Bona Fides Association and Suncokret Center for Community Development are looking for participants from Poland (Polish citizens or residents, aged 18-30) for a short term volunteers at Community Recovery Program individual project in Vrginmost, Croatia!

Place: Vrginmost, Croatia
Starting date: end of March or beginning of April 2026
Duration: 14 days (+ 2 travel days) or 59 days (+ 2 travel days)

Short description of the project

Suncokret – Centre for Community Development is a Croatian non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 2004 as a response to the psychosocial needs of a rural community. Suncokret runs a Community Center and a Local Volunteer centre project strength in rural Croatia, where we empower socially excluded children, youth, and the elderly in an isolated, impoverished, and ethnically divided post-war and post-earthquake region. Through our programs, we provide innovative, inclusive, and enriching activities for more than 200 local residents, enhancing their resilience, well-being, and quality of life. Each initiative is designed to meet real community needs and address local challenges.

This rural area of Croatia was deeply affected by the 1990s war, leaving behind lasting ethnic divisions and economic hardship. Further devastation came with the 2020 earthquakes during the COVID-19 lockdown, worsening social and economic instability. The region now faces depopulation, loss of social cohesion, and limited opportunities for youth, who often leave in search of better prospects—though many express a desire to return. Our community urgently needs renewed solidarity, inclusion, and sustainable opportunities to rebuild a stronger, more connected future.

For over 22 years, Suncokret has been promoting social inclusion, lifelong learning, and community resilience through free non-formal education and creative opportunities otherwise unavailable in the area.

Our activities include:
● International volunteer camps and long-term volunteer placements
● Non-formal educational programs for children and youth
● Intergenerational activities promoting understanding and cooperation
● Sustainability workshops in eco-gardening, permaculture, and biodiversity

Together, these efforts empower individuals, revitalize the community, and foster hope and connection in a region striving to recover and thrive.

Expected tasks of the volunteer

Suncokret works to provide educational and recreational activities in areas where such opportunities are otherwise limited. Our mission also focuses on promoting social inclusion for marginalized returnees, refugees, and internally displaced persons. Through our programs, we engage local children and youth with fewer opportunities, emphasizing inclusion, personal growth, and community development.

Our volunteer program encourages informal and non-formal learning, mobility, and intercultural dialogue. Volunteers and local youth have the opportunity to learn from each other, broaden their perspectives, and develop new competencies and skills.

Volunteers will work daily with socially excluded rural children and youth, sharing cultures, experiences, and knowledge through creative, non-formal, and informal educational methods. Additionally, Suncokret hosts several international volunteer camps each summer, offering ESC volunteers the chance to participate, collaborate, and connect with young people from around the world.

During the project, volunteers will be involved in the following activities:

  1. Daily educational and non-formal learning workshops, such as:
    o Language learning
    o Photo and video editing, journalism, newsletter creation, social media
    o Arts and crafts
    o Non formal learning and homework help
    o Sports activities
    o Sustainability, eco-construction, and eco-gardening
    o Recreational games and creative play
  2. Local community actions supporting social inclusion and development.
  3. Office and organizational support tasks, giving volunteers the chance to learn how a community development NGO operates.
  4. Independent initiatives and personal projects, developed with the guidance and support of Suncokret staff.
  5. Promotion of the ESC program, solidarity, and volunteerism. Volunteers will present ESC opportunities and share their personal motivations for volunteering. They will also introduce their home countries, cultures, and traditions to the local community.
  6. Community outreach and collaboration, including visits to local schools, day-care centers, and activities supporting individuals affected by the December 2020 earthquakes. Volunteers may also collaborate with partner organizations in Glina (e.g., in the day-care center or library), providing non-formal learning activities, assisting the elderly, and organizing programs for children and youth impacted by the earthquakes.

Accommodation:

Video showing the accommodations and FB link showing the accommodation:

https://web.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1575354739206869&type=3

Check out our FB page, Instagram, youtube channel and youtube links for more information:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_KiDY3Kiq_Qll3zk8NaqSw
Facebook: @suncokretccd
Instagram: @suncokret.gvozd

Download the Infopack for more info

ESC-vacancy-_Suncokret2Download

Application

To apply send your CV and the motivation letter to: mariachiara@bonafides.pl and anna@bonafides.pl and fill in the application form https://forms.gle/qVkfY7q1MjDZNFBY8

Check out all the projects we’re currently recruiting for

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonafides_wolontariat_eks/
Website: https://evs.bonafides.pl/category/aktualne-nabory/