What is the Bolsa de Voluntariado?

The Bolsa do Voluntariado was launched by ENTREAJUDA in 2006

It is an innovative project, national in scope, without borders, transversal to the entire society and economy that encourages the exercise of Citizenship and Social Responsibility.

It aims to serve as a meeting point between the demand and offer of voluntary work and allow, from a dynamic perspective, to articulate the need for voluntary work by area with the availability to provide it on the part of people and entities. The BOLSA promotes a virtual volunteering “market”, streamlines the meeting of needs and desires.

It is a management and development tool online in real time, which takes advantage of the qualifications of volunteers and enables the training of organizations.

What is the mission of Bolsa de Voluntariado?

The Bolsa do Voluntariado  aims to promote the culture and value of volunteer work, encourage sharing and solidarity as an expression of active citizenship. Expand volunteer work in the various areas of action, transforming social needs into opportunities for solidary participation and establishing a national and international network of volunteers.

How does the Bolsa de Voluntariado work?

Bolsa do Voluntariado is a dynamic website based on search engines: through a simple search it is possible to cross-reference who is looking for and who is offering volunteer work.

Volunteers can choose where they intend to carry out their activity, according to their skills, time availability, areas of interest, location preference. They can select a cause or social need, look for an institution or organization close to their place of residence, participate in a specific action. The search can be made by area of ​​activity, target audience, commitment and location.

Organizations that need volunteers can enroll in the Bolsa do Voluntariado, listing the Volunteer Opportunities they have available, that is, for which functions and tasks volunteers are needed. They can also look for volunteers with the profile they need for their activity.

Is the Bolsa de Voluntariado only for the solidarity area?

No, because volunteering is not limited to the area of social solidarity.

Other areas where volunteering has great expression and can be an added value are covered: Environment/Animals, Culture, Citizenship and Politics, Sports, Human Rights, among others.

What is to be a volunteer?

A volunteer is an individual who, in a free, disinterested and responsible manner, undertakes, according to his or her own abilities and in his or her spare time, to carry out voluntary work within the scope of a promoting organisation.

I want to be a volunteer

If you want to be a volunteer: THINK AND DECIDE

1. AVAILABILITY, MOTIVATION AND COMMITMENT

How long are you willing to volunteer? Number of hours per week, days you prefer. For how long: a month, year round, on vacation? Is the time you want to give compatible with other activities you already have? What do you expect to be able to give and what do you expect to receive? Can you fully fulfill the commitment you make?

2. TASKS TO BE CARRIED OUT

• Can you tell what's are you good to do?

• Have ideas about what you'd like to do?

• Working directly with people

• Help with more administrative aspects.

• Help in an area more of art, or more social or linked to pedagogy?

There are circumstances in life that sometimes weaken us. An ill-prepared retirement... an illness... great suffering... can lead us to lack of confidence in ourselves or loss of self-esteem... Many times we ask for help to overcome these moments, and also we can do free work that makes us happier and more confident.

What is important is to be aware of being prepared to be autonomous volunteers, capable of being integrated into an institution with other professionals and maintaining our levels of commitment; eventually, what we need is first to develop temporary occupations, such as Occupational Support that help to evolve and overcome weaknesses.

Think carefully about this matter before deciding to volunteer. Link

What is volunteer work?

Volunteering is a set of actions of social and community interest carried out, free of charge and disinterestedly, within the scope of projects, programs and other forms of intervention at the service of individuals, families and the community, developed on a non-profit basis by public or private entities. 

Which organizations can promote Volunteering?

Public and private non-profit entities, duly recognized by Social Security (in the case of organizations operating in Portugal, consult the list of Private Institutions of Social Solidarity, Casas do Povo, Misericórdias e Conferencias Vicentinas) or by the Instituto of Portuguese Cooperation (in the case of organizations operating abroad, consult the list of Non-Governmental Development Organizations). Link

What are my rights as a volunteer?

a. Have access to initial and continuous training programs, with a view to improving volunteer work;

b. Have a volunteer identification card;

c. Be part of the voluntary social insurance scheme, if not covered by a mandatory social security scheme;

d. Carry out voluntary work in hygienic and safe conditions;

e. Justifiably absent, if employed, when summoned by the promoting organization, namely for the purpose of fulfilling urgent missions, in emergency situations, public calamities or equivalent;

f. Receive compensation, allowances and pensions, as well as other legally defined benefits, in the event of an accident or illness contracted in the exercise of voluntary work;

g. Establish with the entity with which it collaborates a volunteering program that regulates its mutual relations and the content, nature and duration of the voluntary work it will carry out;

h. Be heard in the preparation of the promoting organization's decisions that affect the development of voluntary work;

i. To be reimbursed for the sums spent in carrying out an activity programmed by the promoting organization, provided that it cannot be postponed and duly justified, within the limits eventually established by the same entity.