Help run a hikers’ community hostel in the heart of Dilijan National Park, Armenia

Infos

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  Description

  If you love exploring forests and mountains, enjoy meeting new people, and are experienced in either DIY / construction or hosting / housekeeping, this might be the Workaway opportunity for you! Our tiny hostel for hikers and outdoor lovers in the heart of Dilijan National Park run seasonally between May and October, but we need your help to make it happen!
  
  Our goal for this social enterprise is to provide a community hub for hikers in the area, and by doing so to help sustain the trail network in Dilijan National Park. Our focus on guests who are here to hike puts emphasis on the destination's hiking opportunities, and the facility is used by local trail maintenance crews while they're working in the area.
  
  We are also co-founders of the Transcaucasian Trail (TCT), a long-distance trail network being built across the Caucasus. In fact, ours is the first dedicated hikers' hostel anywhere on the TCT! Many of our guests stop here having spent weeks hiking from the far south of Armenia or from neighbouring Georgia.
  
  So if you're keen to be part of this mission, you like the idea of spending time in one of Armenia's best-loved beauty spots, and you have the skills and experience we need from our volunteers (see below for details), we'd love to hear from you!
  
  Please note that copy-pasted messages from people whose profiles and availability do not match our stated needs will receive copy-pasted replies! If you're serious about the opportunities we offer, the least we expect is that you take the time to write to us individually. Thank you!

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Pratique d’une langue

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  Aide à la maison

  Accueil / tourisme

  Entretien général
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  Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU que cet hôte essaie d'atteindre

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  Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  You’ll be based in the heart of Dilijan’s old town, within easy reach of the National Park’s extensive network of trails, making this a perfect base for exploring northern Armenia and spending time in some of the best mountain and forest wildernesses in the country. We have strong ties to many local businesses and entrepreneurs and can connect you with almost any opportunity you might desire. We speak three languages and have a constant flow of hikers from all over the world coming through the hostel. In short, there's plenty to keep your occupied and interested!

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  Aide

  PLEASE READ CAREFULLY THE FOLLOWING SECTION. We think it's best for everyone if we are as specific as possible about the kind of help we need and the kind of volunteers we'll accept:
  
  From April onwards, we are looking for TWO skilled volunteers to help with a wide variety of projects to improve the hostel, the staff cottage next door (ie: our own house and garden), and the surrounding outdoor areas.
  
  – Many projects will require specific skills, or at least a general level of DIY competence. Volunteers with experience in landscape gardening, stonework including wall building, path building, concreting, carpentry, timber framing, furniture-making, welding, or other types of construction or DIY, we'd LOVE to hear from you.
  – You'll be working directly with us on a variety of hands-on projects, so teamwork and communication skills will be important qualities.
  – Tasks are physical in nature and will involve moving materials by hand and wheelbarrow, assisting with shopping trips for building materials, lifting and installing large and heavy pieces of wood, metal and stone, and working with hand tools and power tools. You'll need to be fit, strong, safety-conscious, and able to manage your exertion levels.
  
  From late May onwards, we also need ONE hostel host/housekeeper to assist with the daily changeover, welcome new guests, and keep the hostel clean, tidy and well-managed:
  
  – On the 5 days a week you'll be on duty, the work is split into two phases, which we'll share with you on a flexible basis:
  –– 12:00–15:00 is housekeeping hours. During this time, we strip and change the beds for all the guests who are checking out, wash the bedlinen and towels, and clean and tidy the communal areas and dorms.
  –– 15:00–18:00 is project time, during which we'll ask you to contribute to ongoing improvement projects around the property, as well as remaining on hand to check in any newly arriving guests.
  –– Outside of these times, you're free to come and go from the hostel as you please, but if you're on site when a new guest arrives we expect you to handle the quick and simple check-in process if we aren't there to do it ourselves.
  – Our ideal host is someone who is open, responsive and friendly; comfortable interacting socially with people from a wide range of backgrounds; knows from experience how to cultivate the communal atmosphere a hostel needs while also giving guests privacy and space; and takes a proactive approach to the cleanliness and tidiness of communal areas and the troubleshooting of property and guests issues.
  – People who have previous experience of this kind of work in the hospitality industry, especially in a hostel, are our best candidates.
  
  Thanks for reading, and if that sounds like your kind of opportunity in exchange for living in the heart of Dilijan National Park for a few weeks, drop us a line!

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Anglais: Courant
  Persian (Farsi): Courant
  Armenian: Courant

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  We're keen to learn Russian and/or Italian, and we can help you learn Armenian or Farsi (Persian).
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  Hébergement

  During your time with us, you will be sharing a bedroom with other volunteers. You’ll have the use all of the communal facilities at the hostel. You’ll also have access to a staff-only storage room and workshop with a large range of tools and materials.

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  Autres infos...

  We’re long-time international travellers, as well as experts on the local area and the hiking opportunities in the national park. We can help you arrange local transport to explore the region more widely during your free time. We speak the local language and are here to help you get the most out of your time here!

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  There is a public parking area 50m from our house for larger vehicles, and we have a private driveway on which we may be able to accommodate a small van (Sprinter/Transit/4x4 or similar). It might be necessary to move it occasionally for deliveries or construction vehicles.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Plus de 2

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  Nombre d'heures attendues

  Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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