INFO PACK for volunteers:
Two weeks project "Rain here, rain now!" water harvesting systems in practice" for 12 european participants
including practical activities generating discussion about the topic of selfsufficiency and environmental awareness. We will create in the programm also place for sharing individual qualities, improvisation and creativity.
Where: Merboltice 95, Czech Republic
When: 1st July- 14th July 2024
Who: open-minded youth in age 18-30 years, ready for practical action to react to climatic change.
Participants has to became members of European Solidarity Corps - initiative of EU.
Costs and guaranty: European Solidarity Corps program guarantee educative quality of accredited hosting organisation and cover volunteers all costs as traveling, accommodation, food and pocket money. You have to come to pleace 1st July at 12 a.m. and leave after 14th July 1 p.m. according to project period.
Transport: We give preference to overland transportation. You may be supported up to 3 traveling days.
Hosting Organization: Spolek Hvozd NGO - culture-educational space in countryside
Applications deadline: 1st March 2023 for aplicants demanding VISA, 15th April for aplicants from EU
The aim is to offer opportunity for youth to prove their solidarity with active association of people implementing sustainability in the village household, with extension to make living village. Help us to improve water management of permaculture farm and support environmental self-sufficiency while creating system for rain water into natural pools and horizontal drainage in gardens, into outside kitchen, into an outside shower. Therefore is this project directly referring to issues of climate change. Its consequences already stroke in our region by unprecedented droughts.
Participants will face another cultural environment of Czech countryside. International team provides them a great opportunity for European inclusion. During the activity volunteers will be led by life-experienced members of NGO in their topics, applying their new knowledge and suggestions in direct action. Rain water harvesting in big scale during heavy summer storms might ease to other draining channels and prevent floods in urban areas and countryside.
By that the volunteers will deepen social and communication skills, their awareness of their own and other cultures. Everyone will be supported to organize activity for collective. The participants will be meeting thus experiencing a wide set of approaches and mentalities - experiencing inter-cultural learning.
All we realize in our NGO and in this project with participants comes from principles of permaculture . Permaculture is a design system in which natural ecosystems are the model for our human habitats. Natural ecosystems are, almost by definition, sustainable, and if we can understand the way they work we can use that understanding to make our own lives more sustainable. Long-term aims are to secure the water supplies of water for hour eco-farm that is needed for household use and mainly watering extensive gardens and new planted trees in orchards.
Our household is typical sizes of local farm buildings and therefore our water management designs might be followed by locals, ensuring them sufficient amount of water in their wells.
Volunteers tasks and training activities
Each morning will have morning activities helping to connect team and mapping mind set of group, on short meeting we will plane day schedule and divide us into teams working on different place and different crafts.
Tasks are practical, and real impact of that improves waterharvesting system or maintenance of garden or household in the direction of sustainability
adjustment of terrain for drains by hand tool
basic carpentery works - to create wood structure supporting fances and gates using hand tools or power tools
building up little walls and supports for wood beams or terrain levelizing
planting of bushes and trees and propagation of bushes
Other activities
non-formal education and activities - leaded by main team-leader, experienced volunteer and member of Spolek Hvozd.
Trips into region - either leaded by our friend-guides that take you into closest National park with accommodation there or you can set out on your own to Prague or wherever during your day off.
Inclusion with locals where we will visit their farms in village or on one of evenings where participants will introduce the place they come from and prepare their traditional food.
Daily routine tasks:
Cook food and clean dishes together: from local sources of vegetables or organic supplies for everybody with strong ethic attitude.
Grass cutting: we will need to help with the scything of the grass and afterwards it's composting, we will do it by hand instrument scythe. The advantage of this tool is that group of people can talk together meanwhile.
Fire wood: chopping of the wood for winter by axe is evergreen activity in the farms which are warmed up from local sources of wood.
Making preserves: bounty of the summer is good to keep for winter as well. We can do jams or preserves or dry berries or fruits.
Crafting of benches from massive wood etc.
Accommodation: Sleeping is indoor in Common room with wooden floor on matters, or outdoor in the tent or in indian Teepee tent. Shared Kitchen, outside shower, Bathroom, outside Toilet
How to apply
To participate in this project You have to fill up our short on-line form until 1st April 2024. After that we will contact You by email.
