The Slatinka Association is a civic association created in 1993 by a group of university students and local residents in response to the revival of the controversial Slatinka dam project. The association's mission is to protect natural values and the environment, especially in the Slatina river valley, direct involvement and increased public participation in decision-making on projects and documents with impact on the environment and environmental education of children and youth in particular. In addition, we carry out various activities with the local population to improve the environment at specific locations in and around Zvolen. Since 2014, Slatinka Association has been part of the network of the Volunteer Center of the Banská Bystrica region and is accredited as an organization that meets higher standards of work with volunteers.

What are we going to do?

Participants will address the issue of restoring and caring for the environment, waterways and their surroundings. The work done will have a positive impact on the local environment and the community, the activities carried out by the participants will help to improve the condition of the waterways and their surroundings and valuable natural sites. The activities will also have an impact on the students: they will learn the importance of protecting nature, learn about ways and tools to protect the environment and how to communicate them to the local community.

Participants will work on two main activities:

a) main activity - assisting in the care of the natural sites of the Slatia river valley (the village of Slatinka and the town of Zvolen). Activities may include mowing and raking meadows, removing invasive plant species, maintaining the nature trail in the Slatina river valley (painting signs on trees, pruning branches, etc.), making birdhouses, making insect houses, planting trees, etc.

b) secondary activity - cleaning of the rivers and the surroundings of the river Slatina and Hron. This is an activity around the village Slatinka, near the town Zvolen, but also in the surroundings - collection of trash washed up on the shore, but also directly in the river (using a canoe / raft), mapping of river biotopes. Participants will be able to choose whether they want to use a canoe/raft and clean from the water (swimming is essential) or be on the river bank. Compliance with safety regulations is guaranteed.

Schedule: The participants will dedicate 8 hours per day to the planned activities, these hours will include lunch break and breaks according to the personal needs of the participants. The work will be carried out on weekdays (Monday-Friday), weekends are free at the administration of Matej Bel University.

It is necessary to wear work clothes: long pants, hard boots and optional work gloves.

Other information:

Background information can be found on our website (https://www.slatinka.sk/  ) or on our profile on the European Youth Portal (https://youth.europa.eu/volunteering/organisation/46914_en  ) and also on our Facebook profile (https://www.facebook.com/zdruzenieslatinka/  ).

Municipality Zvolen and Slantika.

All students selected for the VUELA program will receive common training for participation in volunteer activities. 

Consult YOUR UNIVERSITY in the following links for training dates, location and conditions.  Don't forget to mark them in your calendar. This training is mandatory and is part of the project. 

Field accompaniment will be provided by Matej Bel University throughout the project, as well as a person from the convening universities who will accompany the experience in the field.

The host Matej Bel University in Slovakia will help find accommodation for volunteers near the project site and facilitate entry. In case students stay in Banská Bystrica, they would travel to Zvolen or Slatinka every day (30-45 minutes). It may be possible to offer the possibility to spend the nights in the ecocenter facilities in Slatinka - there is space for approx. 15 people in simple conditions. There are beds in 3 common rooms, dry toilets and a shower in the garden, a well-equipped kitchen. 

Each volunteer should individually contribute an equal amount to the common bag to cover rent and food expenses. The amounts will be communicated before arrival, as well as the method of payment. 

Information on the possibility and conditions of financial support for these items can be found below, by consulting YOUR UNIVERSITY:

The student is responsible for arranging and paying for transportation to the project site and must inform the project's reference university of the date and time of arrival at least 15 days in advance.

Matej Bel University (Alzbeta Brozmanova Gregorova)