📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
AsociaciEn Carcajada de Villena. This association tries to promote summer educational camps for kids with less opportunities of Villena. Villena is a medium size town hall located 50 km away from Alicante. It basically lives on agriculture and it is far away from the influence of tourism, so economical level is quite low. The city hall of Biar, that is a very close town with similar characteristics is also supporting with the lodging of the volunteers.
💼 What the programme involves
The main aim of the Urban Summer Camp in Biar for children of Villena is to provide intensive experience of enjoying free time and English experience language for kids and teenagers during two weeks in summer. There fore we are asking with this project that some international teens are able to participate in such experience as normal participants but taking some kind of initiative to encourage the mix of youngsters.The camp program includes games, activities, workshops, sports, excursions, swimming pool, etc. Simultaneously, the workshops will try to teach other values such as intercultural, tolerance, the respect for the environment and promote the culture of peace. The language of the camp is English. Volunteers will help to participate an be active in workshops in English and Spanish for local children and teenagers. Activating kids and teenagers, providing cross-cultural learning experience for them as well as English language environment. It will be done through the games, workshops, sport activities, excursions, discussions, etc. Age of kids is 8-16 y/o. There will be local monitors from Carcajada Association who are responsible to propose and organize activities. Each day, approx. four to six hours workshop/activities will be given in the mornings. The aim is that volunteers communicate with children in English, to encourage them to overcome the fear of speaking in a foreign language through non-formal educational methods and setting. In first two days of the workcamp participants will spend time together to know the program and prepared and propose some owns workshops in relation with your capacity, interest or ability. We want that the volunteers can be involved and take part of the all project. If you like dance, you can propose teach a dance; if you practice handball, organize a competition, etc.
🏠 Accommodation on site
Local hostel. Volunteers will be sharing the hostel with the local kids that will be joining to the Urban Summer Camp. They will have a separate room from the other kids which is equipped with bunk beds. A summer sleeping bag and lower sheets will be needed. The food will be provided by the hostel.
📍 About the location
Biar lies 39 km from Alicante in the mountain range called Sierra Mariola, Biar was once called Apiarium which comes from the Roman word for beehive because this area was rich in aromatic herbs which made for a very prosperous production of honey. It is a small and nice town which has its places of historical interest, beautiful natural sites and landscapes.From the Ogival Aqueduct we can contemplate one of the most characteristic and beautiful landscapes of Biar, to which is added the majestic presence of the Biar castle. The Ogival Aqueduct is about 70 meters long. Its antiquity is documented in 1490.The Muslim Castle, which presides over Biar old centre, dates back to the 12th century and is one of the main attractions of the village. It was declared a National Monument in 1931 and it preserves the most ancient Almohad Vault from the 12th century. Today, the Castle has interpretive panels and sound systems for a better understanding of its history.Biar preserves one of the most important monumental ensembles in the Valencia Region. If you walk around its historic centre, you may discover a labyrinth of narrow and steep passages that spread from the Castle in all directions.Due to its location, the Biar mountain offers the possibility of practicing all kinds of outdoor sports, observing and enjoying the landscape. For lovers of hiking, the areas of Fontanella, Reconco and Penya TallEU are highly appreciated. All of them can be easily accessed from the town center. Most of the paths spread from the Sanctuary of Nuestra SeE ora de Gracia, a well maintained recreational area. From the Paseo del PlEUtano (The Plane-Tree Walk), you can take a leisurely stroll up to the Sanctuary.