AUBUSSON – A sustainable development garden

Name: AUBUSSON – A sustainable development garden
Start: 2019-07-10
End: 2019-07-31
Location: Aubusson, France

France Environment People with disabilities Environment People with disabilities Fixed dates

About the project

📝 Detailed information

🏢 About the local organisation

The staff of «Les Méris» residence is waiting for you to work together on embellishing their Park. Located at the heart of the town of Aubusson, "Les Méris" residence aims to involve the resident mentally disabled adults in social activities. You will participate in improving their living environment by transforming a park into a vegetable garden, where the residents can enjoy gardening. The objective is to make this natural space livelier by favoring ecological practices. This is the second camp that will take place in this house, after the first one in summer 2017. The residents loved a lot welcoming international volunteers and they are looking forward to meeting you! All of this will take place during the pleasant summer time, perfect for living and spending time in Aubusson!

💼 What the programme involves

«Les Méris» educational team wants the residents to invest in their park, where they can reconnect with nature. Your aim will be to transform this area into a welcoming garden. In order to do this, many little jobs will await you and it will be difficult to choose between them: development of the permaculture, creation of the garden of medical plants, planting herbal tea, construction of a compost, planting of fruit trees and small fruits, construction of a hut to accommodate a wood workshop, creation of containers and planter boxes, etc. Being accompanied by a technical leader, you will gain more experience in using tools and you will discover some new ecological practices while performing these tasks.

🏠 Accommodation on site

You will be accommodated at a two-star campsite, sharing two-person tents and a collective tent for socializing. The campsite is located near a river, where you can swim, it is perfect to freshen up at any time in summer! The group will be sharing the cleaning chores and preparing meals together. The budget will be allocated to the group leader and you will participate in the preparation of dishes with good products from the market and local producers. During the week, you will have lunch with the residents in the canteen at “Les Méris” residence. You will get around on foot or by minibus between the campsite, the worksite and Aubusson's town center.

📍 About the location

Aubusson is located in the Creuse department, which is one of the wildest French departments in terms of nature and it is located in the "Millevaches" regional natural reserve. Here you will find natural protected areas and many hiking paths, lakes and outdoor activities, all just a stone's throw away from the town. Since Aubusson is also the international capital of tapestry, you will be able to meet people who make handcrafted tapestries and discover the history of this traditional artisanry. Aubusson is a lively town and during the summer you will enjoy discovering its historic center and ancient alleyways, relaxing on the shady terraces of the town’s bars and going to concerts and shows organized by the Tourist Office. For more information visit: https://www.tourisme-creuse.com and https://www.tourisme-aubusson.com

⚠️ Requirements

During this work camp you will be working with mentally disabled adults. We expect you to be responsible and respectful, and adapt to the needs of residents and employees of “Les Méris” residence. Bring work clothes, walking boots and a backpack. Nights can be chilly, so take warm clothes and a good sleeping bag. You can also bring recipes from your home country, musical instruments and games. You will get around Aubusson by foot and car. Foreigners belonging to the European Union must bring with them a personal EHIC (European Health Insurance Card), and everybody must, in any case, bring their insurance certificate. If health issues happen on the project, volunteers will have to pay for them, and will then be reimbursed once back in their home country.

Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.