“Eco-volunteers 2”

European Voluntary Service
“Eco-volunteers 2”

Kudowa-Zdrój/Karłów – Poland
3rd – 23rd September 2018

 

Summary of the project:

Our project refers to the first edition of the project – Eco-volunteers carried out successfully in 2017. Again, together with the Stołowe Mountains National Park, we would like to invite 16 volunteers from 6 European countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Lithuania, Italy, Spain and engage them in pro-ecological activities.
As the Foundation for the Development of Local Initiatives Qdowa, we implement a tourist-ecological project „Move to the Table Mountains“ and we are looking for people willing to join.
As a part of our project, we will be carrying out (on 21th September 2018) the fourth edition of the „Mountains are OK“ project, where more than 200 students from nearby schools attended last year. They traveled the mountain trails from their villages to the little Eco-town located in the heart of the Stolowe Mountains in Karłów, collecting trash along the way. A bonfire with sausages, a special guest and an ecological workshop awaited them.

The aim of the „Eco-volunteers“ project is to involve volunteers from European countries in local educational and environmental activities and to show the global nature of the challenges facing us in the field of ecology.
Involvement of a group of international volunteers will bring more interest to young people with the „Mountains are OK“ campaign, which will be held for the fourth time in the Table Mountain National Park. Volunteers will bring new ideas and actions into it, allow them to conduct multi-cultural ecological workshops that show the ecological problems of today’s Europe and will also affect local decision-makers. Thanks to the analysis of the litter state of the National Park and its presentation, the authorities of the communes in which the National Park is located will contribute to paying more attention to the problem of litter and ecology.

Kudowa Zdrój is a health resort situated in the Sudety Mountains. It is one of the oldest resorts not only in Poland but also in Europe with the tradition of health and sanatorium dating from the 17th century. Kudowa offers a great number of permanent and seasonal tourist attractions for you in this wonderful place. Its location in a valley surrounded by forests provide natural therapeutic values.

The neighbourhood of the Stołowe Mountains, picturesque bicycle and tourist routes, unique museums, cultural facilities, modern sport facilities and location by the border with the Czech Republic make Kudowa Zdrój attractive for both health resort visitors and touts.

Over the years of its history Kudowa Zdrój has been visited by many famous personalities, for example the Prussian King Wilhelm III with the family, the English Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the Polish writer Bruno Schultz, Marshal Iwan Koniew and last but not least Karol Wojtyła, the later John Paul II.
In 2007 Kudowa Zdrój hosted “The Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian” movie crew with the starring children and the director Andrew Adams while the scenes were shot in the neighbouring Errant Rocks. The famous director of such films as for example “Shrek” planted a tree in a special alley next to Kudowa Aqua Park.

Karłów is a village located in the center of the Table Mountains at the foot of Szczeliniec Wielki. Its history dates back to 1730 when a settlement was established around the forestry lodge. Already in the 19th century Karłów became a significant tourist destination thanks to the initiative of Francis Pablo, who adapted Szczeliniec to visit. In recognition of his merit in 1813, he was appointed a royal guide. After the construction „Road of one hundred curves” from Radków to Kudowa, Karłów became a tourist center in the Table Mountains.

Stołowe Mountains also known as the Table Mountains (Polish: Góry Stołowe, Czech: Stolové hory, German: Heuscheuergebirge) are a 42-kilometre (26 mi)-long mountain range in Poland and the Czech Republic, part of the Sudetes.
The Polish part of the range is protected as the Stołowe Mountains National Park. The highest peak of the range is Szczeliniec Wielki at 919 m (3,015 ft).

The range is formed of sandstone and, as the only one in Poland, presents plated structure with sheer mountain ledges. Among the tourist attractions there are two massifs: Szczeliniec Wielki on which the labyrinth, and Skalniak on which the labyrinth Błędne Skały (Errant Rocks). There are several notable rock formations, among them Kwoka („Hen“), Wielbłąd („Camel“), Małpa („Monkey“), Głowa Konia („Horse Head“), Fotel Pradziada („Great Grandfather’s Armchair“).

Profile of the volunteer:

We would like to invite 16 volunteers from 6 countries (Italy – 2, Bulgaria – 3, Croatia – 3, Macedonia – 3, Spain – 2, Lithuania – 3), aged 18-30 years, interested in ecology, actively involved in ecological activities, ready to lead ecological activities with children and the youth and like meeting new people and exchanging experiences.

Volunteers will be involved in:
• Assistance in organising the campaign „Mountains are OK“
• Workshops in schools informing about global ecological challenges and the importance of activities in the local environment
• Inventory and mapping of invasive plants in the National Park and its surroundings
• Conducting meetings with the authorities of municipalities in the vicinity of the Stolowe Mountains, emphasizing the importance of the fight against invasive plants.
• Sharing the results of the project on the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the Stołowe Mountains National Park and assistance in organizing this event

Accommodation:

During the project we will spend some time in Kudowa in “Orion Hotel” and some in Karłów in “Training and Education Center of the Stołowe Mountains National Park”.
All volunteers will have double or triple rooms and during our stay in both places the full board is provided.
In case of you have food restrictions, please inform us.

Additional information:

There is no participation fee and your travel expenses and accommodation and food is covered by E+ program. During the project, the full board (incl. 3 meals a day) is provided.
Maximal travel costs reimbursement per person is 275 euro.
The travel costs will be paid back after we receive adequate invoices and travel documents.
Each volunteer must be registered in the database of the European Solidarity Corps and accepted by the organization in the PASS system. More details: https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity_en
Each participant will receive about 60 euro pocket money for the entire stay.

We recommend taking with you:
 comfortable shoes and a backpack, because we will walk a lot 😊
 warm clothes, evenings in September can be cool
 towels and flip-flops
 European Health Insurance Card
 Laptop (we will need it for working, 3-4 people can take it)
 Please, find a nice mug from your city/town/country and bring it to Poland.
On the first day we will make a lottery and you will get a cup that you can use the whole stay
and later bring home with you as a memory. Less plastic, more beauty!
 positive energy 😊

Travel cost reimbursement:

100% of the participants‘ travel costs will be reimbursed within the valid budget sums calculated according to the official rules of Erasmus+ programme. If a sum exceeds the limit, the excess will be paid by the participants themselves. The reimbursement limit is 275€ per participant from Bulgaria.

Important: In order to obtain reimbursement for the tickets, you need to obey the following rules:
1) You need to present ALL THE TICKETS, including RETURN TICKETS, which you will send after realization of the project, otherwise YOU WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED (DO NOT FORGET TO KEEP YOUR BOARDING PASSES FROM AIRPORT CHECK-IN)
2) You need to use PUBLIC TRANSPORT e.g. planes, trains, buses, trams or underground.
3) You need to depart from the country.
4) It is recommended to make scans of tickets before your arrival in case you lose them. The reimbursement will be done only in euros.

Insurance:

Every participant should have valid European Health Card.
Each participant will get full health insurance provided by CIGNA health insurance company.

All volunteers in A.C.T.O.R. need to provide a criminal record and medical analyses in order to prove to be suitable to work with vulnerable target groups, mainly kids in hospitals. These documents should be provided before the departure by scan copies and in original copy once here in Bucharest. So, please, don’t forget your criminal records and medical analyses! Pay attention to all your travel tickets and boarding passes.
Also check if you have the signed agreement with you.

YouthPass:

Every participant is individually entitled to receive a Youthpass Certificate, which confirms participation and validates the non-formal learning (NFL) experience of Training course project. Validating the learning experiences of participants is important in itself and the document can be of benefit in terms of the educational or employment future of the participant. Through Youthpass the European Commission ensures the Training course activity is recognized as a non-formal learning experience.
(*For more information on Youthpass you may click on this page to check it online)

Relevant documents and links about the EVS:

EVS Info KIT: http://éc.éuropa.éu/youth/tools/évs-info-kit_én.htm
Erasmus+ Commission Website: http://éacéa.éc.éuropa.éu/érasmus-plus_én
Erasmus+ Home Page: http://éc.éuropa.éu/programmés/érasmus-plus/
Erasmus+ Programmed Guide: http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/sites/erasmusplus/files/files/resources/erasmus-plus-programme-guide_en.pdf
Erasmus+ Youth: http://éc.éuropa.éu/youth/indéx_én.htm
Youth pass Page: https://www.youthpass.éu/én/youthpass/for/évs/subpagé/
Voluntary Agreement: will be shared with the selected candidates (Hosting organisation`s decision)

 

In order to apply, fill in this APPLICATION FORM

 

You can also check ours:

FB page – Промяната е в Tеб / The Change is in You
FB group – Сдружение „Промяната е в Теб“ – гр. Трявна
YouTube Channel – „The Change is in You“ Association

 

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