In the first day volunteers will get some orientation about the project, the youth club and the surroundings. Together with youngsters of Kelkheim, you will help to redesign and embellish the outdoor area. One of the main tasks will be to construct a shelter and some seating arrangements. So you will help to create a popular spot for the inhabitants of Ruppertshain !During the time of your stay, the group will take part in an annual city festival called "you and me day". This celebration is organized by various organisations of the local civil society and will bring together people with different cultural background. Volunteers of the workcamp are invited to give a contribution to this event as well.
Study part / Leisure time:
Volunters will learn about the concept of youth work in Kelkheim and the integration of inhabitants with various cultural and social background.
Accomodation & food:
Volunteers will prepare and eat their meals in the youth club Ruppertshain and stay overnight in rooms of the former sanatorium for consumptives, called "Zauberberg", in about 5 minutes walking distance. This building is about 130 years old and named like the sanatorium "Magic Mountain" in the famous novel by the German author Thomas Mann. Today for the inhabitants and visitors it offers space for a wide range of activities in the fields living, working, leisure and health. From the platform of the restaurant one can see big part of the Rhine-Main Region in a great panoramic view. Please bring sleeping bag and isolation sheet.
Location & leisure:
Volunteers will get free entrance in the local swimming pool and will visit the castle of Koenigstein nearby. There will be a guided tour through Kelkheim and some information about the development of the first democratic institutions in Germany. Heinrich von Gagern, most famous son of Kelkheim, was the first president of the very first German national parliament in 1848. Therefore you will also visit the historic parliament in Frankfurt itself, nowadays it is called Frankfurter Paulskirche.
Region:
Kelkheim is a small town consisting of some small villages situated around the city center. The municipal area stretches from the plain of the river Main up to the edge of the Taunus mountain range. The village Ruppertshain, venue of the camp, is situated in the higher parts and surrounded by woody hills. Kelkheim ist part of the Rhine-Main Region, there are major cities like Frankfurt, Wiesbaden and Mainz nearby.
Requirements:
After registration, we require a self-declaration concerning the children and youth protection.
Age:
18-26
Location:
Kelkheim-ruppertshain
Language(s):
English, German
Airport:
FRA: Frankfurt Main (Frankfurt, Germany)Vegetarian food will be available
In one part of the village (about 5km from Friesenheim itself) lies the district "Oberschopfheim". A small stream flows through this part of the town, and it will be your task to help clean it: Remove trash as well as plants that grow in or into the water. Together with local workers, you will help take everything out of the water and place it on the shore, where it can be removed. The water is not deep (just a few centimeters); however, be prepared to get a little bit wet! The town will provide equipment (e.g. good trousers with which you should stay dry); but please keep in mind that it is already October and it might be rather cold. Bringing warm clothes will be a good idea. The work is very helpful for the community and they are very much looking forward to hosting you.
Accomodation & food:
You will be accommodated in the local gym hall, very close to your working place. There's lots of space, sport mattresses, a well-equipped kitchen and all necessary sanitary facilities. The town will provide a car for you, so you can easily go shopping or reach the train station.
Location & leisure:
Friesenheim is a nice town with a pretty centre that offers everything you need. By car or train, you can easily reach towns like Freiburg (a popular university town), Strasbourg (in France), Offenburg and Karlsruhe. Also, the Black Forest is a stone's throw away, so you might go hiking in your free-time.
« I can say that the best things about the workcamp and this whole experience were the chance of making a real difference to the lives of very needy children. This is an extremely valuable project where volunteers can have a massive impact. Also the possibility of learning a huge amount about a country so different from our own. I learnt ten times as much by carrying out a workcamp than I would ever do backpacking. »
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