Mid-term (1 to 6 months) "environmental" projects in France

The association Village des Jeunes, the regional delegation of Solidarités Jeunesse in Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur, is an non-formal education association recognized by the French Ministry of Youth and Sports. Through its actions, the Villages des Jeunes aims to promote...

- The voluntary participation of everyone, especially the youth and the underprivileged, in local, national and international life.
- Local development that keep in mind individuals, the environment and cultural heritage.
- Communication between people from different countries and different generations.
- The concrete construction of Peace.

Toward this aim, the association organises short and long term international programmes, integration actions, trainings, international solidarity actions, and manages three hosting structures in rural environments, including the farm called Le Faï. Le Faï is an old farm, located 3 km from the village of Saix (80 inhabitants), in a rural area with a declining population.

Collaborating closely with the SIVU (Dedicated Inter Community Union) of the villages of Saix and of Saint Auban d'Oze and the local authorities, the association promotes actions in the above areas that foster activities in the following areas...

By transforming the farm into a hosting centre and international meeting place, through youth projects in nearby villages to promote local projects, and through social utility actions such as rehabilitation courses for the long-term unemployed, retreats for adults and adolescents, hosting of families, groups and disabled persons.

The geographic situation of the farm, at the foot of a natural circus, led to an acoustic project unique in its kind, using speakers to transform the cliffs into a genuine natural organ. Here we hold many cultural gatherings, and we also help to organize events in the surrounding region.

Located in a sensitive natural area, the different installations of the farm are also didactic tools. They can make the public aware of the protection of Nature (sorting the garbage, dry toilets, reflection over renewable energies).

Throughout the year, the farm is managed by two permanent staff members and a team of volunteers (4 persons including two EVS) who help implementing the project. The association also includes 15 administrators and about thirty volunteers who come to help in the organisation of the different activities on a regular basis.

Permanent staff, volunteers, administrators and hosted public are all responsible for the daily life in the camp, and to ensure that the rules are respected. This means that everybody takes part in the maintenance, cleaning and cooking. Volunteers who wish may also attend Board meetings.

The association Les Villages des Jeunes aims at welcoming different types of people, especially the young and the underprivileged. As the association evolves, the continued presence of volunteers of all nationalities, along with the presence of French people from different social backgrounds has become essential to the association. It ensures an intercultural exchange which is the foundation of our association, and represents an important lever for our local development actions.

The objectives which lead us to welcome Long Term Volunteers are the following...

- Enriching our actions and starting new ones;
- Promoting peace by confronting different ideas;
- Proposing a real intercultural exchange to the hosted public;
- Fighting deep-rooted prejudice in the local population, through actions developed externally;
- Giving the hosted volunteers the opportunity not only to give but also to be on the receiving end of exchange as they meet the local population.

This category describes the ongoing work that occurs at the farm. It is the area in which education takes place, and where people can exchange through work. It concerns environmental projects (cleaning rivers, clearing brushwood), cultural heritage projects (working on a old Chalaisienne Abbey), restoring and improving projects of buildings in villages or in the farm. In agreement with the paid staff, the volunteers who want may become pedagogic activity leaders on these projects.

Le Faï farm has space to welcome groups, families and individuals who are on holidays and/or desire to participate in projects. The volunteers will be encouraged to participate in leading these activities (cooking, organising cultural nights, games, hikes in the mountains).

We strongly encourage volunteers to join our team in organizing cultural activities which take place in the farm or in the nearby villages. Examples could be music festivals, farmers markets, parties around a traditional baker's oven, shows, etc.

Personal projects are seen as a way to reflect, discover and of personal enrichment for the volunteers, and to this end, after an initial period of settling in, the volunteer will have the chance to carry out one or more individual or collective projects that go along with the goals of the overall project.

French lessons can be arranged according to interest.

To take part in this project, volunteers must:
- have a genuine interest in the proposed activities;
- be willing to live in a group for several months;
- be aware that Le Faï is located on a mountain in a very isolated place.

100 EUR of pocket money per month is given to volunteers staying for at least 6 months.

The “Faï” is a farm that has been converted into a national and
international meeting centre. The goal of our project is to bring together people from different social and cultural backgrounds. Every year international volunteers, families, disabled people, youth with social problems, and tourists come to participate in the restoration of the farm, to take a holiday, or to organize a specific project (plays, seminars, etc.). The participation of international volunteers in our project is a unique chance for all of the residents to discover new cultures, and helps to promote volunteering. For the volunteers, the Faï open workcamp is an original way of discovering our social project.

In order to make the most of your stay, we encourage at least a 3 months service.

Our project is situated in a very rural area in the Alps. The closest village is 20 min away by foot. Although there are no shops there and only 80 inhabitants, the people here are very dynamic and friendly.

This year, we will start the creation of a toilet block, continue the creation of the open air cultural centre, and do environmental and carpentry work. You will take part in collective life, in the intercultural and musical evening gatherings and in the local festivals taking place in surrounding villages.

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Veynes Dévoluy

South of France, 30 km from Gap, 200 km from Marseille.

Vaunières Village is a national and international meeting centre. The goal of our project is to bring together people from different social and cultural backgrounds. Every year, international volunteers, families, disabled people, youth with social problems and tourists come to participate in the restoration of the village, to take a holiday, or to organize a specific project (plays, seminars, etc.). Our project is situated in a very rural area in the Alps at the level of 1200m. For international volunteers, this Open Workcamp is an original way of discovering our social project.

In order to make the most of your stay, we encourage at least three month's service.

This year, we will continue the work on the water course and the pedestrian paths in the surroundings of the village. We
will also restore the housetop of one of the building in the village; You will take part in collective life, in the intercultural
and musical evening gatherings and in local festivals taking place in the villages roundabout.

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40km to Gap, 90 km to Grenoble.

Lus La Croix Haute

The volunteers will be integrated into the group of 6-8 long term volunteers of the association. Volunteers can join and quit the project any time.

The community of St. Géniès de Malgoirès owns a park in the heart of the village. For some years now they have started to recondition this park (field clearing, ...). This year, the community wishes to restore the walls of an old channel that once led water to the mill.

This year is the second year of a partnership which has as its goal the restoration of the whole park. The duration of the project might be extended until end of June.

The group will work together with a technical animator and an employee responsible for the maintenance of the park of the community.
Volunteers could also create interactive projects or evenings with an 'all-round' association of the village.

in the hosting center of the association

Saint Géniès is a small community at 20 km from Nimes and 40 km from Alès.

You will have to do some masonry in order to restore canals. Now, they are old and a big part of the water does not stay in the canals but go away so the gardeners don t have all the water they need. In fact you will do different works with various techniques. First, you will have to prepare the restoration of the canals by cleaning some vegetation and doing some excavation. After that, you will have to do some basic masonry. You will work around 30 hours per week in the morning and in the afternoon according with the village organisation and your own organisation.

You will live in a mobil home with a kitchen to make your own meals, a bathroom and 2 bedrooms. St Rome du Tarn is a little village (700 habitants) in the Aveyron not too far from Millau (25 kilometres). You can see this place on the mail with the address http://www.vivreaupays.fr/communes/com77.htm . You will make your own cooking together with the rest of the group in the kitchen of your place. Some times, French volunteers will joint you for few days. You will have to bring boots to work in a humid place and working clothes.

You will be in south of France, in a rural place in the natural regional park Les Grands Causses in the typical area le Larzac . The bigger city Millau is at around 25 km, Montpellier is at 120 km and Toulouse at 170 km. You re going to stay for 6 weeks in a beautiful place, living in a mobil home with the rest of the group in the village. Leisure activities: there are many exciting places to visit around Saint Rome du Tarn and in the Aveyron witch is very well-known for its heritage, its patrimony like castles, churches. There are also many possibilities to see beautiful country landscapes all around. If you want to, you can also meet wonderful people in Concordia office (and their friends). We have some associative meetings and the volunteers will be welcomed.

40 euro per week during the entire project.

Concordia will have some tutors during the entire project. There will be some technical tutors from Concordia or from the town. There will be also one other tutor from Concordia helping you to organise your everyday life. He will not be all the time with you and that s why we need some volunteers motivated with autonomy.

You will be covered during the time at work, but you need medical insurance. Bring your European insurance card if you are coming from European Union countries or a medical insurance if you come from outside EU.APPLICATIONFrom now to the 30th of March.

Send your motivation letter and curriculum vitae through your sending organisation.

18-28

Saint Rome du Tarn

Language(s): English, French

Millau

You will have to do some masonry in order to restore canals. Now, they are old and a big part of the water does not stay in the canals but go away so the gardeners donU?t have all the water they need. In fact you will do different works with various techniques. First, you will have to prepare the restoration of the canals by cleaning some vegetation and doing some excavation. After that, you will have to do some basic masonry. You will work around 30 hours per week in the morning and in the afternoon according with the village organisation and your own organisation.Concordia will have some tutors during the entire project. There will be some technical tutors from Concordia or from the town. There will be also one other tutor from Concordia helping you to organise your everyday life. He will not be all the time with you and thatU?s why we need some volunteers motivated with autonomy.

You will live in a mobil home with a kitchen to make your own meals, a bathroom and 2 bedrooms. St Rome du Tarn is a little village (700 habitants) in the Aveyron not too far from Millau (25 kilometres). You can see this place on the mail with the address http://www.vivreaupays.fr/communes/com77.htm . You will make your own cooking together with the rest of the group in the kitchen of your place. Some times, French volunteers will joint you for few days. You will have to bring boots to work in a humid place and working clothes.

You will be in south of France, in a rural place in the natural regional park U?Les Grands CaussesU? 1/2in the typical area U?le LarzacU?. The bigger city Millau is at around 25 km, Montpellier is at 120 km and Toulouse at 170 km. YouU?re going to stay for 6 weeks in a beautiful place, living in a mobil home with the rest of the group in the village. Leisure activities:there are many exciting places to visit around Saint Rome du Tarn and in the Aveyron witch is very well-known for its heritage, its patrimony like castles, churchesU? 1/2There are also many possibilities to see beautiful country landscapes all around. If you want to, you can also meet wonderful people in Concordia office (and their friends). We have some associative meetings and the volunteers will be welcomed.

40 U? 1/2per week during the entire project.You will be covered during the time at work, but you need medical insurance. Bring your European insurance card if you are coming from European Union countries or a medical insurance if you come from outside EU.

18-99

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English, French

new

Millau

Montendre is a town of 3000 inhabitants that has been home to an international hosting center - La Maison des Bateleurs - for several years. The volunteers hosted here will take part in the project developed by the association. The life will be collective, a global introduction of our organization and functioning will take place at the moment of their arrival, so that the volunteers understand the values of the association, its activities and its logistic.

The volunteers will participate in the improvement of the environmental project present on the structure and in the different projects developed with our local partners. The aim of this project is to develop the pedagogical tools necessary to improve awareness and respect for an environmental way of life (dry-pit toilet, pedagogical garden, etc.). The work will consist of carpentry, traditional masonry or garden work. The volunteers will participate on the workcamps that are going to take place at the international hosting center during their stay (children, teenagers or adults from all kinds of social and geographic backgrounds will be present). The volunteers will also be able to participate in or supervise some creative or cultural activities with the hosted groups.
Moreover, they will take part in the logistic organization and the animation of different musical, cultural, theatrical or artistic events in different villages around the center.

The volunteers will work closely with the associations, inhabitants, municipalities and all the people involved in these local events.
At last, the volunteers can be involved in international workcamps that take place in the region Poitou-Charente during summer (restoration, artistic, cultural projects) with the partner municipalities.

Mixed, indoors, hosting center “La Maison des Bateleurs”: a very lively house!

Montendre, 75 km from the ocean, between Bordeaux and Angoulême

Montendre