Unique Off-Grid Community Experience, Dog Rehabilitation and Permaculture Agro Forestry Project in Valencia, Spain

Informationen

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  Beschreibung

  NEWS AND NEEDS:
  
  - WE GO CLIMBING 1–3 TIMES A WEEK WITH OUR DOGS TO HELP THEM FIND ADOPTION.
  
  - FROM NOW ON, WE ARE OPENING UP TO AGROFORESTRY AND PERMACULTURE AS EQUALLY IMPORTANT AREAS WITHIN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATION AND DOG-RELATED PROJECT.
  
  - WE ARE LOOKING FOR LONG-TERM VOLUNTERS WITH GENUINE INTEREST AND PASSION FOR THOSE 2 AREAS.
  
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  Hello!
  
  Are you interested in a volunteer experience in an off-grid community and comfortable with dogs, or even interested in their rehabilitation? Then this could be the right place for you!
  
  We hope you'll read the following text carefully.
  
  WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO
  
  We are a dog rehabilitation center under construction, located in Sagunto, Valencia (55 km from the center of Valencia) in a rural area with beautiful nature and views in all directions. Our project revolves primarily around the rehabilitation of dogs from diverse backgrounds who need socialization, training, and love to be ready for adoption. We are still in the initial stages, so for now, we are dedicating most of our energy to improving the facilities and living spaces, while also caring for the dogs we have. We are building the foundation to be able to help in the recovery of people, animals, and nature itself, and to create a self-sustaining community in the company of the dogs and animals of the project.
  
  We firmly believe in the principles of permaculture and are gradually transforming our land into a self-sufficient garden. We consider ourselves a project with a natural and balanced approach to canine education and rehabilitation. This means we have a patient and mindful approach with each dog, slowly and steadily building their confidence, socializing them, providing them with light training, and giving them a calm and natural environment to regain their equilibrium.
  
  There is a lot of work to be done, and we welcome all skill levels. We always try to adapt to each person's abilities and interests as much as possible, as we believe that purpose-driven work always leads to harmony and better results for everyone involved.
  
  LIVING CONDITIONS
  
  Upon arrival as a volunteer, you will live in what we call the volunteer house; a house that can accommodate up to 8 volunteers in 4 shared double bedrooms, with beautiful views surrounded by nature, a large property, a swimming pool, an outdoor terrace where we eat together, and the house itself with everything you need. You'll live with an adorable pack of sociable and well-behaved dogs , plus a goose and three pigs in a landscaped enclosure. Be prepared for canine life and all that it entails: the dogs will bark occasionally, and you'll need to tend to them often and clean up the occasional pee or poop in the house. Many volunteers end up forming special bonds with certain dogs and develop a bedmate or even a foster dog.
  
  Volunteers who stay longer may have the option to move to one of our other houses with individual bedrooms and shared common areas. These volunteers are responsible for the care of the dogs living in these spaces as if they were their own during their time on the project.
  
  The volunteer house is equipped with reliable Wi-Fi, a well-equipped kitchen, and air conditioning for the summer months. The houses are powered by solar panels, so please be mindful of your electricity usage.
  
  It's important to understand that everything is being modernized and remodeled in many ways, and people need to be prepared for that. Some houses are quite far along, others are in a more precarious state, and still others are being renovated. Situations may arise where the electricity, water, gas, or hot water supply is interrupted, but it's usually restored quickly. Here, we're learning to live off-grid, in a rural environment, with all the inconveniences that entails and without the usual comforts of a city home.
  
  WORK
  
  The agreement of work implies: 4 hours a day in the morning and 1 hour after lunch. The afterlunch shift generally dedicated to maintain the houses and spaces clean but it can also be used for walking dogs and other areas of the project. Volunteers will also have to work 1.5 to 1 hour a day on Saturdays and Sundays (Cleaning and feeding the dogs).
  
  We meet at 10:00. We always begin the day with a 30-minute meeting at the volunteer house where we organize tasks, get in touch, and finish with a karaoke song for those who want to join in. From 10:30 to 11:30, we also work all together 2 days a week on a group task; we tackle some of the more physical or tedious tasks together in a more fun and effective way.
  
  At 10:30, we do our morning shifts at the volunteers' house, which are distributed daily and rotated: One shift involves feeding the dogs, walking them, picking up their waste, and filming and making photos of the project dogs. The kitchen shift consists of cleaning the kitchen . Theres also a shift for preparing the meals for the day. Another, more general shift involves filling the generator and doing laundry. Finally, there's the inside shift, which involves cleaning the inside of the house and changing the sofa sheets, among other things.
  
  At 10:30 a.m., we begin the main tasks of the day. Every morning, we present the tasks that need to be done that day, and then people divide up among them. The work is very varied, but it generally involves manual tasks such as permaculture, cooking, fencing, gardening, dog care, remodeling, and general maintenance.
  There are stages where theres priorities that require everybody to assist, and other stages where it is more free and more people can choose freely what to do from a list of tasks.
  
  The morning work ends at 2:30 p.m., which is when we all eat lunch together. In general, it's important to understand that most of the volunteers' work doesn't revolve around the dogs. There is a daily shift for dogs where one or two volunteers go out for walks and spend time with certain dogs that need extra attention, but most of the work at this stage of the project involves improving the space to prepare it for the future rehabilitation center.
  
  Then we have the afterlunch shifts, with the lunch shift for cleaning the dishes and the kitchen after lunch or the outside shift for cleaning outside of the volunteer house and other outdoor areas and spaces. Other shifts include cleaning the porch, the bathroom or poopscooping the pig and dog areas. Theres also a shift for maintenance, organizing and optimizing the space as well as the different walks of the dogs that need more exercice. It's normal for new shifts to arise depending on the project's growing needs.
  
  FOOD
  
  The volunteers prepare the meals themselves. We do a large shop every two weeks, stocking up on a variety of basic items such as bread, vegetables, fruit, beans, eggs, etc. It's common for there to be much less variety of food just before the next shop, and we have to be more creative with the food and cooking. If the volunteers want something other than the food provided by the project, they will have to buy it themselves. The nearest grocery store is about 7 km from the project, and the nearest town (La Vall d'Uixó), with shops, cafes, etc., is 13 km away.
  
  VOLUNTEERING AND COMMUNITY LIVING
  
  There are usually about 15-20 of us on the project, so this is the place for people who want to experience community life with other workawayers who share a similar mindset. I prioritize volunteers who plan to stay with the project for an extended period of at least one month. If you plan to stay only a short time, I will most likely reject your application. I prefer to host people long-term, as this makes the experience much more enriching for the animals, the people, and the project itself.
  
  Many people find arriving here overwhelming due to the number of people and the overall impression. So, before deciding to come, keep in mind that you will be living with up to seven other people in a small house, and you will most likely share a room with someone else. The energy is very friendly, but it can be intense. The house is also a space where everyone involved in the project sometimes socializes and cooks, so there are times when things get quite busy. Most people get used to it after a while, but naturally, it's not for everyone. It's important to add that, although we live close to each other, it's perfectly acceptable and normal for people to spend time away from the group (in their rooms, on the roof, taking walks, etc.) when they need space or time alone.
  
  SOCIAL LIFE AND ACTIVITIES
  
  Most of the time, people here end up spending a lot of time together playing board games, doing sports, hiking, taking trips to the city or the beach, etc., and creating close bonds. The activities are organized by the residents themselves, and the initiative is always appreciated.
  
  Some of us wake up between 6 and 7 in the morning, while others freely share different activities throughout the day, such as breathing exercises, Pilates, yoga, meditation, running, and swimming in the cold pool. If you enjoy these kinds of routines and would like to join us, we'd be delighted to share these moments. In the afternoons, there's also the option of walking some of the dogs from the project along the natural trails in the area, visiting some of the dogs separated from the project and walking them in our fenced area, or spending time with the different packs and socializing with them in the various areas of the project.
  
  We have a car for the project, so afternoons and weekends can also be used for shopping or taking a day trip. We go twice a week to an indoor climbing gym, where we always take a dog so they can socialize and potentially find a home. We also love going to the beach (about 20-30 minutes away) or to Valencia (50 minutes away) for shopping, restaurants, dancing, etc. Since we only have one car, we need to be mindful of sharing it fairly. We use a WhatsApp group to organize car use, and each volunteer will have to pay a deposit upon arrival if they wish to use the car, from which we will deduct driving costs (around €0.2-€0.3 per km, depending on the route).
  
  CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
  
  Since so many people live together, close friendships often form quickly, and therefore, it's also possible and natural for connections to develop that go beyond friendship. That said, it's important for us to convey the following message to new volunteers:
  
  Connecting is natural, but if you're going to take the next step, do it slowly and with a lot of respect and awareness of the situation and the potential consequences. Since we all live and work together in close connection, it's not the same as becoming intimate when we travel, party, or live in "normal" circumstances, where everyone can go home and move on more easily if someone is emotionally hurt.
  
  The project does not accept people who don't respect others' time and space in a sexual and emotional sense, people who try to seduce multiple people at once, or people who impulsively jump from one relationship to another without considering the necessary processes for doing so in a healthy way and with consideration for all parties involved. We want to welcome people who understand the importance of mindful relationships and who are capable of caring for a social environment and the people within it.
  
  ALCOHOL AND DRUG POLICY
  
  Since our future goal is to create a wellness center where young people can find their way in life, it is very important to set a good example of healthy habits. This applies not only to the human aspect but also to the animal aspect, as volunteers in the project are responsible for dogs and other animals at all times. For this reason, we have opted for a drug-free center (including alcohol) and we need responsible people who understand the importance of maintaining a positive state of mind during their stay. Currently, we accept tobacco and are planning to create a smoking area within the project.
  
  FINAL THOUGHTS AND NEXT STEPS
  
  Thank you for reading. If this project still seems like a good fit for you, I hope to hear from you. Send me a message here on Workaway and I will get back to you as soon as possible. If I consider you a potential candidate, I'll send you a list of questions to answer via a WhatsApp video message. To accept someone, it's essential that I can see and hear them clearly. I need to be confident in their energy and attitude before discussing a possible collaboration.
  
  hablar de venir.

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  Nachhaltigkeit

  

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  UNO-Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung, die dieser Gastgeber verfolgt

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  Was ist das?
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  Kultureller Austausch und Lernmöglichkeiten

  Learn to slow down and get in touch with nature, community life, dogs, permaculture and DIY projects while helping us creating our dream.

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  Arbeit

  Taking care and walking dogs, cleaning, building, gardening, working on all kind of DIY projects around the House, the garden and the terrain.

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  Sprachen

  Gesprochene Sprachen
  Englisch: Fließend
  Französisch: Grundkenntnisse

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  Unterkunft

  A house with shared double bedroom and small common área, wifi, light source and views to a Big Green área and mountains.

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  Etwas mehr Information

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    Internet Zugang

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    Eingeschränkter Internet Zugang

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    Wir besitzen Tiere

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    Wir sind Raucher

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    Familien möglich

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  Kann Digital Nomads unterbringen

  Dieser Gastgeber nimmt gern Digital Nomads bei sich auf.

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  Platz zum Abstellen von Camper Vans

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  Hier sind Haustiere in der Regel willkommen

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  Kapazität - wie viele Workawayer maximal

  mehr als zwei

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