Why do natural building and volunteering make sense together?

This training course will gather 28 youth workers interested in organising volunteering projects in natural buildings for 10 days in small village Bozevce in Kosovo. Participants of this training course should come from Slovenia, France, Serbia, Croatia, Turkey, Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The training will take place from 10th until 20th of May 2023 (arrival: 10th, departure: 20th) and the ideal profile of participants are:

• Volunteer coordinators active in projects related to natural building
• Youth workers active in organisations that include volunteers in natural building projects
• Members of organisations that are active in natural building filed and are interested or planning to include long term volunteers in their activities
• All those interested to develop inclusion projects (short term individual volunteering activities for people with less opportunities) in natural building field
• Mentors, tutors and other people that support volunteers engaged in natural building projects
• All interested in working with volunteers in natural building field

During this ‘muddy’ training course, the participants will:

• Learn and exchange about natural building practices
• Discuss about why natural building makes sense
• Learn and practice how to make it safe and well organised
• Discuss and exchange how to make it a strong learning experience for volunteers
• Discuss and share what is the role of coordinator and how to be supported
• Develop ideas on how to make it more inclusive & participatory
• Exchange the challenges of volunteering connected to  natural building and focus on the solutions
• Practice some of the techniques, explore natural materials and discuss about their transformative impact
• Visit local organisations and cultural sites

Conditions for participation:

• To be 18 or older
• To be active in an organisation that works in the field of natural building and/or volunteering
• To be resident of  Slovenia, France, Serbia, Croatia, Turkey, Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• To arrive on 10th and leave on 20th of May (or 1-2 days before the arrival or 1-2 days after the departure day)

Food will be vegan/vegetarian.

Accommodation in shared rooms and/or tents (if preferable). Indoor and outdoor showers will be available for use, as well as composting toilets. Many animals (cats, dogs, goats, chickens, geese etc) live at the property and around, so participants should be comfortable with their presence.

Deadline for application 1st of April 2023.

Application form is available here: https://forms.gle/ECpEL8U5jdi2xaaM7 

For any questions, contact helena@gaiakosovo.org