Study to Speak, Speak to Understand

Name: Study to Speak, Speak to Understand
Start: 2020-08-02
End: 2020-08-31
Location: Perpignan, France

Code: 77bcf10d-5fb8-11ea-a9b2-00505603f1ab Copied

France Languages Manual work Social work Languages Manual work +1 Fixed dates

About the project

📝 Detailed information

🏢 About the local organisation

The project is an international voluntary camp with a language study part. Participants of the project will learn the French language and will be able to use their newly found communication skills with people from the local community. They will be a part of the every day life of the association Epicerie Solidaire.

PARTNER:
EPICERIE SOLIDAIRE runs a grocery store based on the principle of Social and Solidarity Economy. Here local people in need can receive food products at very low prices, they can also bring their children who will receive qualified help with school work. Young people can take part in sport classes or organise events themselves. The project partner EPICERIE SOLIDAIRE is located in Elne (Perpignan, South of France).

💼 What the programme involves

WORK PART:

The volunteers are invited to assist in the day to day running of the grocery store and complete the following tasks:

■ participate in collecting the products, restocking the shelves, grocery check-out and greeting the beneficiaries. It is important to help them in the shop, since building social relations is a part of the association’s priorities.
■ help to organise various workshops.
Volunteers will work 20-25 hours per week (Monday till Friday), approx 4 hours per day

STUDY PART:

Participants will spend 3 hours per day learning French thanks to native French teachers . This language course is designed to immerse participants into southern French culture. The goal of the course is to break communication barriers and learn about the region of Occitanie. The volunteers can immediately use their new language skills by participating in the social projects of the local host.

Important: A minimum of A2 level of language proficiency is required to take part in the course!

🏠 Accommodation on site

In Perpignan (15 min bus ride from Elne). The volunteers will stay in houses with all facilities, bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, shower and toilet. Free transport tickets will be provided for the city and its surroundings.

🍲 Food

The food will be prepared on a self-catering basis (Participants will be given a budgets) – the group will cook and clean for themselves, by a daily rota. You will have the chance to learn different recipes of national cuisine from other countries, thanks to the multiculturalism of the group.

📍 About the location

The town Elne is located on the coast of the Mediterranian sea, region Occitanie, France. The nearest large town, where volunteers will be accommodated, is Perpignan. It is located 13 km west of the Mediterranean coast, close to the border of Spain.

🎒 Leisure activities

If you love history and want to learn more about our region, you can enjoy our wonderful cultural heritage such as, the medieval city of Villefranche-de-Conflent, the city of Carcassonne or the Castillet which is a must in the city of Perpignan. You may have to pay a fee, but you can check the website of the Perpignan Tourist Office for further information.
The covered halls located in the city centre are home to more than twenty food artisans. It is possible to eat on site. They are open from Tuesday to Sunday. Only 1h30 from Perpignan, you can go to Girona to enjoy its large shopping centre and its beautiful city which is rich in cultural heritage.
Another 2 hours from Perpignan, you can visit Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia. You will then be able to enjoy this beautiful city which is very lively and full of culture!
Every year, during the first week of September, the “Visa Pour l'Image” takes place which is a well-known photojournalism festival in France. It is located in the centre of the city of Perpignan.

Summer temperatures in the south of France are quite high and can easily exceed 30°C. Here are some refreshing activities to help you cope with this heat! You can enjoy the beach of Argelès-Sur-Mer which is a few minutes by bus or car from Epicerie Solidaire. You can also take a bus to the beach to spend a day in a beautiful setting! If you like to celebrate, you can go to “La rue de la soif” which is located in Canet en Roussillon. It is a place open only in summer where you will find several bars with a very festive atmosphere. During the first weeks of July, you will be able to enjoy the two major festivals, Electrobeach and Les Déferlantes. By train or bus, you can visit Montpellier or Toulouse which are not very far from Perpignan. Both big cities are located just two hours away. Mountain activities are also very diverse in summer so you can make the most of them. Access to the mountain is possible by bus.

⚠️ Requirements

A2 level in French.

🤝 Meeting point

The meeting point and how to get there will be included in the infosheet which will be sent to the participants of the project.

ℹ️ Additional information

Don’t forget the extra fee for the study part of the project — 200 euro. The required minimum level of French is A2. The language of the project is FRENCH.

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