ECO-CENTRES

Name: ECO-CENTRES
Start: 2021-01-01
End: 2028-11-18
Location: Cork, Ireland

Code: 1e162b99-4d22-11ec-ab41-fa163ef8d720 Copied

Ireland Farming Environment Farming Environment Permanent

About the project

ECO-CENTRES

📝 Detailed information

🏢 About the local organisation

Our partner in Ireland is an Irish based organisation committed to promote responsible volunteering in Irish communities. They are welcoming and placing over 100 volunteers each year and their staff have years of experience supporting international volunteers and placing them in local projects. They are driven to provide a positive and sustainable impact alongside their local partners. Their volunteer programs involve an immersion within local communities and the Irish culture. The programs allow participants contribute their skills and energy to support local projects in achieving their goals. Programs are also designed to encourage participants to learn and reflect on their experience. They support participants and all throughout their program, from the orientation workshop until the final evaluation. All volunteers start their program in friendly and vibrant city of Cork before joining their host project.

💼 What the programme involves

Our partner organisation collaborates with two Eco-Centres which are non-profit organisation focusing on ecology and sustainability. One of the project focuses on Organic Vegetable Growing while the other focuses on Sustainable building. These projects are venues for events such as workshops, courses, conferences. They include an organic vegetable and fruit gardens and woodland areas. These places have strong ethos and focus on sustainable living: creating an environmentally sustainable activity having a minimal impact on the planet.

Volunteer work includes: Gardening & outdoor work, facilities maintenance, administration assistance, cooking etc.

🏠 Accommodation on site

In oune of the projects, volunteers are living on the project location, they normally have their own bedroom but might, on occasion, share a bedroom with another volunteer. There is a shared living area. Wi-Fi is available. Bedding, towels, basic toiletries, hairdryer, laundry and cleaning products are provided. Food is provided for them.

In the other project, volunteers are hosted in a terraced house with 3 bedrooms (one with two beds, two with one bed), with fully equipped kitchen, one bathroom and one sitting room. From time to time, another accommodation located in the same place with 3-4 beds (dormitory style – location on the same property) with fully equipped kitchen and bathroom may be used temporarily instead of one of the main house. There are in general 2-4 volunteers living on site. Bed linen and towels are provided, there is a washing machine available. Participants are responsible for buying groceries and preparing their meals. The host project provides participants with a modest allowance to cover food (basics) and electricity/energy. Wi-fi is available on the property but the signal is only reliable in certain area of the property, participants can also access internet through the mobile network.

🍲 Food

Food is either provided by the project organization or the project organization provides a weekly stipend for the volunteers to use for groceries. The volunteers will cook together in the common kitchen.

📍 About the location

In various locations accross the country.

Ireland, an island located off the west coast of Europe, boasts a rich history dating back millennia. It has been inhabited since prehistoric times, marked by the arrival of the Celts, and was Christianized in the early Middle Ages. Ireland endured centuries of English domination, characterized by periods of revolt and conflict, before largely achieving independence in the 20th century.

Geographically, Ireland is characterized by lush green landscapes, stunning coastlines, and fertile farmland. It is also dotted with vibrant cities such as Dublin, Cork, and Galway, which serve as important economic and cultural centers.

In terms of the nonprofit sector, Ireland is home to a multitude of organizations engaged in various fields such as education, health, environment, and human rights. Renowned charities like St Vincent de Paul, the Cancer Society and Amnesty International Ireland work to improve the lives of the less fortunate and promote social justice. Additionally, Ireland is known for its strong tradition of community volunteering, with many citizens actively involved in local initiatives to support their communities.

🎒 Leisure activities

Ireland is a wonderful place to visit. From vibrant, exciting cities like Dublin, Cork or Galway or Belfast to breath-taking landscapes along the Wild Atlantic Way. Attractions include the world-famous sceneries of Connemara and West Cork, the ring of Kerry, the cliffs of Moher, the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin etc. There is also a multitude of less touristic but equally interesting places to visit and activities to do such as whale watching in county Cork! Our partner's staff will give volunteers further information on visits and excursions during their orientation and in the welcome pack.

⚠️ Requirements

- Participants must be over 18 years old when programme starts.
- Mature, flexible and adaptable personality to be assessed by sending organisation during an interview
- Intermediate level of English is required, to be assessed by sending organisation
- Participants must have a comprehensive travel, health and public liability insurance
- Most projects require a criminal background check
- Medical form from host organisation must be filled out by participant’s doctor must be submitted with the application
- Dietary requirements and other special needs must be disclosed to CTL at the beginning of the application
process

🤝 Meeting point

Participants must arrive on specific start dates (see below). Participants can arrive at Cork airport (well connected to Paris, London, Munich, Amsterdam and more) or Dublin airport before 2pm (and take a direct bus to Cork city from Dublin airport). Participants are picked up on arrival. Participants are transferred to a Hostel, located in Cork city centre.

Partipants take par in an orientation programme on arrival: welcome dinner on the Monday night, workshop on Tuesday morning and walking tour on Tuesday afternoon. Participants are transfered to host community by public transport on Tuesday afternoon/evening or Wednesday morning (for one of the project, in this case, they spend a second night in Cork).

Arrival dates 2025 are on the following Mondays:
January 6th
January 27th
February 17th
March 10th
April 7th
April 28th
May 19th
June 9th
June 30th
July 7th
July 28th
September 8th
October 6th
November 3rd
Included
§ Pick up in Cork on arrival date
§ 1st night in hostel shared accommodation in
Cork city
§ Orientation day with CTL staff
§ Transfer to project
§ All meals except lunch on arrival day
§ Accommodation at project or in host family
§ Ongoing support from project mentor
§ Assistance and back up support from CTL Ireland
staff
§ 24/7 emergency support
Not Included

§ Return transfer to airport (CTL can assist with
this)
§ Lunch on arrival day
§ Meals during personal travel
§ Local transportation to project where applicable

For participants who take part in language classes, arrival is on a Sunday preceding the start date.

Early arrivals:

If a participant arrives earlier than the arrival date, they should arrange their accommodation and transfer themselves: they can choose to go to Sheilas Hostel which is where participants are generally staying during the orientation (https://sheilashostel.ie/). They should book their accommodation as early as possible as hostels and hotels are often full (alternative hostel: https://bruhostel.com/ or check with booking.com). For the transfer: if the participant arrives at Cork airport, the easiest is to take a taxi (just outside the terminal - it costs around €20) there is also a public bus departing outside the terminal going to Cork city centre (https://www.corkairport.com/to-from-the-airport/book-a-coach-ticket). If they arrive in Cork by bus or train, they can either walk to your accommodation or take one of the local taxis which are generally easy to find on the street or you can call a taxi company: https://www.satellitetaxis.ie/.Participants arriving early should get in touch with us on Monday (programme arrival date) to confirm the meeting time with her for the welcome dinner.

Optional: the host organisation can arrange pick-up transfer and accommodation (shared dorm in hostel) for early arrival for an extra €80.

ℹ️ Additional information

Minimum time of commitment: 4 weeks.

Optional English classes: the courses focus on developing vocabulary as well as pronunciation and interactive communication. The teachers will help develop participant’s English communication skills for everyday situations. Language programmes can be combined with a volunteering programme.

Departures :
Our partner will give information to the volunteers on how to reach the airport. The airports are well connected by public transport it is something participant find easy to do. The cost of the return transfer is not included in the programme. We advise participants to book a flight departing later in the afternoon as it will take time to reach the airport by public transport. If participant book an early flight, they may have to leave your host community the day before their departure and will have to book a night in a hotel/hostel near the airport (cost to be covered by participant).

Included:
- Pick up in Cork
- First night in hostel shared accommodation in Cork city
- Orientation day with partner organisation staff
- Transfer to project
- All meals except lunch on arrival day
- Residential accomodation at project or in shared house
- Ongoing support from project mentor
- Assistance and back up support from partner organisation staff
- 24/7 emergency support

Not included
- Return transfer to airport (partner organisation can assist with this)
- Lunch on arrival day
- Meals during personal travel

Prices 2025:

Accommodation (residential)
3 weeks €1140
4 weeks €1260
5 weeks €1380
6 weeks €1500

7 weeks €1620
8 weeks €1740
9 weeks €1860
10 weeks €1980
11 weeks €2100
12 weeks €2220

13 weeks €2340
14 weeks €2460
15 weeks €2580
16 weeks €2700
18 weeks €2940

20 weeks €3180
22 weeks €3420
24 weeks €3660

Accommodation (Host Family)

3 weeks €1340
4 weeks €1575
5 weeks €1810
6 weeks €2045
7 weeks €2280
8 weeks €2515
9 weeks €2750
10 weeks €2985
11 weeks €3220
12 weeks €3455
13 weeks €3690
14 weeks €3925
15 weeks €4160
16 weeks €4395

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