Join our non-profit spiritual and social centre near Lake Trasimeno, Italy

Details

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  Description

  Hello, Workawayers!
  
  Would you like to spend time in a small, emerging holistic community in Italy that’s taking its first steps toward self-sustainability? Then we’d love to hear from you!
  
  We are a nonprofit organization founded on the principles of freedom, love, and conscious living. Our vision is to contribute to positive change on this planet – starting small, but with deep intention. So, we are engaged in protecting an old olive grove, organizing a Lgbd+ event, and hosting meditation retreats, matriarchal-based full moon meetings, and working on female leadership and holistic living together.
  
  We are based in a beautiful 300-year-old seminar house near Lake Trasimeno (close to Perugia and Assisi). Our focus is on living together as a small, heart-centered community while supporting our nonprofit mission. Some of our current activities include:
  
  Maintaining a small organic vegetable garden
  
  Light help within the household and with cooking (just for us and the volunteers)
  
  Basic care of olive trees and light outdoor tasks
  
  Optional: Spending time with a young woman in a wheelchair who lives with us. She is part of our community, and any help would be in the form of social support, like walks, board games, or preparing tea. No professional experience is required.
  
  We speak a mix of Italian, English, and often German. The charming village of Passignano is just 2 km away – a lovely walk – and the lake is just as close. There’s a train station 1.5 km from the house, making it easy to reach Perugia if you wish to study or explore.
  
  We primarily live and eat a mostly natural, vegetarian diet. We offer accommodation and meals in exchange for up to 25 hours of help per week (5 hours/day, 5 days a week, with 2 days off). Any additional contribution would be completely voluntary and up to you.
  
  If you feel drawn to co-creating this experience with us, we’d be happy to connect!
  
  Warmly,
  Margaretha
  
  P.S. As of spring/summer 2025, our household includes:
  – Margaretha (Austria, 59, Counselor)
  – Abdelfattah (64, Holistic Practitioner)
  – A young woman from Germany
  – 1 volunteer

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Charity Work

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Self development

  

  Sustainability

  

  Politics / Social justice

  

  Charity work

  

  Writing

  

  Gardening

  

  Books

  

  Water sports

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Nature
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We are an intercultural household and nonprofit project, with roots in Austria, Morocco, Germany, and Italy. We live simply, reflect often, and explore alternative ways of living together in harmony, especially in a time when the world feels increasingly complex.
  
  Here, you can:
  
  Experience intentional community life
  
  Share in open conversations about culture, spirituality, and values
  
  Learn about natural living, meditation, and self-sustainability
  
  Take part in meaningful daily life while contributing to a small NGO project
  
  We regularly reflect on questions like:
  – How can we live together peacefully, even with different backgrounds and beliefs?
  – How can we stay grounded, creative, and kind in a fast-changing world?
  
  If you enjoy deep conversations, creativity, and being part of a community that values inner work and outer contribution, you may feel at home with us.
  
  P.S. We deeply value respect, inclusiveness, and diversity of thought – all respectful worldviews are welcome here.

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  Registered charity

  This host is a registered charity in their country and is looking for volunteers to help with their project(s).

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  Help

  The rhythm of life here is simple and flexible. Some days are more focused on preparing meals, others on gardening or house care. Our current priorities include:
  
  Helping to prepare simple, nourishing meals (just for the household and volunteers)
  
  Light cleaning and maintenance of the house and garden
  
  We always aim to keep the help balanced, with plenty of time to rest, explore the area, or enjoy nature. The total help requested is no more than 25 hours per week.

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  Languages spoken

  Arabic: Fluent
  German: Fluent
  Italian: Fluent
  English: Intermediate
  French: Beginner

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  Accommodation

  You have a room in the house. As it is an old Italian house, the rooms are simple. The bathrooms are shared.

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  What else ...

  During your time off, you’ll have plenty of options to relax or explore the area.
  
  We’re just 2 km from Lake Trasimeno, where you can go for a swim, try paddleboarding or simply enjoy a walk by the water (we’ll be honest – the lake isn’t the Caribbean, but it has its charm!). We have bikes available if you'd like to explore the nearby villages, which are full of history and Italian flair.
  
  There’s a gym and local shops within walking or biking distance, and a train station just 1.5 km away. That makes it easy to visit beautiful places like Perugia, Assisi, Florence, or even Rome. In fact, many volunteers have enjoyed walking part of the pilgrimage route to Assisi – a peaceful and reflective experience.
  
  If you're interested in learning, we’re happy to share our skills:
  
  Nonviolent communication, group facilitation, Meditation and elements of shamanic practice (Margaretha)
  
  Arabic language basics and a calm, grounded approach to life from a Sufi-inspired perspective (Youssef)
  
  In the summer, the region comes alive with music, arts, and cultural festivals. Or… if you'd rather do nothing, sit under a tree and read – that's perfectly fine too.
  
  We believe that growth happens not only in activity, but also in stillness.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  yes, we have a Starlink connection. It is mostly very good. (Me too, I work a lot online!!!) and we have a cat.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  Well, the importance is that the pet is not dangerous for other members or the cat. Some dogs have problems being around other people, so the pet must be human and cat-friendly. And there is no fence around the house. On the other hand, the road is not very busy (1 car the hour), so if you have a smart or old dog, this could function - if the dog is nice to our beloved cat Ivy!

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  My animals / pets

  Ivy

  A friend brought us this cat from a camping place. It was October 2024, and the campground was empty. The cat was starving and very thin. Our friend asked us if we would take her, and we said yes, of course. Ivy is a true free spirit. She comes when she wants and she goes when she wants. She spends a lot of time outside in the summer. In winter, instead, she loves to stay with us in front of the warm oven. She is a hunter, and sometimes she brings us "presents" in the form of a mouse. We love her very much, and therefore, we are happy about dogs only when they also love cats.

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