📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
Villa Olanda is an old mansion house which is located in Luserna S.Giovanni a small village in the Val Pellice near Pinerolo (Turin). The villa has a long history, from the residence of the 1800 local lords, then has been a hotel since the beginning of '900, a shelter for the Russians during the revolution during and after World War II and finally had different destinies and uses of little success that they left to decay for several decades. Villa Olanda is a large building with a large park and a potential which has remained untapped for a long time, a wealth denied to local communities. The Synodal Commission for the diaconate (or Diakonia Valdese) is working to return this building to the territory, making it a meeting place. Right now the building has different realities: a local radio station, Radio Beckwith, a hosting service for refugees and asylum seekers, and a service for young people of the territory. This last one creates opportunities for groups of young people (boys and girls) of the area, in particular by proposing international programs that may give a chance to the inhabitants of rural areas to be able to compare with diversity.
💼 What the programme involves
Volunteers will be involved in activities that will give them a chance to interact and build a close-knit team. They will also give them the opportunity to express themselves and develop their sense of initiative. The proposed work goes in two directions: to maintain and at the same time beautify the structure to make it more welcoming for the local community. The proposed works are of a creative type and maintenance:
- Cleaning and rearrangement of stone walls that are found in the park of Villa Olanda and surrounding it (reconstruction of damaged parts of the wall, cleaning of weeds).
- Maintenance of the park (gardening, cleaning leaves, readjustment abandoned areas, plants repositioning).
- Development and provision of one or more beautification murals on the walls of the structure, internal and external.
- Silk screen T-shirts and pins with production organization logos and / or activities offered by the organization.
The four groups will each be coordinated by dedicated people who deal with these activities during the year at the Diakonia Valdese. Furthermore an operator of Diakonia Valdese will be present for all 10 days to supervise the group of minors, accompanied by a seated operator provided by the IBO.
🏠 Accommodation on site
Volunteers will stay in the same structure that has a floor used as hostels. The structure can accommodate 20 persons in rooms for 3/4 people, with private bathroom.
Volunteers will have a kitchen and shifts will be organized to prepare lunch, dinner and breakfast. We will be also organized the cleaning shifts. Diakonia Valdese will supply the kitchen constantly devoting an operator specifically for this purpose, so as to meet the needs of the group.
The property has wi-fi and space for recreation with table football and table tennis and a football field / volleyball.
Operators who will accompany the group for all 10 days will propose activities to the teenagers during free time (games, watching movies, musical evenings, etc ..). You can organize walks and outdoor activities during free days.