ELO - Community Service

ELO, the Community Psychology Service, is an extracurricular program whose main objective is to provide psychology students with a volunteer experience. This program is part of Voluntaria*te and stems from the same conviction: that we cannot remain indifferent to the challenges of our time and that each of us has something to offer.

Over the course of an academic year, each student is placed at an institution in the region and carries out regular activities there, alongside professionals and the people receiving care at that institution. Students who complete at least 40 hours receive a certificate of participation and a notation on their diploma supplement.

The ELO is a program unique to this field of study, as training in psychology also takes place outside the classroom. Early exposure to real-world settings (e.g., foster homes, residential care facilities, schools, healthcare institutions) allows you to become familiar with different areas of practice and helps you determine which area you want to specialize in.

Three Ways to Get Involve

Join a partner organization. We’ll place you at one of the organizations we work with, based on your preferences, your availability, and current openings.
Suggest a new institution. If you already know of an institution where you'd like to work, you can suggest it.
Implement a project of your own. You can create a project or submit a project proposal that was developed as part of a course unit.

Where you can volunteer (partner organizations)

Associação Portuguesa de Apoio à Vítima (APAV), Asilo S. José, CERCI Braga, Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa (Braga and Guimarães Chapters), Externato Paulo VI, Instituto Monsenhor Airosa, Projeto Homem, Irmãs Hospitaleiras Casa de Saúde do Bom Jesus, the Rotary Club’s "Hora do Conto" Project, among others.