Bona Fides Association and Luzanky – Centre of Leisure Time (SVC Luzanky) are looking for Polish volunteer (18-30 year old) to join a 12-months ESC project in Forest Kindergarden “Šiška” in Brno, Czech Republic!
Dates: 16.9.2025 – 15.9.2026 (full year)
Place: Brno, Czech Republic
Receiving and coordinating organization: Luzanky – Centre of Leisure Time (SVC Luzanky)
Website in English: https://solidaritycorps.luzanky.cz/
Website of Luzanky: https://www.luzanky.cz/
Luzanky – centre of leisure time is the oldest and biggest leisure time centre in the Czech Republic. We offer hobby clubs, workshops, educational programs, summer camps and events for public for all age groups, but mainly for children.
Receiving organisation: Lesni klub Siska, z.s. (Forest Kindergarten)
Website in English: http://www.lesniklubsiska.cz/o-nas/information-about-evs-in-siska/
Description of the workplace
Siska Forest Kindergarten is a non-profit non-governmental association, established in 2012. Our main aims are supporting active and responsible parenthood and education of children, supporting families and working parents, running forest kindergarten, building space for common activities and public events, informing about forest kindergartens and environmental education. The main feature of the concept of forest kindergartens is that the children are the whole day outdoors, in the forest or in the garden, no matter what the weather is.
Our main activities are:
- • forest kindergarten – opened daily 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. from Monday till Friday during the school year (1st September – 30th June), there are 16 children aged 3 – 7;
- • one public event (festival with games) for children and their parents monthly – one afternoon during the weekend
- • 3 camps for kids during summer holidays (daily 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. from Monday till Friday), cca 20 children aged 4-10;
Volunteer´s activities:
Volunteerin Siska will be working mainly as a pedagogue assistant (helping during common activities, accompany with them children in the forest, assist in regular courses for kids – music, arts, sports, handcraft etc. – according to his/her interest, during occasional events or summer camps). Volunteer will be also helping children while putting on clothes, dining etc. and may be asked to help with practical tasks connected with running the kindergarten – cooking, washing the dishes, cleaning and gardening. Volunteer will be supported to bring new ideas and organize own activities for children. English communication skills are needed.
Activities in Siska:
Morning programme in kindergarten consists of morning circle, common activity, snack, walk and games in forrest. After lunch, children have a rest, listen to a story or chat. Afternoons there are different activities – music, painting, handcraft etc. or free play.
Volunteer can also offer the activities to the children according to his/her abilities and interests. This schedule changes during holiday seasons, when we organize camps for children (and discuss with volunteer his/her participation specifically).
The time schedule of the volunteer: 30 hours weekly:
- 20 hours weekly – assisting in the forest kindergarten
- 2 hours meetings with coordinator and other ESC-ers – time you spent with your ESC coordinator discussing your work and planning the future events, projects etc.
- Up to 3 hours Czech language class/ studying at home
- Up to 5 hours for your Mini project – time you spend on preparing your own mini project/s
Days off and holidays: volunteers have 2 days a week free (weekend) + 2 days per month of paid vacation. While working occasionally on weekends they have extra days off during the week. The paid vacation days are used usually during Christmas time and spring/summer school break.
We are looking for volunteer who is motivated to work with children outdoors, in touch with nature and natural conditions. Sometimes it may be difficult to stay outside when the weather is not good. Please be aware that because of the conditions (activities in the garden and forest) the project is not suitable for people with allergies. Volunteer’s personal experience with outdoor activities, scouting, woodcraft etc. is welcome. We will appreciate active volunteer willing to propose his/her own ideas and projects. This interest and motivation to work particularly in our project is the most important for us regardless nationality, gender, language knowledge or personal skills.
Question to answer:
1. In forest kindergarten we spend most of the working time outside (in winter the temperature possibly might get up to -10), which for some people might be very challenging. How do you think you could manage it?
2. Do you have any camping (woodcraft, scout) skills like making a fire, chopping wood etc.? If yes, describe them.
3. How would you solve a conflict between two children who are fighting over a toy in the sandbox? Please describe briefly how you could proceed in steps.
4. What would you like to gain from your Solidarity corps volunteering project?
5. What area are you good at and you would like to share your knowledge and experience with others?
General description of volunteering project in Luzanky
There are 8 ESC volunteers working at different places on individual projects, meeting every week on common meetings with the coordinator and from time to time with all the colleagues to evaluate and plan the project. Luzanky hosts and coordinates ESC volunteers also in other organizations (focused on environmental education, preschool education etc.), so all hosted and coordinated volunteers will meet during the project and can visit workplaces and events of each other.
The volunteers work also together with the coordinator on tasks connected with their integration into Luzanky and presentation of their presence in our organization. Those tasks will be mainly related to the promotion of Solidarity corps program.
Volunteers can visit some of the courses and events organized by Luzanky for free (circus training for adults, ceramics etc.).
Days off and holidays:
Volunteers have 2 days a week free (weekend) + 2 days per month of paid vacation. While working occasionally on weekends they have extra days off during the week. The paid vacation days are used usually during Christmas time and spring/summer school break.
Allowances:
Volunteers get their pocket money and food allowance monthly (at the beginning of each month), and they are provided with a card for Brno public transport.
Accommodation:
Volunteers live in rented flats (not in the centre of the city), it can happen that two volunteers will share one room for a shorter period of time (a few months). There will be 4 volunteers in the flat with 4 bedrooms. There is no living room, only common space/eating area in the kitchen. Distance to your working place from the flat can be around 30 minutes by public transport, even a bit more. Getting affordable accommodation in Brno is very difficult in recent years, so please be ready for described conditions of accommodation if you apply to our project. The advantage for you is that you will stay in quite a big city, which offers cultural and other events for young people, some even in English or other languages.
Application and selection process
Communicative level of English is needed at all our ESC positions, as this is the language used among the ESC team (with coordinator, tutor/supervisor, group of volunteers).
Please send your CV and motivation letter to a.siembab@bonafides.pl and anna@bonafides.pl. In case we invite you for further interview, we will ask you for a video call.