1999

2000

Having several trained Monitors, from 2000 and onwards PND was able to host two Summer Camps a year – one targeted to younger kids (from 12 to 14 years of age) and another for older teens (aged 14 to 18 years). That year alone, PND worked with almost 100 children and youngsters.

It was also that year that the first edition of the PND newspaper, completely developed by the association´s members and participants, was born. Distributed for free, the newspaper easily reaches all the members involved in the project. It also promotes the activities, people and entities that support us.

2001

In 2001, Project New Discoveries was registered at the Registo Nacional de Associações Juvenis (RNAJ), becoming the first and only association in the Vila do Bispo council registered as a member of RNAJ.

It was also in 2001 that, for the very first time, PND organised several activities outside the summer holidays season, developing the First Day of Lisbon´s Traditional Games and also Zen Week, dedicated to alternative and relaxation activities, in partnership with Lisbon Town Hall and the Nature Protection League.

PND also saw the approval of Action 5, a project of the Youth Programme. Named YIN (Young Information Network), it aimed to develop two websites – one on a national basis, that would be available at www.projectonovasdescobertas.org, and which would mainly work as a tool for volunteers wishing to communicate and develop new activities; and another on an international level available at www.yinproject.org aiming to link several European associations, therefore stimulating the building of partnerships for international projects.

2002

2002 was another year of growth regarding the number of activities we´ve developed, which consequently influenced the number of participants: around 620 children and youngsters. This year, apart from the Residential Summer Camp and Monitors Training Camp, PND also organised a new kind of camps – the Non-Residential Camps – and more Traditional Games in different cities (Fundão, Beja, Lagos and Lisbon) in partnership with the town halls of the respective councils. We´ve also began working with the Action 1 of the Youth Programme, which comprises Meetings and Exchanges, after one of our young leaders attended a Contact Making Seminar in Italy, promoted by the Action 5 of the Youth Programme.

A associação organizou então o Intercâmbio Bilateral Portugal-Itália “Os Descobrimentos: vida e história!”, que teve lugar em Lagos e contou com a participação de 15 jovens Portugueses e 15 jovens Italianos.

O grande marco do ano de 2002 foi sem dúvida a abertura do Escritório da associação em Burgau, uma pequena aldeia piscatória, situada no Concelho de Vila do Bispo, na qual a associação está sediada. A abertura deste espaço permitiu desenvolver algumas actividades a nível local, tendo se realizado a primeira Festa de Carnaval com Desfile de Máscaras Infantil organizada pela associação, assim como Jogos Circenses. Iniciaram-se também, regularmente, Aulas de Música para os mais novos. Nesse espaço foi criado um posto de informação juvenil e de acesso gratuito à Internet, pela cedência de 4 computadores pelo Programa Geração Millennium, tendo se desenvolvido já nesse ano Cursos de Iniciação à Informática.

2003

In 2003 there was an increase in our international promotion, with two of our leaders traveling abroad to attend European meetings, seminars and workshops. From these meetings stemmed a partnership with one of the biggest social support entities of the UK, Prince´s Trust. This partnership consisted in accommodating a group of five British youngsters aged between 18 and 25, to whom was offered a three-week work experience at the Lisbon Zoo.

Infelizmente foi neste ano, no final do Verão, que a Casa Astro que acompanhava o P.N.D. desde o primeiro ano não resistiu aos fogos que assolaram a Serra de Monchique, e a associação ficou temporariamente sem local para realizar as suas actividades residenciais.

2004

In 2004, our office facilities were modified and became what we now know as the New Discoveries Office, a space with better conditions for our children and youngsters, with more work tools and better accessibility. PND also hired a full-time employee to dynamize the office and to create new activities locally.

Apart from the activities already taking place, we´ve added regular Creative Writing classes, Zen Saturdays, which we still host, and we´ve got involved with the Programa de Ocupação de Tempos Livres of the Portuguese Institute of Youth (IPJ). This year, we´ve also maintained the exchanges abroad and several of our members participated in European meetings and seminars. There was a significant increase in the number of exchanges made – three in total (two of them took place in Poland and another in Germany).

In 2004, PND also celebrated its 10th anniversary. We held a party at Duna Beach Club in Lagos with over 150 guests – undoubtedly, one of the biggest moments of the association and a night to remember.

2005

2005 was an impressive year for PND: the Vale da Lama quinta, where summer and residential camps will now take place, was inaugurated.

As in previous years we hosted the Carnival Party and Children´s Costume Parade, Intensive Training for Monitors, Zen Saturdays, Summer Camps and published the 6th and 7th editions of PND´s newspaper.

We began to work in the Environmental Education area by creating the Mini-Science Project for scientific and environmental education to complement classes at Escola EB1 of Burgau. PND also developed leisure activities to raise environmental awareness during the World Environment Day in partnership with Vila do Bispo´s Town Hall, as well as hosting an ´environmental Summer Camp´ for youngsters at CASLAS – the social assistance centre of Lagos.

Locally, and in partnership with web-designing company Webgami, PND promoted the Juvenile Photography Competition ZUM 2005. Under the theme “The Beauty of the Region – Councils of Lagos and Vila do Bispo”, the initiative aimed to showcase how children and young people see the region and to promote the Western´s Algarve new online portal www.algarvento.com.

2006-2008

Brevemente / Soon

2009

15 de Março – Domingo Novas Descobertas Actividade para adultos e famílias. De manhã compreendeu um passeio pedestre pela zona do Vale da Lama e à tarde aprender a fazer floreiras de ervas aromáticas e praticar tiro com arco.

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7 de Abril – Orientação no Burgau Percurso de Orientação pela aldeia do Burgau para jovens a partir dos 11 anos.

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13 de Abril – Páscoa no VDL Fomos comemorar a Pácoa no Vale da Lama com muita brincadeira e folar!

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21 de Junho - Domingo Novas Descobertas Actividade para adultos e famílias. Nesta actividade tivémos a colaboração da Fitoterapeuta Christina Steffens. De manhã fizémos uma caminhada para vermos e falarmos das plantas aromáticas e medicinais, e à tarde fizémos pão caseiro e praticámos tiro com arco.

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18 a 31 de Julho - Campo de Trabalho Internacional do IPJ Recebemos 20 participantes de 13 países diferentes – Sérvia, República Checa, Polónia, Espanha, Eslovénia, Turquia, França, Portugal, Suiça, Bélgica, Irlanda e até Coreia! Este Campo teve a temática “À descoberta do mundo rural e ambiental” e foi realizado na Quinta do Vale da Lama.

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18 de Outubro – Domingo Novas Descobertas Actividade para adultos e famílias. De manhã fizémos um passeio de bicicleta pelo lado norte de Palmares até à Meia Praia e regressámos pelo lado sul. De tarde fizémos um exercício de observação da micro natureza, em tranquilidade e harmonia, e depois praticámos tiro com arco. NOTA: Em 2009 o PND recebeu um apoio do Instituto do Desporto de Portugal em forma de bicicletas e capacetes e materiais associados, pelo qual estamos muito gratos!

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31 de Outubro - BTT Burgau - Boca do Rio - Burgau Actividade para adultos e jovens. Percurso de BTT circular, saindo do Burgau, indo até à Boca do io e voltando ao Burgau.

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8 de Dezembro – BTT no Vale da Lama Actividade de BTT na zona do Vale da Lama com cerca de 8 Km de extensão.