The Liberi Sogni cooperative ("Free Dreams") is very active since 2006 and works organizing social, cultural and environmental projects in the districts of Lecco, Bergamo and Monza e Brianza. Many people who work in the cooperative have lived abroad for volunteering or working experiences and experimented directly how important is to promote solidarity and attention towards other cultures, especially among young people. Liberi Sogni organizes the workcamp to involve local and international young people (a group of Italian teens will share the workcamp), in the transformation of an abandoned wood in a place useful and pleasant for the local community. The main aims of the project are environmental education and awareness through active engagement of young people in an international and natural environment. Through the experience in the wood, we would like to achieve personal development, increase active citizenship in society, improving language competences, raise participants' awareness and understanding of other cultures and countries.
Work:
WORK: The work will be concentrated mainly in the morning, with four activities:1-Arrangement of the camp, taking care of the little vegetable garden and of the water tank2- work in the wood: building different things with wood materials, prepare a path for outdoor learning and building a new tree house3- Cooking to prepare lunch with organic food coming from the nearby area 4- Support to the creation of artistic and environmental laboratories
WORKING DAYS AND HOURS:
5 days and 4 hours per day
Accomodation & food:
ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD: The volunteers will sleep in tents of 4 people. The tents will be provided. Electricity and hot water will be provided by photovoltaic and solar panels. The toilet are 2 compost toilets, made of wood. The meals will be prepared by the volunteers, who will eat together in a big tent. Most of the food will come from local farms of from the fair trade market.
Location & leisure:
LEISURE: In the afternoon the volunteers will take part in special workshops, games, and other activities (for example tree-climbing, excursions, land art, soap making workshops) or will get in contact with local associations or local people. Some evenings will be organized with "cultural nights", where one or more countries organize a dinner with the typical food and games and /or workshops to show their own culture. The rest of the evenings there will be moments at the fireplace, free evenings or some game in the darkness.The volunteers will have 2 days free, one will be arranged a trip to Lake Como, near Lecco city; other will be a day of self-management. Also the first day and the last day of the camp will be without working activities (except from cooking and arranging the camp).
LOCATION:
The workcamp will be carried out in "Campiano" which belongs to the municipality of Valgreghentino (LC), in the north of Italy. In the past this area was used for the agriculture, but now most of it is abandoned: we can see abandoned buildings, woods and fields. Invasive plants are growing avoiding the growth of the local ones.
TERMINAL:
Milan airports (Orio al Serio, Linate and Malpensa)
Requirements:
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: The volunteers will have to bring their own camping mattress and sleeping bag. Boys and girls will be divided. Participants must carry their belongings in a backpack, as they will arrive at camp by foot.
PROJECT: Parkambiente association is in charge of environment protection. It organizes trekking, orienteering competitions and cultural paths, enhancing the natural resources, but mainly it is engaged in the construction of a natural Park for people with disabilities, involving disable people and volunteers in construction, maintenance and management.fairs and festivals organized to nearby towns.
Work:
WORK: Volunteers will be engaged in the work of paths, replacement of stockade and park maintenance, especially the care of green in the park. The aim is to allow disable people to enjoy and fully exploit the natural environment.
WORKING DAYS AND HOURS:
We will work 5 days a week; in the morning: from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 a.m.; in the afternoon: from 4.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. except Saturday and Sunday.
Accomodation & food:
ACCOMMODATION: We will be hosted in a school structure with division of rooms for men and for women. The bathrooms will be those of the students. There are no washing machines.
FOOD:
We will be independent, meaning that a shift system will organize groups for cooking and cleaning. For the evening we will invite volunteers to prepare the recipes of their own Countries.
Location & leisure:
LEISURE TIME: LEISURE TIME: Cultural tours will be organized as sightseeing in Naples, Caserta e Benevento. During the evenings we will participate in fairs and festivals organized to nearby towns.
LOCATION:
Sannio is located 40 km from Naples with 9000 inhabitants. To reach Airola (the closest station) you have to take the train to Arpaia - Linea METROCAMPANIA NORD. From Naples Central Station, you could also take a Bus to Benevento and get off at Arpaia.
« I think our work has really opened the eyes of the youth there. I think that, because of our presence, some local youths got the chance to learn about other cultures which they wouldn't have otherwise. »