Bona Fides Association is looking for Polish volunteers (aged between 18 and 30) for 1 year ESC project with Gruca Association and Municipality of Macerata in cooperation with Centro Fonti San Lorenzo APS in Macerata, Italy!
Place: Macerata, Italy
Dates: 01.09.2024 – 30.09.2025
Duration: 1 year
Application deadline: 13.08.2024
ABOUT HOSTING ORGANIZATION GRUCA
GruCA is a non-profit, non-partisan, and laic association, born in 2010 with the objective of promoting environmental sustainability, alternative economic models which put human relations and an aware consumption as the basic principles of tomorrow’s world. We also bind ourselves to promote projects for active citizenship, knowledge and multicultural exchange, and educative processes with the main mission of promoting solidarity, democracy and integration within local, national and international territory.
The main activities take place in the city of Macerata (Marche) and are linked to the valorisation of the Villa Ficana neighbourhood, an important and historic raw clay village.
Additionally, activities are dedicated to sustainability, environmental education and multilingualism in nursery schools in Macerata with children aged 0-3 years. Other activities take place in the Second Hand Shop, which raises funds for an association that deals with people with disabilities through the sale of second-hand clothes and objects and is located in the Ecomuseum district, and in the organic garden (located in the Sasso d’ltalia area in the city of Macerata).
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Our project includes two project areas and encourages some practical activities to improve the cultural and natural heritage management in terms of environmental prevention, promotion of the territory and community well-being.
The aim is to introduce young people, on the one hand, to local culture, traditions and customs and, on the other, to spread good education practices in environmental sustainability and responsible behaviour from an early age. To achieve these goals, the activities will take place in certain locations of historicaI and environmentaI importance such as the viIIage of ViIla Ficana, an important and historic neighbourhood, and in nursery schools with children between 0 and 3 years old.
The project involves six young European volunteers. Three of them will be engaged in carrying out activities dedicated to sustainability, environmental education and multilingualism in nursery schools, and the other three volunteers will promote and encourage the development and promotion of Villa Ficana. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to develop their own personal project depending on their interests and passions.
Besides the above-mentioned two main project areas, all six volunteers will be involved in various activities in collaboration with a local organization called I Nuovi Amici, such as working in the organic garden and second-hand shop, and other activities to be specified during the project.
ACCOMMODATION, FOOD AND TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENTS
Gruca manages a guesthouse situated directly in the historical village of Villa Ficana, where the volunteers will live. The neighbourhood of Ficana was built in the mid-nineteenth century. This neighbourhood, or borgo as is known in Italian, is one of the most picturesque and historic ones of the city. Situated on the outskirts of the city, the neighbourhood has no more than 50 houses, with small and narrow streets and houses made of raw earth. The borgo is fully pedestrian which helps to make it a peaceful and quiet place to live.
The guesthouse is composed of three little houses with separate entrances and with different shared spaces. the common spaces for all six volunteers include the kitchen, the living room, and a laundry room with a toilet. Besides that, in each of these three houses there are two communicating rooms with a shared bathroom (situated always in one of the rooms). in this way each house will be shared by two volunteers. Furthermore, in front of the guesthouse there is a small garden with an adjoining oven made of clay which is used for events and parties in the neighbourhood, excellent for cooking pizza! Both the garden in front of the guesthouse and the small garden behind the kitchen are managed by volunteers, who also take care of their cleaning.
As for food, the volunteer will receive an allowance at the beginning of each month to provide for themselves, plus a monthly allowance to their own needs. Furthermore, the volunteers will be able to use freely the vegetables that they grow seasonally in the Sasso d’Italia organic garden. Lastly, the volunteers will be able to move around by walking because Ficana is only a 15-minute walk from the city centre.
TRAINING DURING THE ACTIVITY
The volunteers will be assisted by members of the Gruca association to be settled in a new environment, and to solve any problems of a practical and logistic nature. For each project area volunteers will be assigned to a tutor, who will introduce them to the tasks and will support them through the project duration. Gruca will provide the volunteers with a two-month italian course, moreover the opportunity to join the online language support platform provided by the ESC Program. They also will join the On Arrival Training and the Mid Term Evaluation Meeting organized by the National Agency
VOLUNTEER’S PROFILE
In the selection process of volunteers, the project does not require any specific ability or knowledge. we only look for a motivation and desire to grow in a new dynamic environment full of changes and new ideas. The volunteer work is nonprofit and it only intends to support the local community.
The below mentioned skills are recommended, however, they are not required and will be acquired along WITH the duration of the project:
• cultural heritage knowledge
• museum knowledge
• resilience
• experience with working with kids
• flexibility
• graphic design
• social media content creation
• ability to speak in public
• knowledge in the field of natural sciences
• interest in working with children aged 0-3 years
• having some experience in the field of working with children aged 0-3 years will be considered positively
• able to work in an intercultural group
• be proactive and adaptable
DOWNLOAD THE INFOPACK for more details and photos
APPLICATION
To apply for this project please forward your CV and a motivation letter (in English) or contact us at the following emails: mariachiara@bonafides.pl and anna@bonafides.pl. Please write “Macerata, Italy” in the title of your e-mail.