Since spring 2015 Small Footprint participates in the ESC (European Solidarity Corps) program and we are receiving volunteers between ages 18-30.
We are welcoming young people who are interested in sustainable lifestyle and community living. We offer a space for learning about permaculture, eco-communities, social practices, alternative education, dance, yoga, local food, vegetarian cooking etc. We are looking for volunteer(s) who are open minded and quite independent. The main fields of work are helping to develop our training centre (organizing courses, marketing, welcoming guests) and permaculture garden in the community.
In 2015/2016 our ESC volunteer was Giovanni from Italy who helped to take care of our permaculture garden. In 2018/2019 Gwendal fro France lived with us for 6 months and Carla from Germany for 8 months.
What is a better way to be a temporary community member and live according to nature’s rhythms in the countryside than being a volunteer? Thanks to the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) we could offer an opportunity for 12 young people from 5 different countries to come and experience community life for a month with us, learn about sustainable lifestyle and give a hand in developing our permaculture inspired garden and training centre facilities.
In April-May 2019 we were hosting young people from Germany, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Estonia who worked and shared our lives with volunteers. It was a truly beautiful and inspiring experience that also had its challenges. We will remember this group by up-cycling of old windows and materials, renovation of community terrace and dining room, kick-starting of our garden and supporting the hosting of events. Here is also one longer blog-post about this experience here by Ilonka, a traveller and ecovillage explorer, who joined the ESC group in their experience. Here’s another experience by Nelly.
In 2020 we hosted two short-term volunteer camps, one in June-July and the other in July-August.
