You will prepare the pasture for the horses and build fences around it. The work is manual and will include especially: cleaning the area, the disposal of brushes, making fires and putting up posts.Study part: During the workcamp plenty of non-formal educational activities will be planned, for example excursions, lectures, trips, workshops, international evenings and events with local children. An international evening with a press conference will be held in a suitable location in one of the surrounding communities, during which you will have the opportunity to present your culture and your reasons for volunteering. During the workcamp, you will be able to meet with children and young people from the local partner s target group (children from the neighbourhood, from children s homes, from a nearby Roma community and the inmates of an educational institution for young people). You will be able to do activities together with the children and possibly prepare a joint presentation. You will also have the opportunity to join a workshop on communicating with horses, horse training, and horse riding.
Accomodation & food:
You will be accommodated in a simple brick house. The building has hot water, a shower and a kitchen. It is important to bring your own sleeping bag with you You will cook together with the group using common resources in your lodgings.
Location & leisure:
The tiny village of Chmelistna (near Nepomysl), in the district of Louny, in the northwestern part of the Czech RepublicLeisure Time: Horseback riding, hiking in the countryside, making music and other activities around a campfire, etc. For those interested, a two-day overnight hiking expedition in the countryside could be organised. (As the transport possibilities in the region are very limited, please note, that it will most likely not be possible to visit bigger cities during the workcamp).
Requirements:
Smoking is forbidden in the project s buildings, vegetarians are very welcome. The project is not suitable for volunteers with allergies (pollen, animal dander, insect stings ...)
The volunteers work in the amazing monastery of Broumov and in its garden (repairing a wall, maintaining the area, cleaning, gardening etc.). They will also help to document the state of signs on a natural trail and do manual nature protection works in a protected forest. Finally the group will help to prepare and clean several churches in the region for a series of classical concerts, which are going to take place there during the whole summer. Study part: Learn more about the past and present development of the region. Visit the monastery and its garden. A guided tour through the local brewery is possible.
Accomodation & food:
In a house belonging to the local theatre in Broumov. There are beds and blankets, no sleeping bag or sleeping mat is needed. A common room, a shower, a small kitchen and several toilets are available. The groups prepare their own meals from common resources. If you wish, you can sleep one day in the romantic garden of the monastery i please bring a sleeping bag and a sleeping mat.
Location & leisure:
Location: In and around the town Broumov i the centre of the Broumovsko region.Leisure time: There is really a lot to do and see in Broumovsko. You can go swimming, make trips to the famous sandstone rocks of Adrspassko-Teplice and visit one of the many caves and other natural sites there. Broumov and the surrounding cities are worth a visit as well (museums, historical sits). You are also invited to visit a Beatles-Revival and other cultural events in the monastery garden.
The volunteers will work on the forestlands, helping Cmelak to restore the woodland so that a mixed forest can grow, that closely resembles the natural state of a forest. The work will be manual and takes place where currently the most support is needed (planting of seedlings, building of small fences, setting up of individual protection elements, work in the tree nurseries including preparation and weeding of beds). The main part of your work will take place in the tree nurseries. Be prepared to work in all types of weather. Waterproof clothes and boots, are necessary. Study part: Ecological discussions with Czech pupils, lectures, workshops, projections of films, study visits and excursions on ecological topics are planned.
Accomodation & food:
In a dormitory at the outskirts of Liberec. The accommodation has a bathroom with showers, a kitchen and a dining room. You will prepare your meals on your own. Bring a sleeping bag and a sleeping mat with you
Location & leisure:
Location: Liberec, near the Jizerske Mountains in the north of Bohemia. You will use mini-buses to get to the place of work in the surrounding forests. Leisure time: You can go hiking in the beautiful surrounding landscape, visit castles and climb the Jested - the highest peak in the region. The city of Liberec, where you will be accommodated, offers many possibilities to enjoy culture or do different kinds of sport. Trips to nearby towns and other interesting sites are possible.
The work is manual and you will perform different tasks according to the current needs and to your abilities You will help in the park of the castle, do some simple construction works, remove invasive vegetation, cut wood and move materials. Your tasks may include some manual work in the castle itself. Learn more about the castle and get access to the parts, which are normally not open to the public.
Accomodation & food:
On wooden floors in one room of the castle. The facilities and living conditions are basic and a bit dusty. Bring a sleeping bag, sleeping mat and your own eating set The volunteers will cook for themselves.
Location & leisure:
Castle Grabstejn near Chotyne in Northern Bohemia. Public transport is rather limited in the area. There is only one local train, so the main means of transportation will be your feet :-). Be prepared to walk about 30 to 45 minutes to buy food in the nearest townLeisure time: It is possible to go swimming in a near-by lake, to go hiking in the local mountains, visit Liberec, several castles and other interesting sights of the region.
Requirements:
On the weekend after the project finishes, a cultural event will take place at the castle. If you wish, you can prolong your stay on your own expenses.
The volunteers will work in the castle park and in the surrounding forest park. They will mainly perform maintenance and gardening tasks such as cleaning paths, weeding, removing fallen branches and leaves, making wood etc. Bring good working clothes, rain-gear and boots.Study part: Guided tour through the castle Kynzvart.
Accomodation & food:
In the castle area in a house. Take your sleeping bag and sleeping mat. A bathroom and a small kitchen are available. The volunteers will prepare their meals on their own.
Location & leisure:
Lazne Kynzvart (area of castle Kynzvart), about 11 km from Marianske Lazne.
The work will be manual: In the first week, the group conserves the remains of a church, works on a natural track and does other environmental work. In the second week you will do gardening and maintenance works in a botanic garden, help to build a panoramic track and work on other places in the city. The tasks can change according to current needs and the weather conditions. Take good working boots and rain-gear.Study part: Meet representatives of the NGOs and the villages, learn more about ecological farming (as you will live on an organic farm during the first week), guided tours to local historical and cultural sights.
Accomodation & food:
During the first week you will sleep in a pension on an organic farm. The local partner will prepare the food. In the second week the living conditions will be basic i you will sleep in a pension in Becov. Please bring your own sleeping bag The food will be partly prepared by you and partly provided by the local partners.
Location & leisure:
Location: Becov and Nezichov in Western Bohemia.Leisure time: You can visit famous spa towns in the region (i.e. Karlovy Vary), make sports and go hiking in the surrounding countryside. Bring also some of your favourite local recipes and typical games.
Requirements:
Special Czech-German-Spanish project (5 vols from each country). Camp language is English
The volunteers will work at different places of the Nature Protection Area Palava, mostly in those parts, which are particularly protected as nature reserves. The aim is to maintain and clean the area thus contributing to practical nature protection. The work will be manual: raking and removing invasive plants, maintenance of an alley and of a nature trail, collection of garbage in the four most-visited nature reserves in the nature protection area.Study part: The workcamp will have a rich study part: Several excursions and lectures on environmental protection are planned. You can meet with representatives of other regional organizations active in the field of environmental issues. Furthermore a one day-trip to the Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape listed by the UNESCO Word is planned. You will also visit local ecological organizations and small companies, which are active in the field of sustainable production of goods. Besides, you can take part in handcraft workshops.
Accomodation & food:
In a pension, situated directly in the historical centre of Mikulov. The meals will be prepared by the volunteers themselves, so it would be great to bring your local recipes.
Location & leisure:
Location: Mikulov, Southern Moravia. The region is known as one of the most beautiful protected areas in the Czech Republic.Leisure time: The region is ideal for hiking and you can visit numerous sites of interest in the surroundings. It is possible to have a guided tour through the historical centre of Mikulov and visit castles and caves close by. You can prepare a multicultural evening for the locals, giving them an insight into your cultures and talk about ecological issues, which are discussed at your homes. Bring some games, pictures, recipes and songs, which are typical for your cultures, to use for the multicultural evening.
You will work in a natural reservation. The work will be manual: mowing meadows, raking grass, collecting biomass, preparing wood, preparing beds, building fences and walls and some maintenance work on the project site. Bring waterproof working shoes and rain-gear.Study part: Excursion to nature reservations, ecological discussions on the evenings, visit a beaver reservation.
Accomodation & food:
In tee-pees (Indian tents with a fire place in the middle) on wooden pads. The nights in the forest are cold, so bring a very warm sleeping bag, a sleeping mat and an extra blanket. You will wash yourself in a small stream with quite cold water, which flows through the camp. The food is ONLY vegetarian and the volunteers will prepare it themselves. Bring a bowl/plate for eating, cutlery and a cup. The consumption of alcohol and drugs is forbidden
Location & leisure:
Location: Isolated part of the village of Lesna in the Czech forest. The nearest town is Tachov.Leisure time: Excursions to the forest, nearby villages and small towns. Games, archery, artistic work with wood, land-art. If you have a EU-driving license, bring it with you as well.
« I would recommend participating in a workcamp, especially with VAP, who ensured that I found a project to suit me and provided essential training for me in preparation for my trip. Being part of a workcamp really is a life-changing experience, oh, and it looks great on your CV! »