Homberg (Efze) is a wonderful, historical, fairy-tale factory town and an important Reformation town. High above the rooftops of the town lies the "Hohenburg", the ruins of a castle from the Middle Ages, with a great view over the town and a castle restaurant. This year you will be supporting numerous conservation activities around town. You will lay down new premium hiking trails through the beautiful landscape, by cutting free the paths, working on the signposting as well as building benches and tables. You will work together with your friendly instructors, who will explain the work to you in more detail. The local community is looking forward to meeting you and working with you! There is an additional administration fee of 50 € for participants who are not from Germany.
Accomodation & food:
You will be staying in a great new youth centre.The group will prepare and cook meals together.
Location & leisure:
Homberg (Efze) is a very lovely historical town with cafes, pubs and restaurants. When the weather is nice you can use the local outdoor swimming pool for free. You will receive a tour of the town and there are also several local events taking place during your stay, including a wine festival on the first weekend of August which you could visit. Nature lovers can visit a nearby wildlife park or go hiking. The larger cities of Kassel, Marburg and Frankfurt are not too far away – you could take a day-trip to visit them at the weekends.
Together with your team, you'll be living on the grounds of the monastery in Heiligengrabe, that was first built in 1287 and is the only almost fully preserved Cistercian monastery in Brandenburg. Several buildings in the former estate are used by ijgd volunteers to hold seminars. The project also offers you the possibility to experience the monastery as a spiritual place, as a monument and as a place of culture. The work that has been started in the last few years – building footpaths, a play area, cutting and building a stone wall - will be continued this year. There will be craftsmen and your group leaders on-site who will support you with these tasks.
Accomodation & food:
You will be staying in the seminar building at Heiligengrabe.The group will prepare and cook meals together.
Location & leisure:
Heiligengrabe is surrounded by nature, which means there are many things to do in your free time both on the grounds of the monastery and in the rural surroundings. You could go on bike rides, walking tours etc. There is a lake which you can travel to by bike in around an hour. Besides this, you could visit other places over the weekends, such as the historic towns of Wittstock and Neurippin or the metropolis of Berlin (100km away).
The project consist of two parts – a practical working part which will last 6 hours per day and a study part, which takes place in the evenings and during weekends.In the ground floor of the Grand Hotel "Waldlust" a legendary night club Zwitscherstube" ("Birdy Club") had its place. This club was the only part of hotel which was accessible not only for the guests of the hotel, but also for the inhabitants of the city of Freudenstadt. Thus, this part of the building plays a special role for the identification of the inhabitants of the city and respective memories of their youth with the heritage site. In the last period of "Waldlust", the former "Zwitscherstube" has been changed concerning use, structure and design. The aim of the project is to search for the remains of the original situation and basing on that to design a new concept for the interior of this part of the house which will orientate as much as possible on the historic situation. The works will include the abolishment of recent conversions and the clearance of new dividing walls, wallpapers and other elements. Under the guidance of a local architect an interior design concept will be established and the therefore needed furniture which is currently stored in other parts of the "Waldlust" will be prepared. The "Denkmalfreunde Waldlust" association plans to re-open the former "Zwitscherstube" in 2019. The second part of the project is dedicated to the Marksburg Castle. During archaeological excavations carried out on the plateau in-between the Romanesque Palace and the Small Battery, the foundation walls of a Romanesque chapel that had been turned down in 1588, were uncovered. After the excavations had been completed, the findings were again backfilled in order to preserve them. The former chapel is of big historical significance since it is possible that the castle's name, "Marksburg" – meaning "St. Mark's Castle" – had been derived from the chapel's patron St. Mark. In order to make the former chapel more comprehensible for visitors, the outline of the former chapel shall be marked in the ground with flagstones. In addition, the volunteers will work in the area of the Outer Bailey, which is – together with the located bastion – supposed to be opened for visitors of the castle. Therefore the area shall be cleared of undergrowth such as thistles, blackberry bushes and ivy, which have grown rampant along the escarpment. In doing so, this part of the castle will be more accessible and comprehensible in its function as a defensive zone. With the educational part the participants will gain background knowledge about Marksburg Castle history till nowadays and about the potentials and challenges of the management of such historical complexes.
Accomodation & food:
ACCOMMODATION: shared rooms with beds, warm showers, toilets for both placesFOODThe meals will be prepared together as they are part of the community life, what means that every participant will be responsible for the meal at least once during its stay. So it would be very nice if the participants could bring typical recipes from home in order to introduce each other to the preparation of food from all over the world.
Location & leisure:
The "Waldlust" Hotel in Freudenstadt, founded in 1899, was a first choice resort of a noble society of spa guests. It stands as a historic architecture building, as a cultural heritage treasury, as a long time social meeting place in a high rank – a unique symbol of a former golden period of town development. During the 1st third of the 20th century and also during the second blooming period after World War II, the "Waldlust" was a catwalk for the high society with many famous guests – kings, queens, princes, poets, artists and also the international jet set. Today the old palace with its impressive size and scenery and its glorious history offers us a review back to a golden era, almost unimaginable for such a small town deeply embedded in the Black Forest woods. The association "Denkmalfreunde Waldlust" (Heritage Friends Waldlust) is focused on preserving the former Grand Hotel and gathers citizens of Freudenstadt which are interested in the revitalisation of this remarkable heritage site.The Upper Middle Rhine Valley, is an outstanding organic cultural landscape and a dominant of the Rhine scenery is Marksburg Castle – the only medieval stronghold on the hills which has never been destroyed, a rare example of history virtually undisturbed by the march of time. All the other castles along the Rhine were destroyed during the centuries and felt to ruins, either by devastation – most of them only during the Palatine War of Succession in 1689 – or through disuse. Nowadays they are either ruins or they have been rebuilt in the 19th century, during the Age of Romanticism. The value and the significance of Marksburg Castle can be found in particular in its complete preservation as a medieval fortress. The impressive stronghold with most buildings dating back to the 13th to 15th century consists of wall rings containing keep, residential buildings, baileys and bastions all on top of a hill above the small romantic town of Braubach, and with its interesting, typical interior rooms such as castle kitchen, great hall, bedchamber, chapel, armoury, wine cellar and battlements it allows to travel back into the Middle Ages. The castle was exemplarily restored and opened to the public.
Requirements:
Motivation letter related to the project and CV + photo required
Age:
18-35
Location:
Freudenstadt
Language(s):
English
Airport:
ZWS: Stuttgart Railway Station (Stuttgart, Germany)Vegetarian food will be available
The participants will carry out maintenance and gardening works on the ground like cultivating the garden, clipping hedges, renewing and painting fences. During this workcamp, a building Week will take place. In that context, some tasks as helping to carry material may appear.
Accomodation & food:
shared rooms with 4 - 6 beds, limited warm shower and toiletsFOODThe meals will be prepared together as they are part of the community life, what means that every participant will be responsible for the meal at least once during its stay. So it would be very nice if the participants could bring typical recipes from home in order to introduce each other to the preparation of food from all over the world.
Location & leisure:
Rathewalde Youth Accommodation House is situated at the health resort Rathewalde in Saxony. The building is located directly at the border of the National Park Saxon Switzerland (Sächsische Schweiz). The mountains are famous for their typical formations of sandstone with lots of small caves and overwhelming views from the mountain tops. The nature reserve offers various possibilities of hiking and climbing tours of different levels as well as cultural events like theatre performances at the open air theatre called cliff stage Rathen (Felsenbühne Rathen). The Youth Accommodation House was built around 1880. During the past decades countless volunteers renovated and extended the mansion. Today it attracts visitors by different styles from sequential construction periods. The mansion is surrounded by a beautiful garden, an orchard and large rhododendrons. From there you have a fascinating view on rock formations.LEISURE TIMEThe camp places are mostly situated in small villages in rural areas, so the participants should not expect busy places and normal city activities for the leisure time during the working days. Small trips in walking distance are possible in the afternoon. On the weekends it is possible to organise an excursion to nearby cities or to have other leisure activities.
Age:
18-30
Location:
Rathewalde, pirna, germany
Language(s):
English, German
Airport:
DRS: Dresden (Dresden, Germany)This project is suitable for disabled volunteersVegetarian food will be available
Nearby the youth accommodation houses that are part of Lohra Castle complex there is a camping site which can be used by youth groups. A former agricultural building will be rebuilt into a sanitary house for campers. Therefore it is necessary to construct a water line to this building.An excavator will dig the line and the volunteers will accompany this work by collecting stones and bringing in an insulating layer of sand. They will also help to dig small parts where the excavator does not reach. Later they will, under the guidance of a craftsman, lay the water pipes and put afterwards the material which had been dig out back into the ditch and close the line. The remaining material will be used to level the ground at other parts of the castle area. Besides that the volunteers will take care of the nearby located natural protected area, a huge meadow with old scattered fruit trees, that was for a long time out of maintenance. The participants will collect stones and branches covered under the grass to enable to mow and collect the grass and afterwards level the ground.
Accomodation & food:
ACCOMODATION:shared rooms with 2 - 5 beds in 3 guest houses, warm shower (limited hot water), 1 camp kitchen (cold water), coal-burning stovesFOODThe meals will be prepared together as they are part of the community life, what means that every participant will be responsible for the meal at least once during its stay. So it would be very nice if the participants could bring typical recipes from home in order to introduce each other to the preparation of food from all over the world.
Location & leisure:
Lohra Castle is situated in the heart of Germany in Northern Thuringia. The castle, which is surrounded by a scenic hilly landscape, is located on the edge of a nature reserve area. Being one of the largest castles in Thuringia, the history of the castle Lohra begins in the Middle Age. The castle is more than 1,000 years old. Today, it includes twenty buildings from different times: medieval fortifications, remnants of a tower from the 11th century, a Romanesque chapel, a manor house from the Renaissance period as well as stables and granaries from the 19th and the early 20th centuries. The ensemble is situated in the centre of a beautiful forest. For years Lohra Castle was vacant. In the 1990s Open Houses started to restore the castle and to revive it by cultural activities. Since that time, a large number of Workcamps, Building Weeks, exhibitions, concerts and other activities with international participants took place in the castle.LEISURE TIMEThe camp places are mostly situated in small villages in rural areas, so the participants should not expect busy places and normal city activities for the leisure time during the working days. Small trips in walking distance are possible in the afternoon. On the weekends it is possible to organise an excursion to nearby cities or to have other leisure activities.
Age:
18-30
Location:
Großlohra, germany
Language(s):
English, German
Airport:
LEJ: Leipzig Halle (Leipzig, Germany)This project is suitable for disabled volunteersVegetarian food will be available
Interform e.V., the integrative environmental education facilities at the old brickworks in Gahlen, is a meeting place and workspace for many different groups of people. As participants of this international workcamp, you can get involved in the following projects: ecological agriculture of vegetables and herbs in permaculture, composting organic waste such as leaves and trees, laying down raised flower beds and shelters using hay bales and loam, planting green roofs, shaping protective hedges, harvesting plants and food, securing seeds for reproduction, garden and landscape art (LandArt) with natural, retro and recycling materials, extending a caravan as well as preparing the harvested food to make your own food during open meetings and projects.
Accomodation & food:
You will be staying in tents or trailers on-site.The group will prepare and cook meals together.
Location & leisure:
You'll spend your workcamp right in the middle of nature on the grounds which you will help to shape and build. You're invited to try out every kind of outside activity: swimming in the lake, cycling, playing football and during the evenings, sitting around the camp fire and watching the stars. There's a lake for swimming nearby that's easily reachable by bike. And of course, you can spend the evening in the nearby small town of Calau, or cycle around Gahlen, or even travel to Berlin or Dresden at the weekend.
This camp is for nature and animal lovers. They will work and live on a very beautiful farm for animals. The volunteers will work in a nature reserve on a peninsula close to the town Teterow. It is necessary to bring working clothes! The exact tasks will vary and volunteers are expected to be flexible in the work they do and be prepared to participate actively in all the tasks. The main work will be with the animals but also in the nature.
Accomodation & food:
The volunteers will stay in a former youth club.Food is included, but meals have to be prepared by the volunteers.
Location & leisure:
Excursion (swimming, short trips) can be planned.
Requirements:
Please bring a sleeping bag, a mattress pad, working clothes and motivation.
Age:
18-26
Location:
Lelkendorf is a small town in the heart of the charming area known as "mecklenburgish switzerland". on all sides the countryside rises and merges into forested ranges of hills. besides the historical town center with its marketplace, town hall and church, two medieval town gates and numerous historical buildings, visitors and tourists will find many interesting sights and destinations for excursions in teterow and surroundings.
Language(s):
English
Airport:
SXF: Schonefeld (Berlin, Germany)Vegetarian food will be available
Study part:Besides the manual work the study component will be an important part of our project. Volunteers will learn a lot about the time of National Socialism, the Holocaust and also something about the period after World War II especially the Soviet camp Sachsenhausen until 1950. Guided tours in and around the memorial site Sachsenhausen and excursions to different memorials and places of earlier German history are planned. Volunteers will have the opportunity to work in the exhibitions and in the library of the memorial site. Furthermore there will be several discussions with employees who perform guided tours and are involved in historical research. The international volunteers with their different backgrounds will inform the group about the memories and commemoration in their countries.
Work part:
The common learning at the historical site of Sachsenhausen shall be supplemented by manual work which constitutes the participant´s contribution to the maintenance of the memorial. This part will be rather small. All participants should have a very good knowledge of the English language and should be very interested in history and the present problems of neo-fascism and racism.
Accomodation & food:
You will be accommodated in a youth hostel. The building is on the grounds of historical Sachsenhausen concentration camp complex, and was built in 1938 as the official residence of the Concentration Camp Inspector, 2 km away from the memorial centre. In the hostel there is a big kitchen for the group.
Location & leisure:
Sachsenhausen is a part of Oranienburg, ca. 33 km to the north of Berlin.
Requirements:
Important!For this project it is necessary to have good or very good English skills!!! German skills are beneficial.Please prepare at home a short presentation about your country, including the history of your home country and the view on German history.Volunteers have to be able to ride a bike, because various shorter and longer bicycle-tours are planned.
« 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! »
