Selinunte (TP). The workcamp will be located near “Marinella di Selinunte”, 17 km far from Castelvetrano (TP), 9,8 km from Menfi (AG), and 95 km from Palermo, the main city of Sicily Region. The place for the work camp is the “Co.Net Center” a structure owned by Co.net Sicilia, consisting of a house surrounded by a plot of land, that is used for the promotion of the organization activities; it is surrounded by agricultural fields and is 10-minutes walking far from the beach.
BACKGROUND:
CO.NET SICILIA APS (Coworking and Networking Sicilia) is an association of social promotion, founded in Palermo (Sicily, Italy) at the beginning of 2015.
The main aims of the association are...
-carrying out principles of peace, pluralism of cultures and solidarity among people; -development of human beings in all kinds of expression, removing obstacles for freedom and equality; -promoting equal rights for the access to health, social protection, education and culture; -promoting the preservation and the development of historical, artistic, environmental, and natural heritage and local traditions; -promoting the development of well being and healthy lifestyles; -developing sustainable tourism focused on local food, wine and agribusinesses; -promoting the empowerment of people and associations with different education methodologies, giving them tools and skills for their development
In the summer 2015, Co.net Sicilia starts its project of a social and cultural centre for the promotion of the territory in Selinunte (TP), in a structure surrounded by nature and very close to the seaside.
The aims of this centre are...
-to develop Co.net activities for the promotion of the territory and its enjoyment to travelers and local people (discover nature points, typical food and wine, etc.); -to involve organizations in or out the region (and the country) that will carry out their activities or projects as youth exchanges, training courses, thematic campaigns, etc.
In the Summer 2015, Co.Net organized, in partnership with YAP Italy, its 1st international workcamp, “Developing Xenia”, with 9 international volunteers. In the Autumn 2015, Co.Net hosted 2 youth exchange: “Voluntary Engagement Against Prejudices” of Alternativa Mente Association and “Green Growth” of Paideia Association. These youth exchange were financed by Erasmus+ program.
WORK:
International volunteers, together with volunteers from the organization, will contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the project. The main activities of the workcamp are aimed at the development and sustainability of Selinunte centre and of the territory in which it is located.
About the centre, the main work will consist of...
-agricultural work (such as, cleaning some plots of land, realization of a vegetable garden and flower beds, tree pruning, watering plants, etc …) -contribute to the environmental sustainability of the centre (making compost, instructions on how to not waste resources as water, or electricity) -some maintenance work of the centre (cleaning, painting, mounting, etc...) and other activities that contributing to the capacity of the centre for hosting travellers and mobility and social projects, such as youth exchanges, training courses, project with schools, other workcamps, etc. -About the surrounding area, since we are close to the Natural reserve “Foce del fiume Belice” (mouth of Belice river), volunteers will be engaged in activities for the promotion of the reserve, realizing cleaning activities of the beach, realizing indications and promotional messages for its preservation. -The volunteers could be also involved in other Co.net Sicilia's activities that will be planned in the near future.
ACCOMMODATION:
Board and lodging are guaranteed. Volunteers will sleep in shared rooms in the house or in a bungalow. Volunteers will use indoor or outdoor showers. It is necessary to bring a sleeping bag, towels, working clothes and shoes. The group will be responsible for preparing meals and cleaning the place.
TERMINAL:
The nearest airports are Palermo (Punta Raisi) and Trapani (Birgi).
SPECIAL REMARKS:
Project-related motivation letter is required. This workcamp is recommended for those who love nature and countryside, enjoy staying outdoors and taking care of the environment, ready to exchange good practices existing in their countries of origin.
Project summary: The northern Grigna Park is a beautiful area above the lake Como. There are several alpine huts in the park many pathways which need maintenance. We need your help to keep the Park and its green areas as beautiful as they can be.DescriptionProject: for the first time Legambiente Lecco organizes a workcamp with Grigna park. The aim is to allow people to go to the mountains with a higher safety, through the paths and signs maintenance.Legambiente local group: Legambiente Lecco is made of young and dinamic people, mostly under 30. The main activity of this Legambiente group is the management of an hostel; moreover, it has campaigned against food waste and for the correct waste management. Take a look at https://it-it.facebook.com/legambiente.lecco for details. Work: Volunteers will take care of the maintenance of pathways leading to their alpine hut in order to make it a easier and more accessible for people, allowing them to reach even more esily the alpine hut. They will also take care of the signposting whenever and wherever it is necessary.Study part: Volunteers will be educated about the Park and its biodiversity.Accommodation and food: Volunteers will be hosted in an alpine hut inside the park, Rifugio Riva (http://www.rifugioriva.it), at 1022 meters above sea level. Wifi access will be provided. Meals will be cooked with the owners of the hut.Location and leisure: Grigna is one of the major symbols of the Lecco area, and it isn't very far from the Lake Como. Particularly historically interesting is Varenna and the Vezio's castle. Specific Requirements: past experience in living in mountains environment. Ability to walk and work in high mountains is necessary.Language: English will be the official language in the camp. Terminal: nearest airports: Milano Malpensa/ Orio al Serio. Nearest train station: Lecco
Volunteers will help in the manual work connected to every-day management of the farm especielly in the organic garden. Volunteers will also help cutting the wood.
Accomodation & food:
Accomodation will be in Yurta (the tipical mongolan round-house) that will be shared by the volunteers. Food will be vegetarian. Two hot water showers available.
Location & leisure:
The farm is not too far from the sea and located in a Natural park. Possibility to hike and explore the natural park.
Requirements:
Committment to work outdoor and do manual work. The diet is vegetarian.
Project summary: The Orobie Valtellinesi Mountains Park is a particular area, which needs maintenance and cures in order to keep it the beautiful place that it is today. Volunteers will be involved in different tasks, such as the maintenance of woods and pathways.DescriptionProject: Volunteers will be asked mostly to take care of pathways, which are very culturally important in the area because each of them leads to old mills and ethnographic sites (http://www.comune.castellodellacqua.so.it/index.php) Legambiente local group: Legambiente Lecco is made of young and dinamic people, mostly under 30. The main activity of this Legambiente group is the management of an hostel; moreover, it has campaigned against food waste and for the correct waste management. Work: Volunteers will be asked to clean pathways, eliminate weed and take care of the woods. They will be working with the constant help of experienced voluntary people (local administrations volunteers) that will provide all the necessary tools. Accommodation and food: Volunteers will be hosted in a hostel owned by the local administration. Location and leisure: Volunteers will be shown all the places and costumes of the local farming culture. Teglio, a well-known locality famous for the making of Pizzoccheri, is near Castello dell'Acqua, as well as Tirano.Specific Requirements: Predisposition to live, walk and work in the mountains.Language: English will be the official language in the camp. Terminal: Nearest airport: Orio al serio or Milano Malpensa. Nearest train station: Sondrio
Age:
18-99
Location:
Castello dell'acqua, province of sondrio, lombardia region
Project summary: Volunteers will study the environment and maintain the paths' net of the Park that was founded 10 year ago.DescriptionProject: For the 10th birthday of the Park Rile Tenore Olona (RTO), Legambiente and the local administration of Carnago decided to host an international workcamp for the promotion of the area and the protection of the environment.Legambiente local group: Legambiente Varese Onlus, besides giving contributions to main Legambiente national campaigns, cares about the environment of the district of Varese since the eighties. Legambiente Varese coordinates 14 local groups of Legambiente volunteers and is the connection between local, regional and national offices of the association. It carries out several activities such as the management of natural areas, the organization of workcamps, environmental education addressed to youngest generations and promotion of environmentally friendly lifestyles.Work: The work will mainly consist of maintenance of paths' net, cleanings from weeds and rubbish, especially on the bike-road along the river. Volunteers will be involved in the organization of a local festival, and they will take care of the sustainability of the event (as: reducing and collection of waste.) Study part: Volunteers will participate in workshops and trainings on environment and sustainability. Main subject of the program will be the conservation of biodiversity and the protection of Soil. They will learn by doing a sustainable life style.Accommodation and food: Volunteers will be hosted in a common room with camp-beds and they'll use a camp-kitchen. There will be an environmental friendly diet with local and seasonal products and little meat.Location and leisure: The Park is located along the river Olona, immersed in the green of the first Pre-alpine foothills, in the lakes region and at the start of the great plan of the Po river. http://www.parco-rto.it/index.php. The Olona Valley is characterized from a typical vegetation of the Lombard moor; it is also rich in architectural beauties from medieval age to the renaissance. The river suffered for industrial pollution for decades but now there are a lot of enabled projects to restore the river's ecology.In leisure time volunteers will make bike trips in the area and visit the lakes.Participation fee: 95 EuroLanguage: English will be the official language in the camp. Italian speakers are welcomeTerminal: Malpensa Airport. Milano Cadorna Train Station
Foreste Casentinesi National Park - Pratovecchio (AR), Tuscany
BACKGROUND:
This international workcamp is going to take place for the first time, organised in collaboration with social cooperative "In Quiete", coordinated by Foreste Casentinesi National Park and Forestry State Corps. However, voluntary activities in Foreste Casentinesi were launched in May 2011 with two national camps; in 2012 they became six, and in 2013 the number grew to ten, for a total number of 120 volunteers involved in 3 years; moreover in 2014 special family and senior projects were successfully done. Foreste Casentinesi National Park was created in 1993 and covers an area of about 368 square kilometres on the two sides of the Apennine watershed between Romagna and Tuscany regions. The Park territory is outstanding for the great wealth and variety of flora (1000 species recorded up to now) and fauna, which includes elements of great scientific interest: common deer, fallow deer, roe deer, wild boar, mouflon (mountain sheep) and the wolf, 139 types of birds. In 2015 Foreste Casentinesi National Park joined the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism. The main activities of the National Park and Forestry State Corps are the following: study and scientific research, man-environment relationship development, marginal areas recovering and ecological balance protection, safeguard of ecosystems and natural landscapes, sustainable development and local products promotion, didactics (guided tours for school, sensorial path, forestry museum, planetarium etc.). Website (English version available): http://www.parcoforestecasentinesi.it.
The social cooperative "In Quiete" supports the National Park's authorities by providing hiking activities, eco-friendly touristic and recreation activities in the protected area, environmental education and training courses on forestry management and bioengineering, design and maintenance of footpaths, information boards, protection and promotion of historical, cultural and natural heritage of the area. Website (only in Italian): http://www.cooperativainquiete.it/
WORK:
The team of volunteers will consist of 6 national and 8 international participants. The workcamp's purpose is to support the main activities of the National Park "Foreste Casentinesi" and offer to the volunteers an authentic experience of its daily life. The activities will mostly consist of monitoring and cleaning trekking paths and facilities, visitors assistance, fauna/flora signals advising, fire watching and water source conservation, restoring wildlife habitats. The detailed program will be communicated on the day of arrival, however it may be changed according to the meteorological conditions and to the organisational needs. You should have adaptation spirit and be ready to work outdoor with rigorous conditions of mountain environment. Please, consider that you'll have to walk a lot during the day, from the accommodation in the morning and back in the evening! The volunteers will get a short on arrival training and educational supervision during the workcamp. You will constantly be in touch with the Park's employees and trainees in order to achieve a deeper understanding of activities and the difficulties they face during their work. Volunteers must have with them an individual mountain equipment for work: trekking shoes, backpack, windbreaker and raincoat, hat, working gloves, flashlight (preferably frontal), water bottle.
ACCOMMODATION:
Volunteers will be hosted in the mountain shelters at the Park's disposal and particularly in Corniolo (FC) and in Montanino (AR) guesthouses, structured into shared rooms with common bathrooms. Depending on the activities, weather and activities, some nights may be spent in other refuges or tents. Within all the lodgings, a fully equipped kitchen is available. Breakfast, packed lunch and dinners will be prepared by the volunteers themselves in the accommodation. The volunteers will cook and clean as a team. You must bring a sleeping bag, a mattress pad and a pillowcase. Please make sure you are comfortable with basic living conditions!
LOCATION:
Foreste Casentinesi National Park - Pratovecchio (AR). The workcamp will take place in a quite isolated area, but it may be possible to visit big cities during your free days (both Arezzo and Florence are 50km far). Nevertheless you will have a great opportunity to swim in a mountain river, make sightseeing around breathtaking landscapes, enjoy ancient paths and local gastronomic traditions of small mountain villages. Please, bring with you typical games, recipes, musical instruments from your country.
TERMINAL:
The bus station of Pratovecchio. The nearest airports are Florence (50km), Pisa (150km) and Rome (285 km) airports.
SPECIAL REMARKS:
A project-related motivation letter is required. This workcamp is recommended for those who love nature, enjoy working outdoors, taking care of the environment and walking a lot. A specific scientific preparation is not required but for everyone's security and the environment's protection the volunteers are asked to follow accurately the instructions of the staff and organisers. You must have a suitable mountain equipment: trekking shoes, backpack, windbreaker and raincoat, hat, working gloves, flashlight (preferably frontal), water bottle.
In the heart of Madonie Regional Park in Sicily, the volunteers will clear an archeological area for the promotion of a responsible and sustainable tourism. the workcamp is part of a wider project which aims at raising the natural and touristic value of the Madonie Regional Park, through the creation of educational and environmental facilities and activities. The seasonal tourism linked to the winter sports will lead to the reduction and fragmentation of the natural areas with serious environmental damages. The purpose of the project is to divert this direction towards the safeguard of the territory and the valorization of the cultural and historic heritage as key to stimulate innovative quality and new economic trends, in respect of the mountain biodiversity.
Legambiente local group:
the local group "Francesco Lojacono" sar born in 2007 in Palermo with the aim of safeguarding and promoting areas with natural and cultural value through awareness campaigns such as "Salvalarte" (save the art) and Solidarity and Environment, for the fruition of natural areas by disadvantaged people.
Work:
the volunteers will clean an archaeological area, currently abandoned, from the weed; they will set new signals and promoting facilitires. They will also do fire monitoring in the Park and some renovation work in the Refuge and the surrounding area.Study part: biodiversity of the Madonie Park, sustainable tourism and ancient traditions of Sicily, Mediterranean genesis and geology, climate change.
Accommodation and food:
The volunteers will be hosted in Rifugio Il Grifone, a mountain refugee inside the Park, at 1500 meters above sea level.
Location and leisure:
the Regional Park of Madonie, extended for 794 kmq in the north-centre of Sicily, includes the highest and most ancient mountains in the region. The workcamp will take place in Piano Battaglia that is the second highest Sicilian peak (1600 mt), after Etna Volcano. It is situated in a wonderful natural frame: a wide karstic area in the heart of the Madonie mountains surrounded by an ancient beech forest. In the free time, the volunteers will explore the Park - also through sport activities - and the villages at its feet, with their traditions and community life. Specific Requirements: good will and attitude to live in mountains environment.
Language:
English will be the official language in the camp.
Terminal:
nearest airport and train station are in Palermo.
Attention - the last bus from Palermo to Petralia Sottana is at 18:
30 (at 17:00 on Sundays).
Age:
18-99
Location:
Petralia Sottana, province of Palermo, Sicilia region
PROJECT: The Social Promotion Association ALA started in late 2014 the renovation of a mountain refugee to make it avalaible for youth initiatives and trainings as to host mountain lovers and who want discover the beauties of Sabina mountains. The Refugee is at 1000 mt. above sea level, and is surrounded by woods. The place is very isolated and can be reached uphill in 2 hours.
Work:
WORK: the volunteers will support the local group in different renovation and environmental activities: volunteers will be involved in the following tasks: mounting serial structures on trees; excavation of the pond to collect water; building of the garden fence and holes and delimitation of the orchard; mainteinance of the roof of the refuge; painting, bunk beds construction; buyilding of earthen stove for the third room.
Accomodation & food:
ACCOMMODATION: in dorms with bunk beds or if you like on three houses/tents, the volunteers will have to prepare the meals in the refuge kitchen. Bathrooms and showers are functioning.
LEISURE:
natural excursions (mountain bike, climbing, canyoning...), workshops on environmental friendly self made solutions. During the weekend Rome cannot be reached easily, thus visits to the beautiful Sabina villages are more reccomended. Costs for free time activities are up to the volunteers.
Location & leisure:
EXTRA FEE:200€
LOCATION:
Casperia – Lazio, Central Italy.
TERMINAL:
Rome
Requirements:
REQUIREMENTS: To be open minded and ready to live with the group in very isolated place. A project related motivation letter is needed or presentation of tutor/parent. Expect a basic accommodation.
« 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! »
