, responsibility, motivation, and focus; 4. willing to learn Portuguese; 5. willing to live in a rural place 30-40 minutes from the next bigger city. Because OMSN's activities involve working with young children, we will consider the age, maturity, and willingness of the volunteer to commit to a long-term experience abroad. More than anything, we are looking for young people who are truly interested in looking at themselves clearly and inquire into the dynamics of the Self and the Ego. We are not a place of religion, methods, or ideologies. But we are serious about Self-Knowledge and the direct observation of reality because we realise that changing ourselves is the only way to create lasting positive change in the world. And to change ourselves, first we have to learn about ourselves. Not by following what someone else told us, but by looking at ourselves and finding out directly. If this sounds like you, I am more than happy to receive your application!
Activity dates
From 01/01/2026 to 15/07/2026
Activity location
Avenida da Igreja, 277, Goães, Ribeira do Neiva, Vila Verde, Braga, Portugal
Activity type
Individual volunteering
Looking for participants from
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
Activity topics
Environment and natural protection
Health and wellbeing
Education and training
Deadline for applications
Application deadline: 30/11/2025 17:00
Project code
2025-1-PT02-ESC51-VTJ-000347241