ESC: Fruits and Campfires 2022
Code: 31161 Copied
Latvia
European Voluntary Service
Environment
European Voluntary Service
Environment
Fixed dates
About the project
ESC: Fruits and Campfires 2022
📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
The non-profit association "Biedrība Zadiņi" is a community driven action group of 12 members and a circle of active helpers that focuses on the promotion of sustainable living, collective intelligence and deep adaptation concerning environmental developments. It is based on a homestead in the North-East of Latvia and is working in a close relationship with the locals of the nearby village Launkalne.
In 2018 it became part of the global eco village network GEN and is currently among the only open permaculture farms in the Baltic states. By applying traditional practices coupled with modern ethics it supports healthy human relationships, diverse social interaction, shared work and regenerative agriculture.
During the warmer season the homestead welcomes volunteers, organises nature pedagogical camps for grammar school children, offers a diverse range of workshops for adults and is open for collaborations dealing with environmental protection, civic education, off-grid technology, velo culture, art activism and non-violent communication.
The association as such was founded in May 2019 but the individual members have a long record of experience in social work, agriculture, art and research.
They are currently working on the first Agroforestry demo site in Latvia and have been the host for the Latvian Permaculture festival for three times.
💼 What the programme involves
During the second activity of the project “Fruits & Campfires 2022”, an international team of volunteers, consisting of five participants from Latvia and five from Georgia, will spend three weeks in the Open Homestead "Zadiņi" in Latvia and, in keeping with the principle of mutual solidarity, will work together with organizations to promote sustainable lifestyles. Activities will take place from 15th of July 2022 to 1st of August 2022.
In "Zadiņi" we are looking for alternatives to cost-intensive rural building and are constantly testing different types of natural building techniques. We would like to introduce volunteers to different forms of building with clay, straw and wood, eg. benches, huts, houses, ovens etc. so that they get a wider horizon on building alternatives that do not harm nature. This year there is a plan to build a sustainable hen house and maintain a forest garden during the project activity.
🏠 Accommodation on site
Volunteers are sleeping in a specially made "hay hotel" with dividing walls of fabric for privacy, access to electricity and both a compost and a conventional toilet available. As a back up for people with different needs there is the possibility to stay on mattresses inside one of the houses.
Food is prepared by the cook with a hep of volunteers. Menu is decided together, following the principle "vegetarian by default", and eating local, seasonal and diverse.
The volunteers are encouraged, if possible, to travel as environmentally friendly as possible.
🎒 Leisure activities
During first 3 days volunteers will participate in on-arrival training activities, where they will meet their mentors and get to know each other better. During this training such topics will be covered: project aim and structure, setting individual learning goals, Youthpass, crisis management, intercultural learning.
On the first day of the project a short tour of the homestead concerning its safety rules will be held and questions will be answered.
Volunteers will have a chance to learn basic principles of permaculture, sustainable building and community building.
⚠️ Requirements
The Participant profil: The team of participants respects gender balance and diversity – equal boys and girls number, as well as the same number of participants from rural areas and cities. Half groups are formed in society active young people and half of young people with reduced opportunities, including mobility disorders; and mental health problems.
It is important to us that participants are informed beforehand that volunteering at our homestead and within this project is not a
simple mean of traveling and leisure time activities, but an agreement to engage in tasks and being open to learning processes.
Deadline: Application deadline: 12/07/2022
Deadline: Application deadline: 12/07/2022
ℹ️ Additional information
Participants are entitled to receive a Youthpass certificate from the organiser, for recognition of their competence development during the activity. Read more about Youthpass:https://www.youthpass.eu/en/
This organisation holds a European Solidarity Corps Quality Label. The Quality Label certifies that the organisation is able to run projects in compliance with the principles and objectives of the European Solidarity Corps.
Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.
Sign in to apply📅 Available sessions
LV31161
15/07/2022 → 01/08/2022
Volunteers registered
0 / 2
♂ 0/1
♀ 0/1
Deadline: 12/07/2022
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
Smiltene Municipality, LV-4729, Latvia
Latvia
🌍 Location info
Local currency
Euro Member Countries (EUR / €)
Timezone
Eastern European Standard Time
Local time: 21:08 (12/11/2026)
🛡️ Before you leave
✅ Features
🏠 Accommodation
Collective
🗣️ Languages spoken
English
Latvian
Russian
Lithuanian