WORK CAMPS 2012 

Yes! 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?

…Organize an open-air cinema with the Roma community in Kosovo?
…Experience life in an eco-village in Finland?
…Run activities for refugees in Kenya?
…Work with children from asylum seekers in Belgium
…Wake up to the sound of crying wolves in the USA?

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.

We will then send your application to our partners in the country you choose and let you know within one week about your application status.

You can choose more than one work camp!You can also be volunteer in the work camps in Kosovo!
This year we will have two work camps in the village Plemetina, more about them find on this link:
Work camp  “Living together with positive stories”
Work camp “Living together with Sunflowers”

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.

Living Together with Sunflowers
16.08.2012 – 29.08.2012

Introduction: Plemetina is a village 15km away from Prishtina- capital of Kosovo.It’s inhabited by Serbs and Roma,with small number of representatives of other nationalities.Community is isolated in many respects – 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 workcamp volunteers will have opportunity to learn about the difficulties,but also about rich cultural heritage of the community.

Type of Work: Participants will renovate the local Learning Centre used in particular by the Roma children from the village. They will paint the walls, fix the windows, the heating, clean, repair small damages,etc.

Study Theme: Volunteers will have the opportunity to broaden their knowledge about culture of local Roma community. Open Air cinema will be organized during the evenings and will show movies made by and about Roma.

Accommodation: Volunteers will be accommodated in one of the village houses in the Roma mahala. Living conditions are very basic, with an outdoor improvised kitchen, no reliable running water and frequent electricity shortages. The participants will prepare food. Sleeping bags and sleeping mats are necessary.

Language: English

Qualifications: Participant from Switzerland, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Croatia and Montenegro will get priority in the selection, but participants from other countries are also welcome. Journalist and photographers are encouraged to apply but people interested in these two fields are also welcome. No special qualifications are required, but the volunteer should be ready to face very basic living conditions.

Location: Plemetina village, Prishtina, Kosovo

Notes: There is a possibility of travel costs reimbursement.

Living Together with positive stories
20.07. – 31.07.2012

Introduction: Plemetina is a village 15km away from Prishtina- capital of Kosovo.It’s inhabited by Serbs and Roma,with small number of representatives of other nationalities.Community is isolated in many respects – 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 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 journalism/photo workshops through non-formal education events with and for local youth from the village. It will be up to participants of the workcamp to plan and implement the activities; participants will travel around surrounding villages and towns, collect positive stories and make pictures from different Kosovo ethnicities. All the stories and pictures will be published in the Living Together – Positive stories magazine at the end of the workcamp.

Study Theme: Volunteers will have the opportunity to broaden their knowledge about culture of local Roma community. The workcamps will be also visited by a SCI Peace Caravan, who will focus on the “No borders for Peace” as a central theme.

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

Language: English

Qualifications: Participant from Switzerland, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Croatia and Montenegro will get priority in the selection, but participants from other countries are also welcome. Journalist and photographers are encouraged to apply but people interested in these two fields are also welcome. No special qualifications are required, but the volunteer should be ready to face very basic living conditions.

Location: Plemetina village, Prishtina, Kosovo

Notes: There is a possibility of travel cost reimbursements