CROATIE

Les chantiers de VCZ

VCZ/5.1 /Svilaj
KIDS/RENO/ARTS/STUDY
01/08 - 15/08
15 volunteers
Location: Svilaj
Background: Svilaj is a small village, on the East side of the region Slavonija. It's 20 km away from Slavonski Brod, on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Work: The volunteers will be redecorating community center for youth and children from Svilaj, and doing workshops for primary and secondary school children on topics: hand-crafts, music, acting, dancing, etc. 
Study subject: Workshops about Human Rights, breaking prejudices, about different nationalities and religions, conflict resolutions, etc.
Excursion to the protected natural area that lies 5-6 kms away, where is a bird reservation.
There will be lectures by a specialist in ornithology.
Accommodation: In the football club 300 m from the house were we will be working. Bring sleeping bags.There are several showers and very simple toilet facilities, and kitchen.
Language: Slavic languages (Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, Macedonian, Slovenian) 
Participation fee: NO
Remarks: Slavic speakers ONLY (Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, Macedonian, Slovenian). Since volunteer's primary task is to make workshop's with the kids, they need to have skills in e.g. dancing, music, acting, hand-crafts and be willing to convey their abillities to the kids.


VCZ/6.1/ Buzet
RENO
23/06 - 06/07
10 volunteers
Location: Buzet
Background: The workcamp is taking part in Istria, a peninsula on the north of the Adriatic Sea. Istria is called "the land of good wine", because the wine production is developed very much. It is a land with two faces, the one on the coast and the one in the inland with many little hills on which there are middle age towns. One of them is Buzet. Located on the north of the peninsula, it is a small town (app 5000 inhabitants). The old part of the town is standing on the top of the hill, above the fertile river Mirna valley. It has two town gates, four squares connected with three main streets. The main square with the parish church is chiselled out in the live rock. The new, modern part of the town is gathered nowadays in the bottom of the hill, in Fontana. The camp is done in the cooperation with the Youth club BUM Buzet.
Work: Cleaning and arranging the park. The job includes reconstruction and painting benches and trash cans, renovation and maintenance of paths (in the park).
Study subject: Workshops from ancient Slavic letter "glagoljica", historical and cultural heritage of Buzet and Istria. 
Accommodation: In a local gym. Sleeping bags necessary. Showers and toilets available. Kitchen in the school distant from the gym 50 m.
Language: English and Italian
Participation fee: NO


VCZ/6.2/ Kutarevo 
ENVI
23/06 - 13/07 
15 volunteers
Location: Kutarevo - Sanctuary for young orphaned brown bears
Background: Kuterevo is small village in mountain of Velebit, north part of Adriatic coast. Kuterevo is well known because of its traditional way of living, production of wood and especially of Sanctuary for young orphaned brown bears, largest European beast that is endangered these days. Kuterevo is close to the Velebit Park of Nature and National Park that is part of World reservation of biosphere. Local people are organizing different projects and activities related to preservation of brown bear, development of ecological tourism and preservation of traditional way of life.
Work: Volunteers will work on different activities connected with Sanctuary - building of new facilities and construction of "Brown bear educational path". That part of work will be mostly physical. There is possibility that volunteers will be involved in communication with visitors to Sanctuary.
Study subject: Excursions to Adriatic coast, Park of Nature Velebit, river of Gacka and caves in Velebit. Volunteers will participate in cultural events in Kutarevo.
Accommodation: Volunteers will be accommodated in private houses on mattresses, beds and hay. Sleeping bags are necessary. Simple showers and chemical toilets will be available.
Language: English, German
Participation fee: NO


VCZ/6.3/ Donji Lapac "Una" 
ENVI
13/07 - 28/07
15 volunteers
Location: Donji Lapac
Background: Donji Lapac is located in south -east part of Lika region, near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina and spring of river Una, close to the Adriatic coast. It is a small place in mountains, surrounded by untouched nature. During the war of the 1990s, this area has been devastated and is still uncared for. Locals, in cooperation with ZaMirNet and VCZ, started this project to involve the local citizens in initiatives for the development of area, to raise environmental awareness and promote international and intercultural understanding between people.
Work: Volunteers will arrange and mark walking paths to the spring of river Una and to the 55 meters high waterfall Strbacki buk on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. They will also build small excursion places. Volunteers will, together with local people, prepare workshop and performances for the kids.
Study subject: Excursions, traditional and modern music programme, concert and performances organized by groups from other places.
Accommodation: In local school on mattresses, sleeping bags are necessary, toilets and improvised showers are provided, 24 h access to the Internet.
Language: English
Participation fee: NO


VCZ/6.4/Vocin
ENVI/ART
14/07 - 28/07
14 volunteers
Location: Arboretum "Lisicine"
Background: Arboretum Lisicine is situated on mountain Papuk in region Slavonia. It is in beautiful natural surrounding with small lake in Arboretum area. Arboretum was devastated during the war in 90s and before the war it was well known excursion and education place. It also had few thousands trees and plants from all over the planet. Today Arboretum is abandoned and a number of plants are significantly reduced. Local community is trying to reconstruct the Arboretum and cultivate the plants - make it popular again! 
Besides reconstruction work, a cultural festival of youth music groups from the region will be organized in the same place in order to promote Arboretum.
Work: The help of volunteers is necessary to bring life in that area, which in the future times will be used as a place for picnics and education in nature. The work will be mostly cutting bushes and branches overgrowing the path, marking the paths , weeding and digging. All volunteers will be organised in building small bridges and paths in Park of nature "Papuk" . In this project we will include young people of Slatina and nearby areas. We will be working an average of six hours a day , five days a week. 
Volunteers will also be helping with minor things concerning the festival and making decorations on the art and body paint workshops. Possibility to participate on the festival, even on the stage J 
Study subject: renovation of the Arboretum, art and body paint workshops, through the cultural youth festival there is a great possibility to get to know local people and customs. We will have some spare time for playing, swimming, hiking, sightseeing and getting to know each other a lot better.
Accommodation: Volunteers will be placed in two mountain houses which are property of Croatia Forests. They are also providing transport to the place of work . The bigger house contains kitchen, dining room with TV and stereo, five doublebed rooms with mutual shower and 4 toilettes. The smaller house contains four beds and bathroom. Sleeping bags are necessery. 
Language: English
Participation fee: NO


VCZ/6.5/Lovinac
ENVI
01/08 - 15/08
15 volunteers
Location: Lovinac
Background: Lovinac is a small town in the Gospic area, app. 200 km south of Zagreb, in the region Lika, near the mountain Velebit. The area was affected during the war in the 90s. The workcamp is organized in cooperation between VCZ and Agricultural association "Lovinac". For more information check www.lovinac.hr . The workcamp is continuation of one held last year in Lovinac.
Work: Most of the time volunteers will work on ecological herbal farm. Volunteers will also help local community in reconstruction of traditional water mill (local area cultural heritage).
Study subject: Possible excursions to Velebit Mountain, Plitvice lakes and the Adriatic coast.
Accommodation: In the local school, sleeping bags are necessary. There are lot of showers and toilettes available, as well as kitchen. Internet access provided.
Language: English
Participation fee: NO


VCZ/9.1/Koprivnica
ARTS/STUDY/FEST
28/04 - 07/05 
7 volunteers
Location: Koprivnica
Background: Koprivnica, app. 1 hour by train from Zagreb, Croatia's capital, is a local centre with several big factories (food manufacturer "Podravka", brewery "Panonska Pivovara" etc). Since autumn last year biggest club outside of Zagreb, called "Kuglana 2", was opened. Spiritus movens of the club is a group of enthusiasts, who also publish a music magazine DOP; club is a meeting point for those who love modern urban music, great films and pleasant company. "Spektar" is a multicultural festival; its goal is to promote richness of other cultures and values of tolerance and co-operation in today's globalised world, by introducing Koprivnica region's youth with cultural specifics of five countries (China, Iran, Sweden…).
Work: Includes active role of participants in preparing the festival happenings, helping with the stage preparation, cleaning the club premises before and after the happenings, distributing information to general public, media presentation of camp and festival.
Study subject: A large creative workshop, which will probably be main event of the camp itself, and one of the regular event on the "Spektar" festival. Volunteers will prepare a theatrical performance on tolerance, multiculturality and similar topics, seen through their own eyes; history and the cultural heritage of Podravina region; lectures and film projections on the festival.
Accommodation: Volunteers will be accommodated in club facilities, in 2 rooms. Sleeping bags necessery. Toilets and showers available.
Language: English 
Participation fee: NO
Remarks: Possible workshop on culture/multiculture/interculture, for participants only.
Qualifications: Artistic skills preferable, but not strictly necessary.


VCZ/9.2/ Hrvatska Kostajnica II 
FEST
01/06 - 15/06
15 volunteers
Location: Hrvatska Kostajnica
Background: Hrvatska Kostajnica is romantic little town on the green - blue river Una, in the central part of Croatia, on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The river Una is one of the cleanest rivers of the region and is very pleasant for swimming, canoeing or other activities. In Hrvatska Kostajnica there are lots of marks from different periods in history, including fortress from 14th century, and, unfortunately, from the war in 1990s.
Work: Volunteers will help in two - weeks traditional celebration of Hrvatska Kostajnica which will include concerts, exhibitions, performances and sport activities. This celebration is organized by local municipality and volunteers will help local youth organization KAOS to give alternative contribution to the celebration that can include music or theatre performances related to environmental actions against nuclear waste disposals, peace and intercultural understanding.
Study subject: Excursions to different parts of river Una in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Accommodation: Abandoned food factory facilities that will become international youth centre, showers, toilets and Internet access provided.
Language: English
Participation fee: NO


VCZ/11.1/Vukovar
RENO/STUDY
20/06 - 03/07 
15 volunteers
Location: Vurbanica, Vukovar
Background: Vukovar is town situated on Danube, Croatia on the border with FRYugoslavia. The Vukovar was totaly destroyed in war happenings during 1991. Twelwe years later, Vukovar is a simbol of human sufferings, but at the same time and a simbol of peace and hope for better world. Volunteers' centre Zagreb (VCZ) in cooperation with local youth organisation (YPGD) started this project with aims to build children playground and to promote international and intercultural understanding between young people through theatre workshops.
Work: 15 international volunteers together with local volunteers will work on building the children playground and rebuilding the school playground. Volunteers will be lead by two theatre workshop leaders, working on issues of identity, borders and racism.
Study subject: Excursion on river Danube will be organised and visit to local museums, villages. Sport activities will be organised as well.
Accommodation: Volunteers will be accommodated in house of Youth peace group Danube, sleeping bags are necessary. Toilets and showers are provided.
Language: English
Participation fee: NO


VCZ/11.2/Kutina I 
FEST/KIDS
22/06 - 05/07
10 volunteers
Location: Kutina
Background: Kutina is a small city (app. 15000 inhabitants) 70 km's south of Zagreb. VCZ will organize this camp in co-operation with Kutina Youth Center (KYC).VCZ and KYC made Kutina's first and very successful Summer camp last year as a part of summer festival featuring concerts, sports events, workshops etc, and they incorporated an international workcamp in it.
Work: Participating in the small cultural festival Kutina Summer Festival 2003. The 
volunteers will be doing workshops for primary and secondary school children on the topics: dancing, computer, hand-crafts, music, acting... The volunteers will also help in organizing some festival events.
Accommodation: In a local dormitory in beds. Sheats and blankets are available. Several 
toilets and showers and a kitchen available. 
Language: English
Participation fee: NO
Remarks: Qualifications: Since the volunteers' primary task is to make workshops with the kids, they need to have skills in e.g. dancing, computer, hand-crafts, music, acting...and be 
willing to convey their abilities to the kids.


VCZ/11.3/Kutina II
FEST/KIDS
06/07 - 19/07
10 volunteers
Location: Kutina
Background: Kutina is a small city (app. 15000 inhabitants) 70 km's south of Zagreb. VCZ will organize this camp in co-operation with Kutina Youth Center (KYC).VCZ and KYC made Kutina's first and very successful Summer camp last year as a part of summer festival featuring concerts, sports events, workshops etc, and they incorporated an international workcamp in it.
Work: Participating in the small cultural festival Kutina Summer Festival 2003. The 
volunteers will be doing workshops for primary and secondary school children on the topics: dancing, computer, hand-crafts, music, acting... The volunteers will also help in organizing some festival events.
Accommodation: In a local dormitory in beds. Sheats and blankets are available. Several 
toilets and showers and a kitchen available. 
Language: English
Participation fee: NO
Remarks: Qualifications: Since the volunteers' primary task is to make workshops with the kids, they need to have skills in e.g. dancing, computer, hand-crafts, music, acting...and be 
willing to convey their abilities to the kids.

Chantier de l'association Green Action Zagreb

GA/01/Solta Solar Academy
Solta Solar Academy
06/07-19/07
RENO/ENVI
30 volunteers
Background: Using the site of abandoned military barracks, Green Action intends to develope educational center where activists and general public will be able to learn about renewable energy technologies and environment protection in general. Barracks are situated on the hill in the south wild part of the island, 2 kilometers from the nearest village, placed in a beautiful Mediterranenan landscape. Solta is a small island (54 km2, less than 1000 inhabitants) half an hour drive by ferry from Split.
Work: Renovate the buildings and surroundings of the abandoned military barracks. More specifically expected major tasks will be: cleaning and painting of rooms in the buildings, clearing the surrounding of barracks and isolating windows to coserve heat and save energy.
Study subject: There will be an educational programme about renewable sources of energy and presentation of Green Action experience in energy campaigning. Some field excursions are going to be organized around the island. Small groups are also going to be teached and will carry out taks of isolating windows in Solta Primary School and during it educated how good isolation is linked to energy efficiency and protection of environment.
Accommodation: There are no any furniture in these buildings and sleeping bags are necessary. Also there is possibility for camping in the nature. Electricity, toilets and showers available. Buildings were abandoned for 7 years and infrastructure is in bad shape. First workcamp was organized there last year.
Participants will be divided in cooking teams and will help to prepare meals. Beach is 1 hour of walk away.
Language: English
Qualifications: Interest in environment is preferable but not necessary. Participants should expect sometimes a hard physical work and working in hot summer conditions. 
Artistic skills are most welcome. There will be opportunity for creativity of participants in painting of the rooms.
Participation fee: NO