WORKCAMP PROGRAMME 2012 CONTACT: Workcamp Switzerland Badenerstrasse 129 8004 Zürich www.workcamp.ch Phone: +41 (0)43 317 19 30 Fax: +41 (0)43 317 17 21 Email: info@workcamp.ch (general information) Outgoing officer: Mrs. Simone Thommen Awe: simone.thommen@workcamp.ch Incoming officer: Mr. Ruedi Roth: ruedi.roth@workcamp.ch
Benefit and aim of Workcamp Switzerland Workcamp Switzerland is organising Workcamps and sending volunteers into national and international Workcamps. Young people are working beneficially to support local projects in the social, ecological or cultural field. In the meantime the volunteers get the opportunity to get to know other countries, to meet people from different cultures and to learn something from the society and the environment they re working for. The aim of these workcamps is not only to support needy projects but to learn from the intercultural exchange. It s a way to fight against racism and it advances young people to act social, to think globally and to get education through the work and travel experience. And it is an experience for life that the volunteers will never forget. A workcamp means unconventional holidays, a memorable time far away from the tourist destinations, to get to know culture and the inhabitant of a region very closely and to work for a good purpose. Workcamp Switzerland and Access 4 All Workcamp Switzerland was founded as an association in 2004. It is politically and confessional neutral. Workcamp is a candidate member of the international network Alliance of European Voluntary Services Organisation. Since this year Workcamp Switzerland wants to integrate people with any kind of social, physical or mental deficits. We experienced in some pilot projects that it s a benefit for all participants to mix people with different backgrounds in a practical, non formal environment. For young adults with any kind of handicap the beneficial work can be a chance to get into a working process and to strengthen the self confidence. That s why we open our projects for Volunteers with fewer opportunities and support the initiative Access 4 All. Our Workcamps In the year 2012 we offer several places for Volunteers with fewer opportunities and we organise Access 4 All Workcamps in Switzerland who are open for young adults with physical, mental or social deficits next to our classical Workcamps. We will organise about three to four Access 4 All Workcamps and we also offer two MTV positions for young adults with fewer opportunities (ex. Unemployed, from poor neighbourhood). Workcamp Switzerland is also looking for an Access 4 All coordinator who will join the special project and act as leader and who will be responsible for coordinating the international group. This person will also be in charge of helping to prepare the Campleader weekend. He/she will get the chance to participate in some training about the work with minorities. For the first year, we organise a bilateral Workcamp with Japan. We work together with well known project partners and the Workcamps will be realised in beautiful regions of Switzerland.
Workcamp overview: CODE DATE PLACE TYPE SPECIAL RE- MARKS WS12FEST 09/04/12 15/04/12 Zürich CULT/FEST/A4A MOVIE MOVES (ZH) to be confirmed Volunteers 8 18-99 WS12CU01 08/04/12 22/04/12 Cudrefin (VD) WS12CU02 22/04/12 05/05/12 Cudrefin (VD) WS12CU03 01/07/12 15/07/12 Cudrefin (VD) WS12CU04 15/07/12 28/07/12 Cudrefin (VD) WS12CU05 30/09/12 20/10/12 Cudrefin (VD) WS12FP 16/06/12 30/06/12 Passugg- Araschgen (GR) WS12ES01 08/07/12 22/07/12 Estavayerle-Lac (FR) WS12ES02 22/07/12 05/08/12 Estavayerle-Lac (FR) WS12ES03 05/08/12 18/08/12 Estavayerle-Lac (FR) WS12FR01 08/07/12 22/07/12 Fribourg (FR) WS12FR02 22/07/12 11/08/18 Fribourg (FR) WS12SCH 11/08/12 25/08/12 Davos (GR) WS12TEURAG 25/08/12 08/09/12 Teuffenthal /Ralligen (BE) WS12SCH_BiNa 08/09/12 20/09/12 Davos (GR) WS12MTV 01/06/12 15/09/12 Different locations WS12SCH_MTV 01/07/12 31/08/12 Davos (GR) EDU/KITCH Springcamp 3 EDU/KITCH Springcamp 3 EDU/KITCH Beachcamp 4 EDU/KITCH Beachcamp 4 EDU/KITCH Autumncamp 3 ENVI/A4A One world 12 18-99 EDU/KITCH EDU/KITCH EDU/KITCH Superbeach Camp Superbeach Camp Superbeach Camp 4 4 4 EDU/KITCH/A4A A4A-City Camp 4 EDU/KITCH/A4A A4A-City Camp 4 ENVI/AGRI HAY FEVER IN 15 THE ALPS 18-99 ENVI/CONS SWISS 12 NATURE 18-99 ENVI/AGRI ORIGAMI- CHEESE 10 30-99 ACCESS 4 ALL COORDINATION 1 ENVI/A4A MTV- 2 GARDENING 18-99 Important Information about the workcamps Expectations: As a volunteer don t expect the Workcamps to be a holiday camp where you come to relax and enjoy your time. The main part of the Workcamp is work. Don t expect luxurious accommodations. It s usually basic and simple. Starting date for placements: We will start to accept Volunteers after the Technical Meeting on Monday the 12 th of March.
Work: The volunteers will work around 6 to 8 hours a day. Usually the weekends are off. Free time Activities: The volunteers have to pay for any sightseeing trips themselves. There might be some offered and paid free time activity by chance. Language: Normally the Workcamp language will be English. But this year again several Workcamps will take place where it s good to have some additional language skills (French or German). Insurance: The volunteers are responsible to organize their own health insurance and any other insurance they might need when they travel to Switzerland. We have an insurance for third party liability. Important Information about Switzerland Geography: Switzerland is a landlocked country with the alpine massive in the middle of Europe. Switzerland has boarders to Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy and France. The capitol is Berne. The scenery in Switzerland is very diverse and beautiful. Language and Culture: Switzerland is multicultural. In regions around cities the amount of foreigners is pretty high. The average of foreign people in Switzerland is about 25% of the entire population. The four official languages are Swiss German, French, Italian and a language called Rätoromanisch. Traditional dishes are cheese fondue, raclette and potatoes. Switzerland is more then bancs, chocolate, clocks and high living expenses. The young population is open against different cultures and in the cities there is a wide range of cultural events going on. Even though Switzerland has a high living standard there are poor people living here. Climate: The climate in different regions of Switzerland varies. The south part of Switzerland (Tessin) and also the western part of Switzerland (French part) is mild and Mediterranean while in the mountains it can be freezing cold. In the mountains there is even snow in summer. Federal System: Switzerland is a democracy which consists of 26 independent cantons with their own languages/ dialects and laws. The representation of the people is the Federal Assembly with the council of States and the National Council. The head of state is the President of the Federal Council. The government consists of seven Swiss Federal Councils who are responsible for one department. Every four years they get elected again. Economy: Switzerland is a highly developed industry nation. Nearly half of the employed persons are working in industrial firms or trading enterprises. They also work in the fields of agriculture and forestry. Like in other European countries economical problems have grown since the 90ies. The jobless figures increased and the gross domestic product got smaller. Besides microtechnology and pharmaceutical companies, bancs and insurances have their head quarters in Zurich, Geneva or Basel. Currency: The currency in Switzerland is Swiss francs sfr/ CHF. Credit cards and EC Maestrocards are accepted in many places, such as the airport, railway stations, in shops, restaurants or hotels. EURO are not accepted everywhere and exchange rate is maybe not too good. It s always helpful to have some cash with you for emergencies. Security: Switzerland is one of the most save countries in Europe. In crowds of people and in railway stations you have to watch out for grifters and thieves. Switzerland is ideal for travelling as a woman, because most places are not dangerous. Late at night you shouldn t walk around in empty, dark streets.
WS12FEST 09/04/12 15/04/12 MOVIE MOVES CULT/FEST/A4A The Swiss Youth Movie Award is the biggest and most important festival for the new blood film makers all over Switzerland. It will take place for the 36 th time. The festival is an important stage for young Swiss film technician. The main part is the short movie competition where youngsters from five different age categories will present their movies and where a professional jury will chose the best productions. Over 1 500 youngsters participate in the more then 250 short movies. Additional, there will be realised workshops, group discussions and meetings between the different artists. to sell tickets or to help out at the bar. WORK in the Access 4 All Festival Camp The main work of the Volunteers, the workcamp is also open for young Volunteers with physical or social deficits (Access 4 All), will be on the first days the realisation of a short movie about the international Workcamp and the mixed group of Volunteers with different backgrounds. Together with a young film maker the participants will write the script and realise the movie during the festival. Volunteers will also help during the festival with entrance control, ACCOMMODATION Volunteers will sleep in shared rooms in the international youth hostel, which is close to the Festival place. Breakfast and dinner will get provided in the hostel and they will get a lunch during the day in the Festival. Zurich is an important economical and cultural centre in the heart of Europe. Zurich is set in a beautiful region on the lake of Zurich with the view of the faraway mountains and it offers many different activities. There are several museums to visit, the old historic town, shopping places, cinemas, the opera and much more to see. There are about 380 000 inhabitants living in Zurich from more then 160 different countries. Zurich is a multicultural city with a lot to offer and beautiful spots to visit. REMARKS / SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS The workcamp is an Access 4 All project and is open for people with any kind of handicap or without handicap and with no age restriction (18+). We expect a certain kind of independence. This special project is suitable for Volunteers who are interested in being involved in making a movie and who like to get an insight into film direction, but they don t need to be professional film makers. A MOTIVATION LETTER is required. FREE TIME ACTIVITIES In their leisure time volunteers can visit some nice places in the beautiful city if Zurich. They can walk in the old town of the city, visit a museum or the lake of Zurich or drink a coffee in one of the nice restaurants in the city. TERMINAL The next airport is Kloten (airport Zurich). English
WS12CU01 08/04/12 22/04/12 SPRING CAMP EDU/KITCH WS12CU02 22/04/12 05/05/12 SPRING CAMP EDU/KITCH WS12CU03 01/07/12 15/07/12 BEACH CAMP EDU/KITCH WS12CU04 15/07/12 28/07/12 BEACH CAMP EDU/KITCH WS12CU05 30/09/12 20/10/12 AUTUMN CAMP EDU/KITCH The goal of the group frilingue is to offer teenagers (age: 10-18 years) a two week language camp with a small budget. The aim of frilingue is the combination of language courses (French and English) in the morning with free time activities such as sport, music, dance, theatre and cinema in the afternoons. A cool bath in the lake of Neuchatel, trips or workshops in the afternoons and on the weekend the group will discover the region. The youngsters will learn outside or in tents if the weather is bad. WORK The main work of the volunteers will be the preparation of the daily meals (breakfasts, lunches, dinners). Together with a cook they organise the menu schedule, do the shopping and wash the dishes afterwards. It would be helpful if volunteers know how to prepare a meal for a bigger group. ACCOMODATION During the spring camps, Volunteers will sleep in dormitories. In the summer camps they will sleep in tents or in a tipi under the sky. It is very simple, but there is a kitchen, toilets and showers. The village Cudrefin is a getaway and holiday resort on the boarder of the lake of Neuenburg. There is an infrastructure for tourists with holiday houses, camping ground, a swimming beach and two big sailing harbours. REMARKS/ SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Volunteers should have interest in leading a group of young people. We are looking for mayor personalities. We would like to welcome also unemployed youngsters (20+), because we work with the Access 4 all principle. The group frilingue is looking for people who like sport and creative activities and who like to support youngsters in their own talents. Volunteers should be able to prepare a meal. The international Workcamps consist of small groups of 3 Volunteers in spring and autumn and up to four Volunteers during summer, additionally they will work together with Swiss Volunteers from frilingue. If you are interested to be a part of this workcamp please send a short motivation letter. LEISURE ACITIVITIES/ BENEFITS FOR VOLUNTEERS Volunteers will get to know the magic region of Cudrefin. Twice a week, they will accompany the adolescents on an afternoon journey to the close by region. On the weekends longer excursions are planned. The evenings will involve social events where the volunteers can participate and enjoy. French/English (Affinity for French language)
WS12FP 16/06/12 30/06/12 ONE WORLD ENVI/A4A The house Fontana Passugg on the ground Riedliswiese in Passugg-Araschgen is a hotel for ordninary tourists and at the same time a centre for cultural and educative belongings and a meeting place for people with impaired hearing. The house was built at the end of the 19th century. For several years the place was a well known health ressort. In 1983 Dorothea Brüesch, the last inheritor, decided that the house should be used for deaf people and people with impaired hearing. WORK The aim of this Workcamp is to clean the surrounding after the long snowy winter. Volunteers will prepare the house and the surrounding for the main season, restore the foot path to the drinking hall, they will set up a herb garden and will help out in the hotel (kitchen, rooms). The main tasks of the volunteers are: garden- and forest work, house and kitchen work. The work will be led by a campleader who is deaf- during the workcamp there will be realised a workshop about sign language and a sightseeing trip with a translator in sign language. ACCOMMODATION The volunteers will sleep in dormitories in the house Fontana or the guest house Alpenblick that is opposite the main building. The rooms are cosy. A cook from the pension will prepare the meals for the Volunteers. Everyone has to help to set the table, cleaning and doing the dishes. There is a common room to meet each other, a library and internet access. Passugg-Araschgen is a small village about ten minutes by bus from Chur. The place is surrounded by grasslands, forests and mountains and is situated very idyllic. The close by town Chur is a typical, small Swiss town and the oldest town in Switzerland. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS The workcamp in Passugg-Araschgen is an Access 4 All project and is open for people with any kind of handicap or without handicap and with no age restriction (18+). We expect a certain kind of independence. We can t offer some special, personal support of any kind during the camp. The area is not suitable for people in wheel chairs. It s helpful to be interested in people with impaired hearing, because the group will be mixed. We want to make steps towards the integration of people with any kind of handicaps into the society and to strenghten the social competences. Volunteers will mostly work outside that s why they should bring along warm water proofed clothes and good shoes to work. LANGUAUGES English / German / sign language
WS12ES01 08/07/12 22/07/12 SUPERBEACH CAMP EDU/KITCH WS12ES02 22/07/12 05/08/12 SUPERBEACH CAMP EDU/KITCH WS12ES03 05/08/12 18/08/12 SUPERBEACH CAMP EDU/KITCH The goal of the group frilingue is to offer teenagers (age: 8-18 years) a two week language camp with a small budget. The aim of frilingue is the combination of language courses (French and English) in the morning with free time activities such as sport, music, dance, theatre and cinema in the afternoons. A cool bath in the lake of Neuchatel, trips or workshops in the afternoons and on the weekend the group will discover the region. The youngsters will learn outside or in tents if the weather is bad. WORK The main work of the volunteers will be the preparation of the daily meals (breakfasts, lunches, dinners). Together with a cook they organise the menu schedule, do the shopping and wash the dishes afterwards. It would be helpful if volunteers know how to prepare a meal for a bigger group. ACCOMODATION The Volunteers will sleep in dormitories or in a tent. The old historic town of Estavayer-le-Lac on the south east riverside of the lake is close to one of the most beautiful Nature Reserve in Europe. Estavayer with its two marinas is a paradise for water sport. There are two nice, sandy beaches and there are possibilities to sail, to do windsurfing or wakeboarding. The rural surrounding of Estavayer can be discovered on various hiking trails and bike routes. The soft hills in the backland are very idyllic. REMARKS/ SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Volunteers should have interest in leading a group of young people. We are looking for mayor personalities. We would like to welcome also unemployed youngsters (20+), because we work with the Access 4 all principle. The group frilingue is looking for people who like sport and creative activities and who like to support youngsters in their own talents. Volunteers should be able to prepare a meal. The international Workcamps consist of small groups of 4 Volunteer, additionally they will work together with Swiss Volunteers from frilingue. If you are interested to be a part of this workcamp please send a short motivation letter. LEISURE ACITIVITIES/ BENEFITS FOR VOLUNTEERS Volunteers will get the chance to discover the magic region of Estavayer-le-Lac. They can also join the weekend trips and will for sure have the time to lie on the beach and relax their minds sometimes. French/English (Affinity for French language)
WS12FR01 08/07/12 22/07/12 A4A-CITY CAMP EDU/KITCH/A4A WS12FR02 22/07/12 11/08/18 A4A-CITY CAMP EDU/KITCH/A4A The goal of the group frilingue is to offer teenagers (age: 16-20 years) a two week language camp (or longer) for a reasonable price. The aim of frilingue is to combine language courses (French and German) in the morning with free time activities such as sport, music, dance, theatre and cinema in the afternoons. The special advantage of this project is the mixture of adolescents from the French and the German part of Switzerland. Normally there is not so much interaction between adolescents from these two parts despite them belonging to the same country. We call it in German the Röstigraben. There will be some special programmes in the nights and on the weekends such as trips to lakes, beautiful villages and other tourist attractions. WORK in the Access 4 All City Camp The main work of the Volunteers, the workcamp is also open for young Volunteers (20+) with physical or social deficits (Access 4 All), will be the preparation of the daily meals (breakfasts, lunches, dinners). Together with a cook they organise the menu schedule, do the shopping and wash the dishes afterwards. It would be helpful if volunteers know how to prepare a meal for a bigger group. ACCOMMODATION The volunteers will sleep in the student house Beauséjour, where also a part of the teenagers will sleep. This student house is close from the Centre Fries. There is a kitchen, toilets and showers. Centre Fries is located close to the old town of Fribourg. Fribourg is a funny student town of 32,000 inhabitants. REMARKS/ SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Volunteers should know how to prepare simple meals. We are looking for mayor personalities. The organization frilingue is looking for people who either are interested in sport or creative activities and who want to teach these talents to the youngsters. The international Workcamp consists of a small group of four Volunteer, additionally there will be Swiss Volunteers from frilingue. A short motivation letter explaining why they want to join this camp is required. LEISURE TIME/ BENEFIT FOR THE VOLUNTEERS The volunteers will see the beautiful region of Fribourg. Twice a week, they will accompany the adolescents on an afternoon journey to the lakes and mountains close to Fribourg. On the weekends longer excursions are planned. The evenings will involve social events where the volunteers can participate and enjoy. French/ English
WS12SCH 11/08/12 25/08/12 HAY FEVER IN THE ALPS ENVI/AGRI In the beautiful region of Davos (Schatzalp) there is the Alpinum, a huge botanical garden in the mountains. An association was founded to support this garden and to save some rare species and the nature over there for the next generation. In this botanical garden guests can find many rare plants and more then 3500 different types of species and cultivars. This magic place is for everyone who loves nature. WORK Every year, there is a lot of work to be done in the botanical garden. The Volunteers will support the gardener in garden work. Volunteers will help to make hay with manual tools. There might be some additional work. Interested Volunteers should be physically strong and interested in working in the garden. For sure, the work will vary depending on the fitness of each Volunteer. The Volunteers will work seven hours a day from Monday till Friday. ACCOMMODATION Volunteers will sleep in the hotel in the old flats of the staff. There will be two or three mattresses per room. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided from the personal canteen. Breakfast is around 8 o clock. The work will start at 9 o clock. Set in an exceptionally beautiful bowl of mountains Davos is the highest town in Europe at 1560 meters. In Davos there is the world class ice hockey, cross country skiing and ice skating, Volunteers will stay at the hotel Schatzalp. With a peaceful location 300 meters above Davos this traditional hotel is reached by a short ride on the Schatzalp funicular from the main street and enjoys glorious panoramic views across the valley. REMARKS / SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS The motivation of the volunteers has to be very high to work outdoors and it can be physically demanding. The weather might change (rain). Volunteers should be interested in gardening. That s why a MOTIVATION LETTER is required. Volunteers should bring along warm, robust working clothes (water proofed), trekking shoes (suitable for the mountains) and hand gloves (strong working gloves). Smoking during the work is not allowed. FREE TIME ACTIVITIES In their leisure time volunteers can go for a hike in the nearby mountains. There are many hiking trails close by. It is also possible to take the cable car (free) to go down to Davos and have a look. TERMINAL Bigger Airports: Zurich, Basel, Geneva, there is a connection to the train station Davos Platz. From there volunteers can take a cable car. English
WS12TEURAG 25/08/12 08/09/12 SWISS NATURE ENVI/CONS/A4A Edith von Allmen and Raphael Zuberbuehler are the owners of the farm called Buehlmatt in Teuffenthal. They live there with their children, but not only with them. Buehlmatt is also the home for 2-3 adults with mental health problems. Buehlmatt offers those people professional care, work on the farm and a home. The second part of the workcamp is organised by the Uferschutzverband Thuner- und Brienzersee who takes care of the cultural landscape in the area of the Lake of Thun and the Lake of Brienz. One big and ongoing project is to maintain the old pilgrim-path. It is part of the famous trails leading to Santiago de Compostela. In order to maintain the path there is a project called Treffpunkt Pilgerweg. In this project the help of volunteers is needed. This year, there will be two places open for Volunteers with any kind of physical, mental or social handicap. WORK On the farm Buehlmatt, Volunteers will do environmental work around the forest. They will for example help to cut and prepare firewood for the winter months. The work will depend on the needs of the family and the weather. During the second week the volunteer-task is to build a dry stone wall. An expert of dry stone walls will show you how it s done. Volunteers in this project need to be physically strong, patient and have an interest in manual work. ACCOMODATION On the farm Buehlmatt Volunteers will live in dormitories in a separate house, where they have a kitchen and a toilet outside. There is no bathroom and Volunteers have to wash themselves with cold water from the nearby fountain. The place is far away from a big city and perfect for nature lovers. In the second week Volunteers will also sleep in dormitories in an apartment. Usually, Volunteers have to prepare the meals, are responsible for their own cleaning and need to respect the host s house rules. Teuffenthal (close to Thun) is located in the pre-alps. Teuffenthal consists of farm houses spread across the hills. Thun is a bit more than 10 km away. Thun is a charming little town with a stunning view on the lake and the mountains. The location of the second week is along the right lake side of the Lake of Thun. You can discover a lot of beautiful places like the caves Beatus or visit the close by alp town Interlaken. REMARKS/ SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS No alcohol and no drugs are allowed inside and around the farm Buehlmatt. If anyone breaks this rule, (s)he will have to leave the camp immediately. The motivation of the volunteers has to be very high to work outdoors. That s why a MOTIVATION LETTER for this workcamp is required. Volunteers should bring along warm, robust working clothes, sun and rain protection and good shoes to work. FREE TIME ACTIVITIES In their leisure time volunteers can go for a hike in the nearby mountains. This region is famous for hiking tourists. There are many hiking trails close by. It s also possible to visit Thun or Interlaken on the weekend. English
WS12SCH_Binational 08/09/12 20/09/12 ORIGAMI-CHEESE ENVI/AGRI There is more then Origami and cheese. Japanese and Swiss can meet in a beautiful place in the mountains and get to know each other better to forget about the well known prejudices. This binational Workcamp is a special offer for Swiss and Japanese Participants (Volunteers aged 30 or more are especially welcome) and will get realised in cooperation with our Japanese partners and the responsible Japanese campleader, who lives and knows all about the Swiss culture. In the beautiful region of Davos (Schatzalp) there is the Alpinum, a huge botanical garden in the mountains. An association was founded to support this garden and to save some rare species and the nature over there for the next generation. In this botanical garden guests can find many rare plants and more then 3500 different types of species and cultivars. This magic place is for everyone who loves nature. WORK/LEISURE ACTIVITIES The work consists of garden work (depending on the fitness of each Volunteer) during five days. Participants will work seven hours every day. The other five days are planned for sightseeing (in the group or independent). The responsible campleader will organise a nice programme and offer interesting activities. These events are connected with sustainable, ecofriendly activities. Please notice that they are not included in the special fee. ACCOMMODATION Tourists/Volunteers who book this package will sleep in single rooms and eat in the personal canteen or in the luxurious restaurant of the hotel Schatzalp. Set in an exceptionally beautiful bowl of mountains Davos is the highest town in Europe at 1560 meters. In Davos there is the world class ice hockey, cross country skiing and ice skating, Volunteers will stay at the hotel Schatzalp. With a peaceful location 300 meters above Davos this traditional hotel is reached by a short ride on the Schatzalp funicular from the main street and enjoys glorious panoramic views across the valley. REMARKS This workcamp is not a classical camp, because it s a nice combination of working for a good cause and spending an unforgettable time in the beautiful place Schatzalp. Participants of the package will enjoy the 4-star, gourmet food of the hotel and visit some touristic places, but they will also learn a lot about gardening and the plants during the working days in the botanical garden. This package is fitting for tourists who would like to enjoy a great holiday and in the meantime to work for a meaningful project. The special fee for this Workcamp is 300 CHF (about 250 EURO). This fee covers ten nights, five days with full board (personal canteen) and five days half board (4-star kitchen, gourmet). English, (Japanese)
WS12MTV 01/06/12 15/09/12 COORDINATION ACCESS 4 ALL For the second year, we offer a middle term position for an open minded, International Volunteer who is interested to work together with young adults with different backgrounds. In 2012 we offer about three Workcamps for Volunteers with and without any kind of social, physical or mental handicap. For these special projects which take place in June, July and August we need a coordinator who wants to get social competences and practical experiences with different people. The Volunteer will have the chance to travel around and see different places in Switzerland. In the beginning she/ he will stay in Zurich to participate at the campleader training (preparation) and help with finalizing the special Access 4 all projects. After that she/ he will travel to the first Workcamp place in another region. The responsibility will be the coordination of the group, to give a helping hand in different daily matters and doing environmental work. After that the Volunteer will stay in other projects during the summer. Finally there will be a second Access 4 All project in August/ September, before the Volunteer will go back to the office in Zurich to finalize the MTV. Details about the different Workcamps will be sent out later on. WORK To be a coordinator: To be responsible for the supervision and realisation of a volunteer work project in collaboration with the Volunteers. To follow up a group of young volunteers coming from different countries in the achieving of this project; To establish a good relationship between the volunteers, the local host and the local community. To help in case of conflicts in the group due to the mixture of the youngsters with different backgrounds. There will be administrative tasks in the office of Workcamp Switzerland in Zurich. ACCOMODATION The Volunteer will live in different places. Food and board will be provided and the Volunteer will receive a small pocket money and all the expenses for travelling. Usually the accommodation is in dormitories or even tents (in summer). Different locations: Zurich (ZH), Passugg-Araschgen (GR), Fribourg (FR), Estavayer-le-Lac (FR), Cudrefin (VD) and Teuffenthal/Ralligen (BE). All of the places are set in an absolutely beautiful region in the mountains or by lakes.
REMARKS/SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS The minimum age for this position is 20. It would be helpful to have previous Volunteer experiences or to have a leading experience. This position could fit someone who studies social work, becomes a teacher or who has work experiences in a similar field. The Volunteer needs to have good language skills (English, if possible French and German). A CV and a motivation letter have to be sent through our partner organisation on 31 st of March 2012 latest. There will be phone interviews before the final selection. AIRPORT Zurich English/French/German
WS12SCH_2_MTV 01/07/12 31/08/12 MTV-GARDENING ENVI/A4A This Middle Term Position (MTV) is open for Volunteers who like to stay in the nature and who are interested in garden work. The two positions are also open for unemployed young adults who face some social problems, because we want to open some places in our projects for Volunteers with fewer opportunities. In the beautiful region of Davos (Schatzalp) there is the Alpinum, a huge botanical garden in the mountains. An association was founded to support this garden and to save some rare species and the nature over there for the next generation. In this botanical garden guests can find many rare plants and more then 3500 different types of species and cultivars. This magic place is for everyone who loves nature. The Volunteers will have the chance to see an incredible beautiful part of Switzerland and who like to work outdoors and don t mind to live in a quiet place. There is the possibility to extend the project to three months with one week holiday. Volunteers will receive a small pocket money. WORK Every year, there is a lot of work to be done in the botanical garden. The Volunteers will support the gardener in his daily garden work. Interested Volunteers should be physically strong and interested in agricultural and garden work. Work is eight hours a day from Monday till Friday, the weekends are off. The group of Volunteers consists of only two people. Interested candidates should be autonomous and self-managing. ACCOMMODATION Volunteers will sleep in the hotel in the old flats of the staff (in a shared room). Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided from the personal canteen. In the hotel there are staying the ordinary holiday guests, the Volunteers will stay in the personal flat and spend the time together with the employees of the hotel. Set in an exceptionally beautiful bowl of mountains Davos is the highest town in Europe at 1560 meters. In Davos there is the world class ice hockey, cross country skiing and ice skating, Volunteers will stay at the hotel Schatzalp. With a peaceful location 300 meters above Davos this traditional hotel is reached by a short ride on the Schatzalp funicular from the main street and enjoys glorious panoramic views across the valley. REMARKS / SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS The motivation of the volunteers has to be very high to work outdoors and it can be physically demanding. The weather might change (rain). Applicants should be very interested in gardening work and agriculture. That s why a MOTIVATION LETTER is required. Volunteers should bring along warm, robust working clothes (water proofed), trekking shoes (suitable for the mountains) and hand gloves (strong working gloves). Smoking during the work is not allowed. TERMINAL Bigger Airports: Zurich, Basel, Geneva, there is a connection to the train station Davos Platz. From there volunteers can take a cable car. English/ German basic knowledge