Portugal Community Projects

Global Volunteers' unique philosophy of service ensures your work projects help advance the host community's current development vision and goals. Always serving at the invitation and under the direction of host community partners, each Global Volunteers team member works alongside local people, and personally contributes to essential services in a variety of ways. Our long-term commitment to work in partnership on sustained community development projects enables you, in just a short time, to serve as a critical link in a chain of lasting community enhancements.

You're needed in Beja and surrounding villages to teach conversational English to youth and adults in lively, entertaining classrooms and small groups. As in all of Europe, English is becoming an increasingly important tool in Portugal, and few opportunities exist for local people to learn from native English speakers in non-tourist areas of the country. You'll work either in public elementary and secondary schools, or with young adults in technical or trades schools. Each year, more and more classrooms are requesting volunteers as important student resources. As a native English speaker, you don't need any formal teaching experience to serve as an important resource for these students. You'll use the standard curriculum texts and established lesson plans, and other times you'll have opportunities to depart from formal lessons. For example, you can serve as a resource on topics of North American culture, including discussions on history, daily lifestyle, sports, and school systems. This program has become an inspired people-to-people demonstration of international sharing and unity!