ESC: Esc Team in Balocchi Hostel: caring for donkeys and maintaining forest

Code: 50845 Copied

Italy European Voluntary Service Environment Social work Culture European Voluntary Service Environment +2 Fixed dates

About the project

📝 Detailed information

💼 What the programme involves

Ostello dei Balocchi is located in Casalino di Ligonchio at 1000 meters altitude in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park, a UNESCO MAB area, in the province of Reggio Emilia. Managed by Legambiente Ligonchio, it serves as an Environmental Education Center offering donkey tourism, artistic workshops, and nature-immersed stays. The ESC Team at Ostello dei Balocchi runs a one-month intensive volunteering program, with activities 4 days a week for up to 36 hours. Volunteers handle hostel and Ravinart park maintenance, donkey care (including trekking and outdoor sessions), trail cleaning, educational activities and intercultural meetings with seniors. All takes place in an immersive natural setting, promoting environmental sustainability and social cohesion through the European Solidarity Corps Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas program.

🏠 Accommodation on site

Pocket money: 23€ per day (the traveling expenses are included in this total sum). Accommodation: will be provided inside the hostel managed by the organisation, inside a triple/doble rooms shared with other volunteers. Food breakfast lunch and dinner will be provided, extra food will be bought by volunteer on their cost.

🎒 Leisure activities

On arrival training: first 2 days - organized by the coordinating organization Associazione Joint. Final evaluation with Youhpass Certificate and last 2 days.

⚠️ Requirements

The Participant profile: LAST CALL (We're looking for males, preferably to balance out the group). MUST be resident /citizen of an EU country. Available for the whole period of the project (18/04/25 - 18/05/25). aged 18 to 30; interested in living in the nature and in an isolated area; ready for activities with donkeys; open for physical or manual work and “get hands dirty”; ready for trekking experiences; ready to cook for the others; proactive and respectful; ready to go out from comfort zone, experiment, and explore; at least intermediate knowledge of English; ready to share private spaces with the team; be open minded; positive and peaceful attitude; flexibility to adapt to possible changes;
Deadline: 08/04/2026 00:00

ℹ️ Additional information

The project is implemented under the European Solidarity Corps Programme, financed by the European Commission.
The participating organisations have to be mindful of these needs as they are responsible for providing a respectful and trusting hosting environment. At the same time, the organisations participating in the initiative devote a great deal of time, energy and resources to set up a high-quality activity; they should therefore expect that European Solidarity Corps participants show a similar level of respect for the local communities and the people that are directly concerned by the activities (https://youth.europa.eu/solidarity/mission_en).
What do we provide ?

Training before and after the project
Health insurance during your project
round-trip travel reimbursement
accommodation and food
pocket money
language course
Return Week-end
Youth Pass and SVI international Volunteer passport

Before applying for this volunteering project, you need to enroll yourself at European Solidarity Corps Platform (https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity_en) and specify your European Solidarity Corps Participant Number (PRN).
This organisation holds a European Solidarity Corps Quality Label.
Contact the ESC coordinator at +32 2 888 67 13 to get more informations.

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

📅 Available sessions

IT50845

18/04/2026 → 19/05/2026

Closed

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Deadline: 08/04/2026

ℹ️ Key information

Age required

18–30 years old

Solidarity donation

0.00 EUR

French tax residents may be eligible for a tax reduction of up to 66% of their costs (membership, plane tickets, solidarity donation).

📍 Location

42039 Casalino, Province of Reggio Emilia, Italy

Italy

🌍 Location info

Local currency

Euro Member Countries (EUR / €)

Timezone

Central European Summer Time

Local time: 21:41 (12/11/2026)

🛡️ Before you leave

Security information

📞 Contact us

[email protected]

+32 2 888 67 13

Contact form

✅ Features

🏠 Accommodation

Collective

🗣️ Languages spoken

English Italian