General Volunteering

GENERAL VOLUNTEERING POSITION

We're extremely grateful for your interest, as the hands of volunteers have helped shape Terra Alta into what it is today.

As we only run courses over summer, we only host volunteers during this time (and not all year-round). We normally have 3-4 volunteers to support us per Permaculture Design Course.

You will be asked to work around 5 hours a day (some weekend hours included but this will always be compensated) in tasks that include:

- being part of the rota, which includes making breakfasts and teas/coffees during break time for the students

- cleaning communal spaces

- being a helping hand wherever it is needed

If you are interested in experiencing community living while supporting the process of a permaculture design course and meeting many likeminded people, this might be an opportunity for you.

Submit your application here

WHAT WE OFFER

We do not charge volunteers any costs. We believe in a system of reciprocity where we offer the following in return for your time and energy:

Food - you will have access to all our garden vegetables and our staple ingredients. Please note that we offer vegetarian and mostly vegan food (except optional butter and eggs from our chickens) and we can not cater to other dietary requirements
Camping - you will be able to camp in our serene cork-oak forest (please bring your own tent and camping equipment if possible, if not let us know and we will do our best to provide)
Use of facilities: communal showers (hot and cold) as well as compost toilets, a community kitchen, and social spaces
The possibility to join two classes during your stay
Access to an arts centre with musical instruments, building and handcraft tools
Access to our offline resources while you're here (we have an extensive permaculture library)
Wifi (limited as we run on solar energy and there are always some cloudy days, though generally speaking throughout the summer there is no shortage of sunny days). Please also note that there is very limited mobile data reception on the land
It is what you make it - you will be surrounded by people with different backgrounds and knowledge to share

Submit your application here

ABOUT THE LOCATION

Terra Alta is an off-the-grid holistic-education host site where students and visitors alike get to see all 12 Principles of Permaculture in action. It’s located in between Almoçageme and Ulgueira, two quaint sea-side villages with easy access to amazing beaches and is relatively simple to reach from Lisbon and Sintra. The following Permaculture elements and functions are on display, amongst others:

Small-scale earthworks to catch and store surface runoff
Hot & Cold Composting (Vermiculture) systems for boosting soil life, picking up on waste streams, and cycling nutrients
Food Preservation and supporting the local economy of food production
Natural Building techniques utilised for dwellings and social spaces
Renewable Energy technology featuring solar panels
Internet available

We treat Terra Alta's off-the-grid site as a teacher in its own right as participants get to experience Permaculture daily, learning from our existing projects and being part of our crew.

General Volunteering