MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN

Tasks to be performed: - Manual watering of species that demand the most water in the summer season. - Implementing drip irrigation systems at specific areas or repairing it in case of leaks or perforations. - Pruning dead, dangerous branches that obstruct the passage at the trails and especially dead or invasive trees or shrubs. - Cleaning of weeds and species that are undesirable for not being representative or not belonging to the flora index of the Garden. - Weeding, felling and uprooting small sized invasive woody species. - Planting species according to existing plant formations. - Conditioning and improving trails to implement the Mediterranean Garden. COMPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES - LEISURE ACTIVITIES: Workshops and group leisure activities will be held. Visit the historic center of Madrid. ACCOMMODATION/FOOD: The Richard Schirrmann youth hostel is in the Casa de Campo quarter, the largest public park in the town of Madrid. The hostel has 4 pavilions for a total of 124 guests. There are double rooms and rooms for 4 people with bunk beds. There are meeting rooms, TV room and hot and cold drinks and snack machines. The hostel is next to the fairground, the zoo, the cable car (which connects the Casa de Campo with the Parque del Oeste [West Park], across the Manzanares river). LOCATION: The activity will be developed at the practice fields of the School of Agriculture, Food and Biosystems Engineering at the Ciudad Universitaria campus, Avenida Complutense No. 3, in the Moncloa district of Madrid. TRAVELLING INSTRUCTIONS: From the airport to the hostel: Metro and Bus. Take the metro line 8 and get off at Nuevos Ministerios station. Then, transfer to metro line 10 towards Puerta del Sur, and get off at Príncipe Pío station. Then, leave the metro and go to the Príncipe Pío transport interchange, take the bus number 33 and get off at the youth hostel stop. From Renfe Atocha station (Madrid): Metro and Bus. Take the metro line 1 towards Pinar de Chamartín, get off at Tribunal station, transfer to take metro line 10 and get off at Principe Pío station. Then, take the bus number 33 and get off at the youth hostel stop. From Méndez Álvaro bus station (Madrid): Metro and Bus. Take the metro line 6 and get off at Príncipe Pío station. Then, leave the metro and go to the Príncipe Pío transport interchange, take the bus number 33 and get off at the youth hostel stop. From Avenida América bus station (Madrid): Metro and Bus. Take the metro line 4 and get off at Argüelles station (last stop). Then, transfer to take line 6, get off at Príncipe Pío station, take the bus number 33 and get off at the youth hostel stop. MEETING POINT: From 17.00 h. at Richard Shirrmann hostel. LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English THINGS TO BRING: European Health Card for EU volunteers. Sturdy boots or footwear to walk in nature (at work, we recommend not to wear sandals, slippers or other kind of shoes that leave bare feet as it would be risky while using hoes and other garden equipment). Working gloves. Sportswear, towel, cleaning supplies, swimsuit, appropriate footwear (sport and bathroom), cap, sunscreen, small backpack for excursions. If you like, you can bring books, musical instruments, etc. There is no need to bring a sleeping bag. Transport to the workcamp area is paid for by the participant. SPECIFIC GOALS: - Develop respectful attitudes towards traditional models of environmental management. - Investigate land management systems that may act as a replicable model of productive structures based on sustainable management of biodiversity in rural areas. - Encourage processes of education, awareness, integration and coexistence among participants. - Value volunteer, group and interdisciplinary work. PROFILE - COMMITMENT OF PARTICIPANTS: The workcamp targets young people between 18 and 30 interested in the environment. INTERNAL RULES: A workcamp is an activity in which a group of young people from different backgrounds, voluntarily and selflessly work to develop a social aimed work project and complementary activities during a set period of time. Performing the project is a way to promote values of coexistence, tolerance, solidarity, participation, intercultural learning, etc. From Monday to Friday morning the actual work of the workcamp will be carried out. A technical director will supervise the tasks. In the afternoon, as well as on the weekends, leisure and recreation activities will be held. A team of monitors will be available for the programmed excursions. Regarding volunteers As the workcamp is a community of specific objectives, each participant must assume the basic principles stated above, which are mandatory rules: 1.- Working selflessly during the hours stipulated in the project for five days a week. 2.- Collaborate in the organization of the schedule of entertainment activities and participate in them. 3.- Contribute to the general organization of the workcamp in its specific tasks. 4.- Respect the different ideological beliefs and the personal differences of participants. 5.- Stay on the workcamp for its whole duration. 6.- Respect the internal and coexistence rules of each workcamp, including: - Accept the indications of the responsible staff for each activity. - Meet schedules. - Do not use private vehicles for the duration of the workcamp. - Do not consume alcohol or/and illegal drugs. - No outsiders are allowed in the workcamp. 7- Active participation and generous collaboration, help mates and contribute contribute value that will enrich the group. The non-acceptance or non-compliance with established rules may result in immediate expulsion from the workcamp. CONTACTS: Workcamp Programme, Department of Youth and Sports (Programa Campos de Trabajo, Dirección General de Juventud y Deportes), phone number.: 91/ 276 75 19, Pº Recoletos 14- 3th. floor, 28001, Madrid. Service hours: 9.00 - 14.00 Monday to Friday. EMERGENCY NUMBER: 638 218 441 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Workcamps are a way of approaching the voluntary work, mainly from the coexistence in a group of youth involved in a project of social dimension. Participants are usually young people from different countries or communities, therefore coexistence is based on mutual respect and non-discrimination for ideas and beliefs on sex, race or social origin. Participation is entirely voluntary, however, as in every group, there are rules to be met that must be known before the enrolment. This will permit young people to experience life in group and life at the Community where they offer their voluntary service, to discover different cultures as well as historical and socio-economic reality of a country or a specific region. A WORKCAMP IS: Rules: A place of creation where respecting rules by all participants helps create an atmosphere of friendship, participation and collaboration Environment: One way to understand and integrate into the environment where the workcamp is run (through activities, excursions, etc). Experience: A way to break away from routine activities and open up to new experiences. Work: Active and joint participation in a social service for the community where the workcamp is run. Entertainment: Enjoying novel, uncommon activities, as an alternative to typical holidays. Values: An experience of group life. Leaving individualism by experiencing the values of group life. Acquisition of social values (tolerance, solidarity, ...) Willingness: A group of participants willing to live, work and play together an adapting to the group. Meeting: A meeting place of people from different backgrounds where their culture and customs are exchanged. Availability: A place where everything is done by all. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: It is very important that all the volunteers CHECK REGULARLY THEIR CONTACT EMAIL for further information about the work camp, as some details, especially the contact and emergency numbers, may change. Mind the junk mail folder as sometimes our emails end up in there.