Camp Vamvakia

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Greece Environment Environment Group Fixed dates

About the project

Camp Vamvakia

📝 Detailed information

🏢 About the local organisation

In contACT is a non-profit organization based in rural Northern Greece, committed to empowering young people through arts, creativity, non-formal education, and community engagement. The organization promotes inclusion, equality, and active participation, with a strong focus on gender identities, mental health, diversity, and youth empowerment.

In contACT believes that young people need safe, inspiring, and participatory spaces where they can express themselves, develop skills, and build resilience. Its work is grounded in participatory learning, intercultural dialogue, collective care, and community-based action as drivers for sustainable social change.

💼 What the programme involves

Volunteers are attracted to this project because it combines hands-on environmental and construction-related activities (eco-maintenance, land-based work, small-scale building or repairing) with creative reflection, collective living, and learning. The project offers a balanced experience of practical contribution, artistic and educational processes, and meaningful connection with a local rural community.

Volunteers will participate in a mix of practical, environmental, and community-based activities, such as:
 Environmental maintenance and land-care activities (clean-ups, gardening, landscape care)
 Basic construction or repair tasks using simple tools (eco-structures, maintenance of communal spaces)
 Supporting land-art or site-specific artistic interventions connected to nature and place
 Participation in collective living tasks (shared cooking, cleaning, organizing common areas)
 Engagement in reflection sessions, creative workshops, and group discussions

No previous experience is required. Guidance, supervision, and training will be provided by the hosting team.

Volunteers will be involved for approximately 4–6 hours per day, depending on the activity and weather conditions, with regular breaks and rest time included.

🏠 Accommodation on site

During the training, our home will be Vamvakia village, Serres, at a recreation center located about one hour from Thessaloniki. The venue is surrounded by picturesque, untouched nature on one side, while still being easily accessible via the nearby highway.

Volunteers will be accommodated in shared rooms of 2 to 6 people, depending on availability. The venue offers shared facilities and spacious common areas, which will function not only as accommodation but also as our learning and community space throughout the entire program. This means that we will all take collective care of the space, fostering a sense of shared responsibility and community.

Activities and sessions will take place both indoors and outdoors, making full use of the venue’s natural surroundings and open spaces. To ensure a safe and respectful environment for everyone, the program follows a strict no-drugs policy. In cases of serious disrespect of community agreements, participants may be asked to leave the program without reimbursement.

🍲 Food

The volunteer will be provided with all three daily meals throughout the program.

Meals will be prepared by In Contact’s cooking team and will be primarily vegetarian and vegan, with attention to nourishment, quality, and shared mealtimes as part of the community experience.

Dietary needs, allergies, or preferences can be communicated in advance, and we will do our best to accommodate them in a respectful and inclusive way.

📍 About the location

Vamvakia, Serres, Greece

⚠️ Requirements

There are no formal study or professional requirements for the volunteer. We welcome people from diverse educational, social, and cultural backgrounds.

What matters most to us is that the volunteer:
 Is open-minded, respectful, and curious
 Has an interest in learning, collaboration, and community life
 Feels comfortable working in a team and communicating their needs and boundaries

We strive to create a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment, where everyone is encouraged to be themselves. The volunteer’s well-being, physical and emotional safety, and personal limits are always respected. If there are any health-related needs, access requirements, or personal considerations, we are happy to discuss them in advance and do our best to accommodate them.

We believe that learning happens best when people feel seen, supported, and safe, and we are committed to fostering exactly that kind of space.

Yes, we would like the volunteer to submit a short letter of motivation. This is not about formal writing or “being perfect,” but about giving us a sense of who they are, what motivates them, and why they are interested in this experience.

🤝 Meeting point

Volunteers are expected to arrive independently in Thessaloniki and travel onward to Serres by public transportation. From Serres bus station, our team will pick them up and bring them to the volunteer site.We will provide clear travel instructions in advance and remain available for support during the journey, in order to ensure a smooth and stress-free arrival.