📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
In the heart of the Hautes Alpes region, the association “Les Villages des Jeunes” (www.villagesdesjeunes.org), in partnership with the SIVU of Haute-Maraize, has been managing, renovating, and reviving the reception centre of le Faï since 1990. It is a former agriculture domain situated at an altitude of 1000 meters. The old buildings of the farm have been developed into small apartments and group accommodations. At le Faï, from April to December, the association organises inclusion projects for local people facing social and professional difficulties, and host teenagers and young adults experiencing family, health or professional difficulties, in order to give them a possibility to get professional experience. In the summer, the Faï is also a place where professional artists and musicians come to work in and with this extraordinary place. Together, they create and perform at the yearly festivals that take place at the Faï, such as FestiFaï, Échos, and La Montagne qui chante (The Mountain that Sings). The international workcamps organised at the Faï contribute to make this place something especial where people of different ages, from different countries and cultures, employees and volunteers, artists and tourists, live and work together for some days or several months. We hope that you will also join this spirit of encountering and working together which bring our project to life.
💼 What the programme involves
In 2017, the work to protect the water source of the farm was started. This water source is in a small forest accessible to animals and hikers. With the aim to protect this water source, the project will focus on creating a fence around this place. Different techniques will be needed: masonry, gardening work, brush clearing, and especially techniques of laying a fence and a gate. In addition, a gardening project was started a few years ago in Faï! Those who want can contribute to the work related to this project: development of the greenhouse (ventilation, insulation, exterior cladding, liming of windows ...); wooden construction (vermicompost, chassis, insect house, perches, storage cabin, chassis, stakes); water management (recovery of rainwater, irrigation system).
🏠 Accommodation on site
In individual tents located in the welcome center of Faï, Le Saix, where volunteers from other workcamps will stay there as well. You will also have access to the bathrooms and the welcome center rooms. The leaders team will encourage you to become involved with the community's life : menu and meal preparation using local produce, dish-washing, and clean up.
📍 About the location
The Le Faï farm (3 km from the village of Saix and 30 km from Gap).
Leisure activities : Surrounded by extraordinary nature, the Faï is an ideal place to discover mountain hiking and the rural villages farmers’ markets and local products. In the evenings you can organise games, film nights, international meals… You will also have the opportunity to organise more “touristic” trips to the towns and villages of the region.