The organic farm is very dependent on manual work and it would be impossible to maintain the agricultural project without the voluntary work. Firstly, you will be helping on the organic farm - weeding, planting, digging up, harvesting, cleaning, storing, watering, treating of herbs, etc. The work is done outdoors and is usually physically demanding. Secondly, the house and its surroundings are still being renovated so some minor construction and renovation works can be done depending on current needs. Bring good working clothes, solid shoes, a hat and a raincoat.
Accomodation & food:
In 1 attic room on mattresses. Bring a sleeping bag A common room, 2 showers with hot water and 2 toilets are available. Products for cooking will be provided and will include bio vegetables from the farm (vegetarian diet is possible). You will prepare breakfasts and dinners on your own, lunches will be shared with all the members of the community.
Location & leisure:
Ceske Kopisty i a small village near the historical town of Litomerice. The farm is working on 11 ha of fields; there is a garden and a yard with a couple of animals (cow, horse, hens, ducks, pigs). The area is quite vast i there are 3 houses for living, workshops and a common hall. There are 6 adults, 6 children and 8 people with special needs living there. You might meet around 20 other external co-workers.Study part: Lectures about the Camphill movement, Steiners anthroposophy, living in a community, biodynamic agriculture, about Czech and other cultures. It will be also possible to organize workshops such as making beeswax candles, eurythmy and intuitive pedagogy. If you are interested in organizing international evening to exchange about each other s cuisines and nationalities, there will be space for it. Bring your favourite recipes and some specific ingredients.Leisure time: Barbecue with the members of the community, playing football and visiting the local pub, swimming in the river, visiting the nearby Terezin Memorial at the location of the former concentration camp for Jews i the Terezin Ghetto, going for trips to the nature protected area of Ceske Stredohori (cities of Litomerice, Usti nad Labem, castles, nature).
Requirements:
The workcamp is suitable for people who are interested in farming and learning about the community. As you will stay in the place for people with mental disabilities, there are certain rules: smoking and consumption of alcohol within the community area are restricted and it is necessary to respect the privacy and night rest of the inhabitants. Be aware that some inhabitants don t speak English.
The work will be manual and it will take place both indoors and outdoors. It will not be very physically demanding. You are going to do the following tasks: scratching floor in the cafe, concreting the floor i creating an access for disabled people, painting the theatre, planting bushes, flowers and herbs in the courtyard, repairing benches, chairs and tables, repainting the outside navigation signs, installing the lights, etc. Bring some comfortable working clothes which can get dirty.
Accomodation & food:
Accommodation will be arranged on the floor of one of the halls of Studio ALTA (100m2) i please, bring your own mat, a sleeping bag and a pillow. 1-2 showers and 4 toilets are available. In the cafe, there will be an improvised kitchen where you can cook. Once a week, the local partner will arrange a common meal for everyone. If the weather is nice, you can use the courtyard.
Location & leisure:
Prague, Holesovice. It is an attractive part of Prague with active alternative cultural scene. It is a place where young creative people such as artists, designers or cafe owners are currently based. Studio ALTA is located in a large industrial complex bordering both active urban zone and the biggest park in Prague.Study part: Look behind the scenes and learn what is necessary to run a theatre, studios and the entire community center. Every morning, we offer regular warm-up exercises with a professional lecturer (physical activities strengthening your body and mind). If you are interested, you can take classes of Afro dance, Ballet or improvisation. A tour in Prague guided by the locals can be arranged as well. At the end of the workcamp, a visit of a choreographic seminar is planned.Leisure time: A ping-pong table is available in Studio ALTA; in Stromovka Park close to the center you can slackline, play football, volleyball or basketball, go for jogging, take a sunbath or play board games. You can also go to a theatre, cinema or visit a concert. It is also possible to go for a trip outside Prague (have a barbecue or bath in a lake). Right next to ALTA, there are two climbing walls (rope and boulder), a swimming pool etc.
Requirements:
This workcamp is mainly for people who are interested in culture and arts. We welcome responsible, skillful and individually thinking people, who can sensitively combine work and fun. We prefer communicative people, who have courage and can easily fit into new environments and collectives. People only interested in visiting Prague are advised to choose another type of program. Please send a special motivation letter with your application with your motivation for joining the project and work with us in our center. Thank you.Note: There is a cat called and 268;i269;a living in the Studio (in case you are allergic).
Work will be manual and some tasks will be physically demanding. You will mainly work at the castle on these tasks: construction works (creating wooden benches and tables, building of a shelter; collecting, carrying and sorting of stones; digging under the supervision of archaeologist; building of a stone path), renovation and cleaning works (cleaning of castle walls, garbage collection, weeding, cutting and burning of branches). Minor archaeological works are also possible: searching ceramics fragments, bones, metal nails, etc. The work will be carried out outside so be ready for different types of weather. It is necessary to bring working clothes that can get dirty, solid shoes and a raincoat.
Accomodation & food:
In cabins for 4 persons in the municipal auto-camping: http://www.autocamposek.cz/galerie. Bring your own sleeping bag Bathrooms and the kitchen are in a separate building. There is also a public swimming pool. Hot lunches will be brought to the castle; you will prepare your own breakfasts and dinners at the campsite.
Location & leisure:
Castle Rizmburk, about 2,5km north of the town Osek on the slopes of the Ore Mountains (Krusne hory). The town Osek has about 5 000 inhabitants. You will get to the castle every day by car. Be prepared that the weather can be cold; the site is located near mountains.Study part: You can participate in the local festival with historical crafts and music. A tour around the monastery in Osek (whole compound, including all the gardens), will be prepared for you. It will be possible to organize informal meeting in the community centre with the presentation of different cultures.Leisure time: Bathing in the local outdoor swimming pool, doing sports on the town s sports ground (volleyball, beach volleyball, badminton, football, etc.), discgolf in the city park, visit to a local brewery in a monastery, hiking, visit the spa in Teplice, silver mines tour in Krupka.
Requirements:
The workcamp is suitable for physically fit volunteers interested in history and archaeology. If you want to practice or learn some skills of carpentry (working with wood), it s a great opportunity.
Volunteers will mainly help with the renovation of the residential centre. This will involve tasks such as painting walls, brushing and painting of furniture, window ledges, handrails, etc. All the necessary work tools including gloves will be provided. We recommend volunteers to bring old clothes that can get dirty by paint. Some work tasks will also include activities around the eco-centre TOUCH i physically demanding work with wood (cutting and moving) and less demanding work in the natural garden (weeding, mulching).
Accomodation & food:
in the residential center at the school. There will be 2 rooms with beds available, WC, bathroom, common room and a small kitchen. Please bring your own sleeping bags You will prepare your own meals (mainly breakfasts and dinners) in the kitchen of the residential centre. Some lunches will be provided in the canteen of the eco-centre TOUCH. The canteen operates for all the staff of the eco-centre.
Location & leisure:
North-eastern part of Bohemia, near the border on Poland. The town of Horni Marsov has around 1000 inhabitants and is located near the Krkonose National Park. Krkonose are the highest mountains in the Czech Republic and very attractive for hiking. Volunteers will work in two places i the eco-centre TOUCH (seat of the organization) and the residential centre (in the local school). Both places are within 5 minutes of walk. The area has a bit colder climate even in summer and a beautiful nature.Study part: Presentation of the organization SEVER (what they do to be sustainable), possibility to try environmental education programs for students, cooking evenings (local and international meals), excursion into the Krkonose National Park)Leisure time: Hiking in the beautiful Krkonose National Park, visiting other interesting sights (Trutnov, Arspach-Teplice rocks, etc.), using outdoor fireplace, borrowing materials for creative workshops.
Requirements:
We are looking for volunteers who like nature and are eager to learn how to be more sustainable. The local partner would like to show volunteers how to act sustainably (sorting out waste, cooking with local and bio products i no palm oil or fried food).
You will renovate a leisure area around the community centre and the path that lies to the north of the village, around 1.5-3 km by walk. The tasks will be manual: renovation of the sports equipment and furniture near the community centre; maintenance of the paths and renovation of the relaxing zones (removing invasive plants, cutting them into smaller pieces and laying on the ground); installation of signs and benches. In case of bad weather you will be cleaning up the attic of the community centre, maintain outdoor furniture (removing of old paints and apply new ones). Bring working clothes and waterproof shoes. Some activities will be physically demanding, some of them less.
Accomodation & food:
Community centre of Hlasnice village i sleeping on mattresses in 1 room with a carpet. Bring your own sleeping bag Several toilets are available, 2 showers are in another building next to the house. You will cook your own meals in a kitchen in the centre from food supplies provided by the organizer. It is forbidden to drink alcohol in the center.
Location & leisure:
Hlasnice (215 inhabitants) in the Olomouc region. It is located at 20 km to the west from the city of Olomouc, at the foot of Low Jeseniky Mountains. It is possible that for 1 or 2 days you will work in one of the surrounding villages (according to their interest and needs).Study part: Excursion to the historic town of Sternberk (4km) i castle, monastery, unique exposition of time. We will have at least one meeting with local community as an evening with presentation of various cultures and countries. It is suitable to bring something specific from your country. You will also participate in a discussion workshop with students on the topic of the public space around us, how it is perceived by the locals and by the volunteers.Leisure time: You can use sports equipment in the area of the community centre (football, volleyball, tennis), have a barbecue, go swimming, try horse riding, visit the cities of Sternberk and Olomouc, make a trip to the Jeseniky Mountains and to the Sovinec castle, etc.
Requirements:
This workcamp is suitable for people who like working in nature, want to take a part in improvement of public space and are interested in discovering rural life in the Czech Republic. Information for allergic people i you can get in touch with blossoming flowers and grasses.
The work will be mainly manual and outdoors. You will do different gardening works (cutting bushes and grass, raking etc.) and some other renovation and maintenance tasks (around the local kindergarten and primary school). You will also help with a preparation of a cultural event (beer festival) and can be part of the program. Bring solid shoes and working clothes for different kinds of weather. At the beginning of the second week of the project, new school year will start. The local partner would like you to meet local school children for one day and prepare some presentations about your country of origin and your culture. Bring something special from home which could be suitable for such an activity (games, music, pictures, etc.).
Accomodation & food:
In a local community centre on mattresses. There is 1 room for sleeping and 1 common room with kitchen corner. Please bring a sleeping bag and be ready for basic conditions i the showers are in cabins of the football pitch about 10 mins walk from the accommodation. Some of the meals will be served in the local school canteen and some will be prepared by the group. Vegetarian diet is possible.
Location & leisure:
Dysina (about 1500 inhabitants) is located at about 10 km from Pilsen.Study part: You can get familiar with the local history and culture by meeting local community. You will have a chance to learn some basics of golf, there will be a two-hour lesson of golf provided for the volunteers in the golf terrain nearby.Leisure time: Excursion to Pilsen (European Cultural Capital 2015), trips to the surrounding countryside, visit of cultural and historical sights, campfire, going swimming, doing sports in the sports ground near the accommodation, playing board games, etc.
Requirements:
Project is suitable for volunteers who like gardening, are interested in getting to know the life of a small Czech village and who are ready to be in tight contact with the local community, especially children and youth
The work will be manual and will include renovation of the public space and the garden in the historical area of the former monastery. The tasks can involve: removing invasive plants, cutting them into smaller pieces, digging under the supervision of archaeologists, etc. In case of bad weather you will be cleaning up farm buildings in the garden, moving furniture, painting or cleaning up in the premises of a partner NGO. You will also participate in preparation and running of leisure time activities for children in the garden. Bring outdoor working clothes and waterproof shoes. Some activities will be physically demanding, some of them less.
Accomodation & food:
Parish house i sleeping in two rooms on the beds with mattress without linen. Bring your own sleeping bag. Bathroom with toilets and one shower is available. Lunches will be provided by the organizer and you will prepare your own breakfasts and dinners in the local kitchen. It is forbidden to drink alcohol in the parish house.
Location & leisure:
Former Augustinian monastery in the historical centre of Sternberk, 16 km north from Olomouc, lying at the foot of Low Jesenik Mountains in the Olomouc region.Study part: Excursion to the historic town of Sternberk i castle, monastery, unique exposition of time. We will have at least one meeting with local community as an evening with presentation of various cultures and countries. It is suitable to bring something specific from your country. You will also participate in a discussion workshop with students on the topic of the public space around us, how it is perceived by the locals and by the volunteers.Leisure time: Taking a rest in the garden, having a barbecue, walking in a nearby forest. It s possible to arrange access to the sports ground and play beach volleyball, go swimming, try horse riding, visit the city of Olomouc, make a trip to the Sovinec castle, etc. It is possible to provide tickets for the international race of historical automobiles Ecce Homo Historic which will take place at the weekend 8. i 10. 9. 2017.
Requirements:
This workcamp is suitable for people who like working outside, want to participate on archaeological research and improving public space of the former monastery. Information for allergic people i you can get in touch with blossoming flowers and grasses.
« I would recommend participating in a workcamp, especially with VAP, who ensured that I found a project to suit me and provided essential training for me in preparation for my trip. Being part of a workcamp really is a life-changing experience, oh, and it looks great on your CV! »
