Marine conservation in Portugal

• Collecting waste from the ocean on every dive
• Raising awareness of marine pollution
• Learning about the marine ecosystem and how to protect it
• Cleaning the coastline and beaches
• Sorting waste and transporting it for recycling

Volunteers are always supervised by an experienced diver and receive comprehensive training in diving techniques as well as marine conservation topics. It is not necessary to be a diver to start this programme, as there are different certifications and courses available for various skill levels.

A weekday on the programme will look like this:

• 08:00–09:00: Breakfast at the volunteer house
• 09:00–12:30: First dive of the day. You will start by learning the basics, and after a few days, you will begin to dive in the ocean.
• 13:30–14:00: Return by train to the volunteer house (about 10 minutes from the project or a 30-minute walk). It is recommended to purchase a monthly pass or load a transport card with the amount needed for commuting.
• 14:00–14:30: Lunch
• 14:30–19:00: Usually, afternoons are free to explore the city, learn Portuguese, or relax. Sometimes you may also dive in the afternoon, depending on the specialties or certifications you are pursuing. Your instructor will inform you on the first day.
• 19:30–21:00: Dinner at the volunteer accommodation with the other volunteers.

Free time: Your missions will generally last between 3 and 5 hours per day and may take place in the morning, afternoon, or evening, leaving you plenty of free time to explore, walk around the area, discover key sites, interact with locals, or simply relax!

And of course, you will also have your weekends off!

The volunteer house is located in Cascais, a small fishing village 45 minutes away from Lisbon. Accommodation is provided in the volunteer house, in shared rooms with a maximum of 8 people. The dormitories are single-sex. The common areas are shared but with separate bathrooms/toilets. Volunteers will have access to the common room, outdoor spaces including the garden and pool for relaxation. WiFi is available throughout the house and is free of charge. The marine conservation project can accommodate 16 volunteers, and during the summer, the house can reach a maximum capacity of 60 volunteers. They all have different programmes (cat shelter, marine conservation, etc.).

The house does not have air conditioning, but it is a beach house with large windows that are opened and closed daily by the housekeeping team. There are lockers under each bunk bed for volunteers, who only need a padlock to secure them.

Unless they have permission from their guardian, minors have a curfew at 10 PM.

Meals are prepared every day, consisting of local cuisine, but it is possible to accommodate specific dietary requirements upon request (vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free, gluten-free, etc.).

Meals

Meals, featuring local cuisine, are prepared every day, and specific diets are catered for on request (vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free, gluten-free, etc.).

All necessary diving equipment, diving classes, SSI dive instructors, and appropriate SSI diving certifications based on diving experience are included in the programme fee.