International
Rock Festival of Dour
Dour
July 16 - July 28, 2013
Volunteer project: Dour Festival is four days of discovery; it is a bubble of oxygen, pleasure and 200 artists performing on four stages. More than anything, Dour Festival is a unique concept, producing an inimitable atmosphere.
Once again we are expecting to relive Dour Festival’s
unique atmosphere this year, something which has gained the festival a
reputation worldwide. Over the four days, an eclectic crowd live
together, letting cultural and social differences slide. For a time, the
festival-goers share the same way of life and living together, creating
a sort of electricity that is difficult to describe. Perhaps this is due
to the diverse line-up – so abundant, coherent, and challenging that you
get the impression that everything is possible. The festival crowd is
open-minded and passionate for music in the broadest sense of the word.
On the media side of things, the coverage of the festival each year is
vast, with more than 1000 journalists turning out. These media
professionals are generally from Europe. Last year we noted the presence
of journalists from Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Czech Republic,
Germany, Estonia, Spain, Greece, Ireland, Luxemburg, Poland, Reunion
Island and the USA. The line-up is similarly more international than
ever, however a large part of the program is dedicated to Belgian
artists.
The volunteers will be part of the Croix Verte
(the green cross), helping to keep the area clean and
tidy. The team will collect and recycle the waste in order to provide nice and safe
ground to the festival-goers. Volunteers will also do some manual work:
building the stage, carrying materials, and work in the festival bar,
security... The tasks could be heavy and repetitive at times.
The volunteers in this project will have the chance to discover various sides of the
organisation of a festival. Volunteers have to be flexible and
enthusiastic. And most important, they must love music!
The volunteers will work about 6 to 8 hours a day. During the free time, volunteers are free to go to the festival and enjoy the concerts (concerts start at noon and end at 5.00 a.m.).
Possible free time activities: The nearby Dour and Mons offer various opportunities for free time activities (museum, Scientific Adventure Park, the Museum of Contemporary Arts, cinema,…). There are several opportunities for sports and outdoor activities, as well as many opportunities offered by the natural environment (La Chaîne des Terrils, le Parc Naturel des Hauts-Pays, l'Insectarium, les sentiers de grande randonnée, etc.).
Language: English and French
Some of the people you’ll work with speak English, but it will be good
to have some knowledge of French as most of these people are from Dour and its region.
Accommodation: There is a camping reserved for the volunteers (well located, with a bar, showers and toilets). You need a tent, a sleeping bag and a camping mattress.
Location: Dour, Province of Hainaut
Closest airports: Charleroi Bruxelles-Sud, Bruxelles (Zaventem), Lille-Lesquin
Closest train station: Saint-hislain, Mons
Closest TGV stations: Mons, Bruxelles, Lille
Age range: 18 - 35 years old
Support the organisation and
running of music festivals in Belgium
Brussels, Spa
4 days + 6 days
Volunteer project: “Vacances pour Tous” is a non-profit organization founded in 1983 that provides holidays for more than 300 less privileged children. Besides the social integration, the other objective of this initiative is to enable these children to enjoy an original and simple holiday organized during school holidays. To be able to finance the camps for the children, we have different projects like a road rally, a fashion-show party and the music festivals. Through our help, we raise funds for the children's camps.
This project is special, because the volunteers will
support two music festivals in Belgium. These are different festivals,
at two different places (Brussels and Spa) and offering different types
of music. The tasks will be different depending on the festivals.
The first festival, Couleur Café, is in the center of Brussels and lasts
3 days (28-30th June). The music style is soul, reggae, latin, salsa...
Volunteers will work in backstage, collecting trash, building a stage,
barriers...
The second festival, Francofolies, is in Spa, in Wallonia (in the east
of the country). This festival lasts 5 days (17-21 July) throughout the
city. Volunteers will work in the parking.
Volunteers will work between 7 and 9 hours during the festivals: from 9:00am to 12:30pm in the morning and from 1:30pm to 5:00pm in the afternoon. During the festivals, the group will work at night from 5:00pm to 3:00am. The tasks could be heavy and repetitive at times. During the free time, volunteers are free to enjoy the concerts.
Between the two festivals, volunteer are free for two weeks. In this time, they do not work for a volunteer project and there's no organised activities. Volunteers will be responsible for arranging their food and accommodation. The project is suitable for those who want to travel around Belgium and/or other European countries, and want to combine it with short-term volunteering for the music festivals. Volunteers can choose to take part in both or just one of the festivals. If you decide to work for only one of the festivals, please note that you have to arrive one day before the festival starts.
Volunteer profile: We’re looking for motivated people who are interested in festivals and music as well as discovering the other side of the organization, all mixed with the desire to live a unique experience. If you are active and you like to take initiatives, you are very welcome in this project. A bit of social skills and a lot of great atmosphere will make those moments unforgettable. Of course we also count on your reliability.
Special requirements: A motivation letter is required with the application.
Possible free time activities:
Volunteers will have the opportunity to enjoy the concerts. The entry to
the festivals is provided.
Brussels, the capital of Europe, is a multicultural city with a
thousand faces: a majestic historic centre, a unique ambiance, a huge
array of activities for both younger and older people. Visit the
Manneken-Pis, the Atomium, the Art Nouveau Houses (Horta) and the
Belgian Strip Cartoon Centre. And last but not least, taste our famous
chocolate!
Language: English or French
Accommodation: You’ll be sleeping in the camping of the festivals. Thus you need your sleeping bag and a tent.
Location: Brussels, Spa
Closest airports: Charleroi Bruxelles-Sud, Bruxelles (Zaventem)
Age range: 18 - 35 years old
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