Slovenia
Favourited 1760 times
We are full till September 2022. If you are available from 15.9. till 14.11.2022, welcome to join us! Read below more about it!
This is a charity project in a beautiful Istria peninsula. Our primary objective is to help the local communities in the Istria region. We support them in any way we can. We help people in need, work on local sustainable projects and preservation of local natural and cultural heritage.
In the last nine years we have hosted more than 1200 volunteers from 56 countries and created an inspiring space of cooperation, creativity and harmony among volunteers and the locals. In 2021 we were nominated for Salto award as one of the top five volunteering projects in Europe.
In 2019 we moved to our new volunteer center that hosts about 15 volunteers all year round. We are located in the village of Kastelec, 30 min by bus from the coastal town of Koper.
In 2022, we are going to host groups of volunteers through the EU solidarity corps program (ESC). In the spring and fall we are going to welcome two groups of 15 volunteers (age 18-30) from all around the EU who will join us for 61 days. Volunteers' transportation costs, accommodation, food, insurance and 4 eur of pocket money per day will be covered through the program. All the volunteers need to arrive and leave at the same day.
Next group- dates of arrival and departure:
-15.9.2022 to 14.11.2022
There is a great variety of things to do, so if you want to bring out the hero in you, come and join us!
Charity Work
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Elderly Companionship
Teaching
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
We help local communities and NGOs in different Istrian villages, so we have warm and pristine relationship with local population. This enables volunteers to experience real Istria - its people, nature and traditions.
Our work is diverse, so you will learn many useful skills, from easy construction work to cooking. After work, everyone is encouraged to share their skills and talents, so there are frequent workshops, debates, movie nights...
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Our work is really diverse. We help people in need, help local eco farmers, organise workshops for kids, help in an animal shelter, help local charities, participate at local cultural events, clean overgrown terraces and paths, organise clean-up actions and much more...To do all that we need many helping hands.
Since our work is really diverse, we are not looking for specific profiles, but we are searching for volunteers who have enthusiasm, motivation and will to learn new skills.
We decided to dedicate our work to non-profit charity activities only. This makes us different from most other hosts, but also means that we do not create profit to cover volunteers' costs. Therefore we kindly ask volunteers to contribute 5 eur per day towards the costs of their food. In case you are coming through ESC project, all the costs are covered through the program.
English: Fluent
Slovenian: Fluent
Volunteers will stay in volunteer center in Kastelec village. We have simple shared rooms that can accommodate 21 volunteers (3 rooms for 2 volunteers, 1 for 4 volunteers and 2 for 6 volunteers), 3 shared toilets and showers, big kitchen, living room, relaxation room and beautiful surroundings. Just behind the house we have a basketball court.
There are three vegetarian meals per day. We only cook vegetarian food, as we want to promote sustainability, not only in our volunteering but also in our daily life.
In the free time after lunch and in the evenings we share with one another our knowledge, play social games, walk on slackline, go swimming, rock climbing (there are great climbing sites nearby), play volleyball, basketball, read, watch movies and talk.
Our surroundings, Istria, is a fine region to practise hiking, biking and climbing, as much in the mountainous inland as at the coast.
Adriatic coast is near. There are unfrequent buses to coastal town of Koper that take 30 minutes.
About half an hour car drive from us are:
- A beautiful old town of Piran;
- Škocjan and Postojna caves.
Towns of Venezia, Ljubljana, Pula, Rovinj, Croatian islands and Julian Alps with Triglav national park are 1 to 2 hours away.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Yes, wifi available.
We have space for your camper/van.
We have a male dog that doesn't like other male dogs, but loves females. We have a cat and 5 chickens. All the pets that can harmoniously coexist with ours are welcome.
More than two
Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week
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