ESC volunteering team, 09.04.2026 – 24.04.2026

In April 2026, GAIA and Roter Baum Berlin are organizing an European Solidarity Corps (ESC) volunteering team. The ESC programme is a funded volunteering programme for young people between 18 and 30 years old. The project covers your accommodation and food during the project, your travel to Kosovo, and you receive pocket money for the days of your stay.
For this specific project, we are looking for volunteers from Germany, France and Kosovo. 

Project description

Even though we witness many issues and problems, climate change is showing serious threats and problems to different communities and society as a whole. In our region we face severe droughts in summer, but also heavy rain and snow falls in other seasons. Water quality and access is becoming a real struggle. This is a reason why we decided to prioritize water and river related topics and to develop practical models that can be multiplied by the others.

In this volunteering project, we will be working on the implementation of permaculture intervention design regarding water management. The property is around 1.5ha large with different parcels spread around the facilities. Volunteers will help in creation of new elements such as ponds, reedbeds, redirecting channels, and swales. Volunteers will also work on soil improvement, through composting and mulching. Besides, the volunteers will help with the educational project in the neighbouring village, which is in its initial stage. The work part will largely involve manual work, and as it is early spring, be ready for various weather conditions. 

Accommodation, food, travel

The village is not reachable by public transportation, thus the volunteers will need to reach the nearest town of Gjilan, and then local transport will be organized. At the venue, you will be accommodated in the volunteers house, which is approximately 150 meters from the main property where we will be spending the majority of the day. In this house, there are 4 rooms that will be shared (between 2 and 6 people per room). The volunteer’s house has a small kitchen, shower and outdoor composting toilet. At the whole property, there are 4 nature friendly composting toilets, which do not require use of water. Instead of water, we use sawdust. There is no public sewage system, so some of our gray water is purified with reed bed and some others are not.

The meals will be organized by GAIAs team, and volunteers will be involved in cooking tasks. The meals are tasty vegan and vegetarian food, based on seasonal, and local ingredients. Cleaning will be done in teams too. On the property we live together with several dogs, cats, goats, chickens, geese and bees, so volunteers should be comfortable with their presence. Lifestyle is sustainable, simple, and without much technology, even though access to the internet is available.

There is no mini market in the village, but you can find one in the first neighbouring village, with a simple offer, you can go by foot or even by bike.
There is no mini market in the village but you can find one in the first neighboring village with a simple offer, you can go by foot or even by bike.

Educational part

The activity will involve plenty of opportunities for learning. During this volunteering experience you will be able to learn about: 

• the basics of permaculture thinking, 
• living simply and in community, 
• environmental issues, 
• water management in permaculture systems, 
• cooking vegetarian and for bigger group, 
• about composting and soil, 
• different ways of working together, etc. 

The volunteers will also learn through experiencing, working and living a ”simple” and sustainable lifestyle. We will organize several workshops, movie projections, visits to local people and activities with the local community. You will also have chances to organize presentations, games, discussions and similar. During your free time, you will have the opportunity to go for a walk, take some rest, play games, read books, observe nature and more…

For GAIA it is important that the volunteers are interested in environmental issues, permaculture, and simple and sustainable living. Also, your choice of traveling is important to us: environmental friendly options (trains, buses, carpooling) are part of the lifestyle we promote. No previous experience is required, but strong motivation and will for an alternative and sustainable approach. A sense of initiative and creativity are more than welcome. 

Participant profile

This project is open for volunteers who are: 

• residents of Germany, France and Kosovo
• interested in environmental issues, permaculture, and simple and sustainable living
• using environmentally friendly travel options (trains, buses, carpooling) 
• no previous experience in similar work is required, but strong motivation and will for an alternative and sustainable approach

If you are ready to join the project, apply on this LINK by 28th of February.

If you have any questions, send us an e-mail to: [email protected]