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Clay plastering the common house at a new riverside ecovillage!

3.0
(2 reviews)2

The experience

The common house construction is a roundwood structure with a green roof, stone foundation and walls of wooden pallets stuffed with straw and plastered with clay.

This is where we have the shared kitchen and hang out space. We aim to get it ready for the winter as a cosy warm space.
We have more plastering to do, plus filling some last parts of the walls with straw.

It is a great building method that we are happy to teach.
We work 9-13h.

What you offer

15 hours of help per week

Painting & Decorating: Help with painting or decorating the property facilities.

Building & Repairing: Help with a wide range of repairs or building.

Additional fee required

Amount: € 35 Per week

Fee pays for: Donation to project

Description: Our preference is to ask helpers to pay around 35 euros per week for food and gas, with a work exchange of 15 hours per week. If you eat less meals with us, we can agree a lower price each week. Alternatively, for those who are able to work without guidance for some of the work hours, we can offer a full work exchange of 25 hours per week, food included.

What you get

3 days off per week

Tent: You will sleep in a tent at a camping site.

Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.

Lunch: You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.

Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.

Discounts on Parties: Get discounts at nearby parties and clubs.

Discounts on Accommodation: Get discounts for your stay in other hostels.

Free Events: Get free entrance for the best events in town.

Bikes at your disposal: You can use our bikes any time you want.

Pick Up: We will pick you up when you arrive, and take you to our property.

Holistic Therapies: You can take part in any of our therapeutic activities for free.

Use our equipped kitchen: Feel free to use our kitchen and make your own delicious food.

Basic Internet Access: Basic speed internet for you to work remotely

Requirements

Beginner English

Over 18 years old

Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers

What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

Program Details

This is a new Ecovillage project near Nelas, close to the Serra da Estrela Mountains, North of Central Portugal.
We are looking for people to help develop the project and also to join as resident members!
The project started in July 2022 and the vision is to create a place that enables a sustainable way of living from the land as a mutually supportive group.
The design includes a common area, with shared facilities, and individual houses suitable for 10 to 20 long term adult residents, plus their children.

The shaded camping spaces are under the tall trees by the river.
There are a few flat spaces for campervans, with some shade.

Shared facilities available:
Straw house common kitchen
Compost toilets
Basic solar shower
Solar phone and laptop charging

Activities & Shift

Shifts - 9-13h Monday - Friday.
Sometimes earlier if it is hot and we are working out in the open.

We have shared lunch and dinner, everyone taking turns to help with cooking.

You can learn about:
Natural building
Off grid living
Community dynamics
Sociocratic governance
Authentic communication

We often organise workshops and activities amongst ourselves and for the wider neighbourhood, eg singing circles, music jams, massage, contact dance.

We also organsie workshops about the ecovillage project, aimed at potential cofounders.

Rules

We ask visitors and volunteers if they can accept these boundaries:

Please no alcohol or recreational drugs (unless agreed as part of a ceremony, facilitated to serve the group)
Not at all on site, and also not being on site under the noticeable influence. Ceremonies should be proposed to the group first.

Please no smoking anywhere on site. You can smoke on the road just outside.

Healthy vegan kitchen. Please no animal product foods, caffeine, processed sugar/snacks in the shared spaces and at shared meal times. You are free to eat what you want in private in your own space.

If you want to bring a pet, please ask us about it first.