Recovering
old rural paths and protecting the environmental patrimony of Costa
Brava
La Selva del Mar
June 25 - July 9, 2011
Volunteer project: This project will take place at the Natural Park of Cap de Creus (Creus' Cape). One of the most interesting aspects of the cape is its geological formation, which is easily visible as the majority of the cape consists of bare rocks. There are a large number of prehistoric dolmens (the one at la Creu d'en Corbatella, at Roses, is particularly well-known). Submerged in the sea, there is also valuable archaeological legacy of ship wrecks from the period of the Roman Empire.
The project will include cleaning and recovery of
park ways and its dry stone walls, as well as maintenance of a fountain
and cleaning of the river of the Selva de Mar.
The volunteers will help with the recovery of old rural paths in the
area. The volunteer work involves manual supression of invading
vegetation (carpobrotus), recovery of old dry stone walls, arranging and
cleaning of paths.
Language: English
Free time activities: Different activities and games with the aim of reflexion about the perspectives of co-education, interculturality, peace or sustainability. There will also be activities to promote the discovering of Catalonia, excursions to Dali House, excursion to Cadaqués...
Accommodation: In tents in the municipality of La Selva de Mar.
Location: Selva de Mar (Alt
Empordà), Girona, Costa Brava. The village Selva de Mar is a special
jewel in Costa Brava, only about 2 km from Port de la Selva. Off of the
peak season, particularly in the week, it may happen, that one is in
fact still the only tourist here. Despite the boom of the tourism, Selva
de Mar conserved more or less its identity. During the main season and
at the weekends however, a grand number of holiday visitors live here. A
lot of them are of village origin and have renovated the houses of the
village respectfully.
If you feel a romantic vein in yourself, you should not neglect the
opportunity to explore the corners of Selva de Mar.
Nearest airport: Girona or Barcelona
Age range: 18 - 30 years old
Social
inclusion program for children
Vilafranca del Penedès
July 2 - July 15, 2011
Volunteer project: This is a project that aims to develop policies for inclusion of children at risk of social exclusion in the village of Vilafranca del Penedès in collaboration with local authorities, through workshops and sustainable and organic farming.
The international volunteers will organize workshops, games and
activities focusing on:
- Theater and cultural expression
- Sport and healthy eating
- Learning English
These activities will be done for a group of young people (9-11 years
old).
Special requirements: It is necessary to be able to ride a bike. Experience in work with children will be required. Knowledge of theatre, sports, music will be appreciated.
Language: English
Free time activities: Leisure activities will focus on the knowledge of wine culture in Vilafranca del Penedès, knowledge of the historical roots of Vilafranca, as well as the introduction of organic farming and urban gardens in the region.
Accommodation: In a Youth Hostel with all facilities included.
Location: Vilafranca del Penedès
Nearest airport: Barcelona
Age range: 18 - 30 years old
Help
fight social exclusion in Tortosa
Tortosa
July 7 - July 20, 2011
Volunteer project: This is a social project that aims to bring together young people, grandparents, families with low incomes and at risk of social exclusion and homelessness in a project to establish or improve links and relationships between neighbors and help improve the situation of people at risk of social exclusion.
The international volunteer team will be supporting a Foster house, a
Social dining room and a Social stitcher. Volunteers’ commitments
include:
- Social work: sharing time and expertise (IT, languages, cooking ...),
help with daily tasks to the nuns of the refuge of "Caritas", sorting
and distributing food, ...
- Renovation work in the stitcher "Caritas": cleaning, painting and
assembling
shelves ...
- Community work: Clean paths, whereabouts or the beach ...
Special requirements: Motivation letter is required
with application. Volunteers must have interest in social services, and
contacts with people with limited resources...
The principal collaboration will be done by Caritas, a religious entity.
It would be appreciated if the participants can speak some Spanish.
Language: English
Free time activities: Activities to discover the environment (environmental tours and sites in the city of Tortosa), to learn the Catalan culture (traditional games: petanque, table games, music workshops and traditional dance), to learn sustainability (games role-playing, workshops, recycling, organic farming ...), for social cohesion (games and group dynamics, participatory and intergenerational workshops, playing sports with young people, lectures, storytelling, participation in festivals ...), participating in village festivals.
Accommodation: In a big classroom with wardrobes, bathrooms and showers in the Foster Home. This accomodation is managed by nuns. You must respect the silence.
Location: Tortosa
Nearest airport: Reus or Barcelona
Age range: 18 - 30 years old
Help
in the organization and running of the International Music Festival of
Cantonigros
Cantonigros
July 7 - July 20, 2011
Volunteer project: The Music festival of Cantonigròs is a great event which attracts around 2.000 people, both audience and participants to enjoy traditional music and dances. During this festival, musicians from 30 different countries are performing, so it is a great intercultural experience! Performers, local people and volunteers participate side by side in the Festival.
The volunteer activities at the project consist in supporting the
organization of the Music Festival of Cantonigròs. More precisely, the
volunteers in collaboration with locals, will help with technical work
not only during the festival but also before and afterwards. The tasks
will be:
- assembling and dismantling the infrastructure of the festival;
- support in the organization of services during the festival;
- logistic support in relation to the participating groups;
- access control during the festival.
Special requirements: Motivation letter is required with application.
Language: English
Free time activities: Workshops and group activities: cultural exchange between participants; international meals; discussions; simulation games. Excursions to discover the region and its cultural, natural and social way of life such as visits to Vic and other places. And of course, enjoying the atmosphere of the Festival.
Accomodation: In tents next to the festival area, with all services provided.
Location: Cantonigròs is a village situated at the top of a mountain at a height of 1.000 metres, in the country of Osona (Vic is the main city) in the centre of Catalunya, and 100 km far from the city of Barcelona (south) and the French border (north).
Nearest airport: Girona or Barcelona
Age range: 18 - 30 years old
Environmental exploration and protection of the
marshes of l'Emporda
Castelló Empúries
July 16 - July 29, 2011
Volunteer project: This volunteer project is specifically organized to provide international experience while working and discovering the unique environment of the "Parc Natural dels Aiguamolls de l'Empordà". The work will be guided and developed by the staff of the nature reserve. The discovery of the environment will focus on the the park itself, where we'll spend most of the time, but we'll also have the opportunity to discover other parts of the region (Figueres, Empuriabrava, Albera, the Gulf of Roses ...).
The work activities include:
• Cleaning, collection and withdrawal of a former glass landfill
• Recuperation of places to observe the nature
• Collecting garbage
• Supression of invading plants
• Collaboration in the construction of a new observation point
• Repainting signs in the park
• Other work related to the Park needs.
Special requirements: It's important to be able to ride a bike
Language: English
Free time activities: Nature walks, nature workshops, birds sighting, talks, guided tours, excursions.
Accommodation: We will be staying in tents in a field near Mas Mata, within the natural park, the municipality of Castelló Empúries.
Location: Parc Natural dels Aiguamolls de l’Empordà (Castelló d’Empúries)
Nearest airport: Girona
Age range: 18 - 30 years old
Organizing
an International Meeting on Youth and Rural life and restoration of
local patrimony
Cambrils
July 17 - July 31, 2011
Volunteer project: This project has an educational and social topic. The project will consist in two different topics: 1) actions in the town, such as: reconstruction of the rails of a Salt Mine and cleaning the space; cleaning works and repairs of a fountain and cleaning and repair of a romanesque church. 2) preparing an International Meeting about the youth life in rural areas to take place on July 23rd "Volunteering in rural areas".
The work consists of recuperation of the Salt mine, a fountain and a romanesque church. Also volunteers will be preparing material, doing the setting and logistics in order to prepare the International Meeting on Youth and Rural life that is to be held at Cambils these dates, as well as preparing a multicultural lunch.
Language: English
Free time activities: Trips to the area (Turp, Pont del Clop…), one day in Barcelona, traditional dances, popular lunch, Intergenerational exchange.
Accommodation: In tents, at the camping of Cambrils. All services provided.
Location: Cambrils (Odèn), a little village next to Solsona, in the heart of Catalunya.
Nearest airport: Barcelona and Lleida
Age range: 18 - 30 years old
Restoration
and environmental activities at the medieval castle in Algerri
Algerri
July 18 - July 31, 2011
Volunteer project: It's been many years since international volunteer groups are collaborating with the village of Algerri to improve its particular heritage.
This year, the aim of the volunteer project will be restoration of the medieval castle in Algerri. The volunteers will help conditioning the area of the castle, including cleaning the space. The group will also take part in the inventory of the flora of the Serra Llarga.
Language: English
Free time activities: Workshops on recycling paper, metals, popular games and dances, cultural visits, excursions to Balaguer and Lleida.
Accommodation: In a sports center with matresses.
Location: Algerri (Lleida), in a rural area of
Catalunya. Its inhabitants are called "algerrians". It is located at the
Noguera Baixa region. This region occupies a large extension of light
ground, closed to the North by the Pyrenees. The area is crossed by the
Segre River.
It seems like this place had been created in order to delight the foot
walking lovers, due to its nature and beauty.
Nearest airport: Barcelona
Age range: 18 - 30 years old
Archaeological
excavations at the medieval Castle of Montsoriu
Arbúcies, Girona
July 19 - August 1, 2011
Volunteer project: The castle of Montsoriu is an example of original gothic architecture in Catalonia. The Arbucies Youth Council has been working for its restoration for several years now, as a means to give value to its local heritage.
The international volunteers will be involved in archaeological work in the Montsoriu Castle. The work will consist of moving earth and rocks to clean the space and move down the level of ground to find the original one. There will be also tasks of cleaning and classification of the remains found during excavations. The excavation will take place with the technical team of Montseny’s Ethnology Museum.
Language: English
Free time activities: From excursions to the surrounding area to workshops, talks, sports, games, traditional dances,... There will be a visit to Tossa de Mar.
Accommodation: In the castle (with bunk beds) during the week. In the weekends we will stay in the town of Arbúcies.
Location: Arbúcies, province of Girona. Montsoriu Castle is located in the Natural Park of Montseny, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and very near to the Costa Brava. It is a unique example of the military medieval architecture in Catalonia.
Nearest airport: Girona or Barcelona
Age range: 18 - 30 years old
Rehabilitation
of social housing residences in Barcelona
Barcelona
July 31 - August 13, 2011
Volunteer project: The District of Ciutat Vella (The old city) is the oldest quarter in Barcelona and one of the most damaged. The population - approx. 100.000 inhabitants - faces generally low education level and low income with a high percentage of unemployment which contributes to increased level of poverty and exclusion. In recent years, Ciutat Vella has also increased heavily its number of foreigners, single parents and elders. In this socio economic context, more than half of the residences need some kind of rehabilitation, that locals in poor conditions cannot afford. The project has two main goals: improve the living conditions of the flats, through cooperation between locals and international participants, and working in the social area with volunteers, through exchanges in the local space.
The work will consist in restoring houses in the district of Ciutat Vella in Barcelona. During the mornings from Monday to Friday participants will work on the housing restoration (cleaning and desinfection of spaces, painting, etc.)
Special requirements: Motivation letter is needed. This
is not "party Barcelona". You come to collaborate to a serious project.
There's no need to have knowledge or experience in renovation, but
interest in social inequalities is needed.
Language: English
Free time activities: Different leisure activities, to be decided together with the participants during the project, like: visit to museums, parks, villages around the city, etc.
Accommodation: In a cultural center of Barcelona.
Location: Barcelona
Nearest airport: Barcelona
Age range: 18 - 30 years old
Restoration of the medieval heritage of Catalonia
Artesa de Segre
August 2 - August 15, 2011
Volunteer project: Montmagastre was one of the most important castles in the Middle Ages. There remain only a few scattered ruins on top of the cone that form the impressive limestone hill Montmagastre. The village was an ancient walled town. It is situated on the slopes of the hill Montmagastre (763 m high). At the summit, where we can enjoy a vast panorama, there are few traces of the old castle.
The volunteer activities consists of clearing vegetation and rubble of the fallen walls that have eradicated the old roads connecting the people of Montmagastre with farmhouses and other surrounding towns. Since all skills will be learned on site, no previous experience is required.
Language: English
Free time activities: Trips, workshops, environmental and adventure activities in the afternoons and evenings for recreational activities. Two days route discovering the area. Cultural Tour to Artesa, Rubio, Salgar Antona, and Malagastre Montmagastre.
Accommodation: Sports center with matresses provided.
Location: Artesa de Segre
Nearest airport: Barcelona
Age range: 18 - 30 years old
Restoration
and environmental awareness activities in fire devastated areas of
Central Catalonia
Pinos
August 15 - August 29, 2011
Volunteer project: After the devastating fire in Central Catalonia and Solsonès in 1998, a great damage was caused. This educational environmental project was born in order to restore the area affected by the fire and spread awareness about care of the local environment.
Volunteers' tasks are:
• Renovation and signposting of an antique path used to carry salt from
the mine
• Video report about the work done
• Making discovery trips around El Solsonès
• Preparing a multicultural dinner.
Language: English
Free time activities: Excursions and hiking around the region. Multicultural lunch with locals.
Accommodation: Pinós social centre. All services provided.
Location: Pinós
Nearest airport: Barcelona
Age range: 18 - 30 years old
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