SCI WORKCAMPS 2013

It is that time of the year again! The new camp season of SCI has opened. The database of (short-term) voluntary projects (also called`work camps`) is full of new volunteering opportunities!

GAIA invites everyone who wants to experience a few weeks of international solidarity, intercultural exchange and friendship combined with fun and adventure to start searching for the project of your choice. The online database is filled with voluntary projects in a high number of countries, presenting all kinds of activities in different thematic fields. You can start your search today and apply immediately!

Diversity of work camps all around the world

Every year thousands of short-term voluntary projects are organized in different fields and with different types of voluntary work. There is always something that will interest you. For example, did it ever occur to you that you could go abroad to?

…collect receipts of traditional Roma kuzhine in Kosovo?
…Experience life in an eco-village in Finland?
…Run activities for refugees in Kenya?
…Work with children from asylum seekers in Belgium

More about the work camps: Contributing to peace

Short-term voluntary projects aim to break down barriers between people and develop intercultural understanding. In that way they contribute to building a culture of peace among people. The projects place a strong emphasis on intercultural learning and include elements of peace education. There are many different projects to choose from and they are open to everyone.

Accessibility of work camps

SCI is a non-profit organization and therefore able to keep participation fees low. This makes the work camps accessible to people with fewer resources. In some countries SCI has special programs for young people with fewer opportunities that facilitate their participation in short-term projects.

Find your project!

All this and much more is what you can do as a volunteer on an SCI work camp. If you got enthusiastic then we invite you to search for the short-term project of your choice in this online database: http://www.workcamps.info

In this database you can search for short-term voluntary projects, also commonly known within SCI as ‘work camps’. These projects are organized in cooperation with SCI branches and partner organizations, which in their turn cooperate with local communities. A short-term voluntary project is a unique form of volunteering, bringing together people from different countries, cultures and backgrounds to live and work together with local communities for a period of two to three weeks.

When you enter the online database go on SEARCH option, set the Start and End Dates of the period of your availability. Click the Go button to perform an initial search to see the availability of camps by Topic, Region or Country.

Optionally, select any Topic, Region or Country to narrow your search. The Region and Country searches are mutually exclusive. Use Ctrl+Click to select more than one country.

Optionally, select any of the Family Camp, Mixed Age Camp or Suitable for the Disabled check boxes to suit your personal circumstances.

If you need any help or advice please contact us to [email protected]

with the email subject: SCI WORKCAMPS

You can choose more than one work camp!

 

You can also choose to volunteer in the workcamps in Kosovo!
This year we will have two work camps, one in the village Shime/Štimlje and another one in the village Plemetina, more about them find below:

Introduction: Shtime/Štimlje is a medium sized rural town with a back drop of green hills that is only thirty kilometers from the capital of Kosovo – Prishtina. The town is sitting on the main road between Prishtina and Prizren (a city considered the most beautiful in Kosovo) this ensures a steady stream of buses to allow you to explore other parts of Kosovo. Shtime/Štimlje is quite a conservative community made up of mostly ethnic Albanians, with large minority community of Ashkali and a few Roma.

Type of work: Participants will renovate the local Learning Center. The Shtime/Štimlje Learning Center serves approximately 70 children each day in the language club, homework help, and preschool programs. Learning center serves a predominately Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian population. Volunteers will paint the walls, fix the windows, fix the insulation, clean, repairing small damages, etc.

Study theme: Volunteers will have the possibility to explore the history and culture of Shtime, the culture of the Ashkali and Albanian communities and how they sit alongside each other. They will learn on the topic of Peace and Human Rights education. Workshops will be implemented by local youth and SCI Peace Messengers.

Accommodation: Volunteers will be accommodated in one of the houses of an Ashkali family. Living conditions are basic, there is possibility of water and electricity cuts. Food will be prepared by the participants. Volunteers will sleep on mattresses. Sleeping bags are necessary.

Special requirements: This is non alcoholic workcamp and alcohol can’t be consumed within the frame of the workcamp. However volunteers are free to consume alcohol during their free time and outside of worcamp site. (cafe bars, clubs, etc.)

Language: English

During both workcamps volunteers will have language support so we don’t exclude somebody who is not really good in foreign languages.

Qualifications: Participant from Switzerland, Kosovo, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Croatia and Montenegro will get priority in the selection, but participants from other countries are also welcome. No special qualifications are required, but the volunteer should be ready to face basic living conditions and be motivated to do manual work. Volunteers who have experience in renovation or maybe electricity are welcome. Journalists or people interested in documenting the workcamp through video or other are invited to apply.

Notes: There is a possibility of travel costs reimbursement.

Introduction: Plemetina is a village 15km away from Prishtina- capital of Kosovo.It’s inhabited by Roma and Serbs, with small number of representatives of other ethnicities. The community is isolated in many aspects – due to administrative, political, social, national, ethnic, economic problems. Living conditions are challenging due to electricity and water cuts. Moreover the village is situated close to two major coal power plants, causing serious health and environmental damage. During the workcamp volunteers will have opportunity to learn about the difficulties, but also about rich cultural heritage of the community.

Type of Work: Activities will be focused on organizing traveling “receipts collecting” workcamp with local youth from the village. It will be up to participants of the workcamp to plan and implement the activities. Participants will travel around Kosovo and collect receipts of traditional Roma dishes. All the receipts and pictures will be published in a cook book at the end of the workcamp. Special part of the book will include the receipts from the dishes that volunteers are going to prepare at the workcamp.

Study Theme: Volunteers will have the opportunity to broaden their knowledge about culture of local Roma community. They will learn on the topic of Peace and Human Rights education. Workshops will be implemented by local youth and SCI Peace Messengers.

Accommodation: Volunteers will be accommodated in one of the village houses in the Roma mahala. Living conditions are very basic with no reliable running water and frequent electricity shortages. Food will be prepared by the participants. Sleeping bags and are necessary.

Language: English

Qualifications: If you are interested to meet Roma community and their cuisine feel free to join us and let’s cook and eat together. Participant from Switzerland, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Croatia and Montenegro will get priority in the selection, participants from other countries are also welcome. No special qualifications are required, but the volunteer should be ready to face very basic living conditions.

Notes: There is a possibility of travel cost reimbursements