📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
It has been 8 years now since the Normandie-Maine Concordia regional office settled in the popular neighbourhood of Le Mans called Les Sablons. The goal of its establishment was the creation of various volunteering projects as part of the social development of the city. Indeed, it would open this neighbourhood to an international scale through the creation of a real dynamic in which local inhabitants and youth would get involved. Concordia has been organising international workcamps for the past 5 years in order to develop local activities for the kids and inhabitants of the neighbourhood.
💼 What the programme involves
You will be supervised by leaders for the organisation of animations in the district with the local kids and inhabitants. It will allow the valorisation of their artistic and cultural abilities. This workcamp will enable the youth of Les Sablons to take part in free activities organised in the heart of their neighbourhood and to become aware of intercultural meetings and international commitment. A particular attention will be paid to the participation of the residents, local organisations and the youth in the creation of activities to develop local events.
🏠 Accommodation on site
You will be sharing a collective accommodation in 2 flats in the neighbourhood, with basic living conditions. There will be rooms of 4 or 5 people with mattresses provided by Concordia. 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. Bring your sleeping-bag with you.
📍 About the location
Le Mans (143000 inhabitants) is located in the West of France. It is the administrative centre of the Sarthe County, in the Pays de La Loire region (50 minutes from Paris, and 1h30 from Nantes by train). You will have time to discover the city. Le Mans is a beautiful city full of art and history, it is the third one of the Pays de la Loire region when it comes to culture and tourism. The old city center is surrounded by Roman walls and the most recent renovation works organised to preserve the oldest parts of Le Mans have helped to enhance its local heritage. Two rivers cross the city which has been named one of France greenest cities. You will find numerous parks and gardens over there, in addition to the two big forests bordering the city. During summer, many festivals and events are organized, such as “La Nuit des Chimères” which highlights the historical heritage of the town. At night, the walls of the cathedral and monuments of the old city turn into projection screens. A must see! For more information about the city: www.lemans.fr
⚠️ Requirements
This project is supported by the OFAJ, the French-German Youth Office. Some volunteers from France, Germany and Spanish may be eligible to have their travel costs supported on the presentation of original receipts.
Volunteers should be interested in child/youth animation and come with ideas (original games, outdoor activities, workshops about recycling and materials recovery…).
Don’t forget your sleeping bag!
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 it, and then be reimbursed once back in their home country.