Communities project in the Azores

Your role in the youth project

Here are the missions you can expect:

• Design and lead fun activities.
• Organize creative workshops (painting, theater, music).
• Promote healthy habits through sports, outdoor games, and group outings.
• Support English learning with interactive exercises and homework help.
• Build relationships with the children and take an active part in their daily lives.

A kitchen and playrooms are available to interact with the children. You have great freedom in choosing and organizing activities. This will largely depend on your interests and skills. Your initiatives will be warmly welcomed.

Your role in the community restaurant project

Your missions include, but are not limited to:

• Prepare and cook healthy and balanced meals for vulnerable communities.
• Maintain the kitchen: ensure hygiene and organization to provide a safe food preparation environment.
• Distribution logistics: help with meal preparation, packaging, and serving.

Depending on the needs at the time, your interests and skills, your responsibilities may vary. You may take part in all stages (preparation, cooking, distribution), and at times, you might collect food donations from local restaurants to distribute directly.

Your role in the project with people with disabilities

• Lead educational games, artistic workshops, and cultural activities.
• Prepare friendly social events (karaoke, quizzes, etc.).
• Organize gentle physical activities, walks, or yoga sessions.
• Encourage cultural exchanges through personal stories and discussion times.
• Sort, label, and store medications safely.
• Take part in the daily logistics of the facility.

These three programmes allow you to fully immerse yourself in the country while being in close contact with local communities. You will have the chance to grow in a warm and friendly environment.

You will be accommodated in an international youth hostel in Ponta Delgada, located just 5 minutes from the airport.

You will stay in mixed shared rooms with 6 to 10 people. Bathrooms are shared.

Meals

Three meals a day are included in the programme (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and lactose-free options are available upon request.

Meals are served outside the youth hostel, about a 15–20 minute walk or a short bus ride away. It is a community restaurant.

The project can be reached by public bus, but private transportation can be arranged depending on the size of the group.

On this project, you will be working with children between 3 and 14 years old in a day-care center. About 100 children attend this center during school holidays or after school. Many activities are offered, and you will help supervise the children and run activities.

Whether it’s teaching English, organizing workshops, or outdoor games, your support will help children develop skills and allow the center to offer a variety of fun and engaging activities.

Make a direct impact by helping to prepare, cook, and distribute meals to vulnerable communities on the island. In this programme, you will join a community restaurant where meals are prepared by people in difficult situations (unemployment, social exclusion, etc.).

The social aspect of this project is also very important, and you will assist the restaurant staff with their daily tasks. It’s an opportunity to interact and immerse yourself in the local communities.

This center in Ponta Delgada welcomes people with mild disabilities, most of whom have autism. You will help organize fun and creative activities that foster personal development and social connection.