The project
The main goals of this workcamp are the recovery of rural heritage, enhancing the biodiversity of our Center, and promoting the animal welfare of donkeys and their quality of life. We want to o enable the discovery of the Miranda Plateau, a unique rural region, rich in natural beauty, biodiversity, culture and traditions. With so aging population in these villages, one of the goals is bringing together the young participants and the local community, therefore promoting intercultural urban/rural, international/national) and intergenerational (youngsters/ elderly) encounters and exchanges.
Voluntary Work and Tasks of the Camp:
• Promote the animal welfare of donkeys - feed the animals and help with their basic care tasks
• Maintenance and improvement of the infrastructure of the donkey shelter
• Dry stone wall rebuilding
• Support autochthonous biodiversity
• Building and placing nest boxes for birds
• Activities to support the local community
• Construction of fence
• Creation of materials for the environmental enrichment of spaces designated for donkeys
Accommodation & food
Basic housing with electricity – with one large room equipped with bunk beds, one living room, WC, and showers with hot water. Important note: the accommodation facility does not provide separate sleeping areas for males and females. The showers are mixed, while the toilets are separated for men and women.
There is no bar in the village neither a supermarket, but if something is needed, we can easily support the volunteers to get it.
Volunteers who want extra privacy can bring camping tents. There’s good wifi in the proximity of the accommodation, more precisely at the CAB office, which is in the village.
Location & leisure
For leisure time, there are several activities planned for the participants to get the opportunity to know the beautiful local landscapes, the rich cultural traditions and the local community as: trekking with donkeys, trips through villages, visits to local interpretation centre (like visit the Donkey Shelter, the Interpretive Centre of Traditional Dovecotes, Miranda donkey improvement centre), nationality day - intercultural sharing, birdwatching, cinema nights and traditional games.
Project host
The Instituto Português do Desporto e Juventude (IPDJ) is Portugal’s national public body responsible for designing, implementing and evaluating public policy in the fields of sport and youth. It promotes participation in sport at all levels, supports high‑performance athletes, and safeguards ethics in sport by providing technical, human and financial resources.
Within the youth sector, IPDJ supports youth associations, volunteering, citizenship initiatives, non‑formal education, leisure activities and mobility programmes, helping young people engage actively in their communities. It also works to revitalise youth tourism through the national Youth Hostels network and the Youth Card, improving accessibility and mobility for young people.
Operating through decentralised regional structures across mainland Portugal and the autonomous regions, IPDJ collaborates closely with public institutions, NGOs, sports bodies, student groups and local authorities to deliver inclusive, community‑focused youth and sport programmes nationwide
Interested?
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