Help out and reconnect with nature in the remote community of Sandspit, Haida Gwaii, Canada

Infos

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  Description

  We would be looking for helpers for May and June specifically at the moment.
  
  Would you like to come and help us?
  
  Our cozy old house, is overlooking a scenic bay in our tiny community (250 residents) called Sandspit, or K'il Kun, on Haida Gwaii, a remote archipelago on the northern coast of BC.
  
  Work is usually general help around the property and especially the garden. We would like to expand our vegetable patch and work on some fencing projects this spring and summer. There can also be some general maintenance, construction etc. during the shoulder and off-season.
  It is possible and encouraged to be creative in the garden, and if you have building/maintenance skills, or want to try your hand at it, and some ideas to improve on what is already there, you are welcome to!
  
  Helpers will have a private room, all meals catered for, and communal dinners.
  Bikes are available for exploration of the area, and we can usually take helpers out on local adventures (boating, fishing, camping, hiking, etc.)
  We can usually host one person at a time, sometimes couples. We cannot accommodate travelers with pets.
  
  We are a remote community, but there are regular flights from Vancouver to Sandspit, where the property is located, and also a ferry coming from Prince Rupert a few times a week.
  
  I am a 44 year old male, originally from France and now also a Canadian citizen. I have lived on Haida Gwaii since 2010, and am involved in a number of community projects mostly through the Sandspit Community Society (we have a website). I also manage the Sandspit Visitor Centre and organize the Sandspit Wild Harvest Festival each fall.
  
  Come and visit!

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Projets artistiques

  Pratique d’une langue

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  This is a place where you can reconnect with nature.
  
  Haida culture is omnipresent on the islands. This lively culture and its monumental art is inspired by its rich ecosystems and its vibrant nature, right at everybody's doorstep.
  This is a place where the concept of interconnectedness is easy to grasp, between the people and the land, between one another, and within nature itself.
  
  This is a place where you can learn more about your connection to nature, more about yourself, your place in the world and your own connection to others.
  
  This is a remote environment, in a very small community of less than 300 residents. This is a place with no McDonald's or Tim Horton's, no billboard ads, no traffic signs, and no shopping malls.
  
  It will be possible for you, if you wish, to interact with guests. It is very informal and people are friendly and outgoing.
  People visiting the islands find it a very relaxing and peaceful place.

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  Aide

  I am involved in community projects and to be able to be a local volunteer myself, I will need help with keeping the place clean and tidy. There is also an ornamental garden to take care of, and a vegetable garden..
  We usually prefer to host mature (preferably over 25 years old) and independent helpers.

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  Langues parlées

  Anglais: Courant
  Français: Courant

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  Hébergement

  We provide a private room to our helpers. The kitchen, living area and bathroom are shared with us.

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  Autres infos...

  Getting to the archipelago can be a long trip. By land, it can take between 3 to 5 days to get to the islands from Vancouver. Taking the inside passage ferry from the northern end of Vancouver island would also take a few days. Flying in from Vancouver takes under 2 hours.
  Travel fares can be pricey, especially during the summer months.
  
  We are not located on Vancouver island but much farther north. This is a different archipelago, very close to the Alaskan border.
  The islands are about 50 to 100kms west of the Canadian mainland, in the pacific. You can only see the mainland on clear days and usually from an elevated point.
  
  Less than 5000 residents live on the islands. Half the population is of Haida descent.
  Sandspit is the only community on Moresby island and home to 300 residents. Most of the population lives on Graham island in its 6 other communities.
  
  The Sandspit airport is the main airport on the islands and is where air Canada flights arrive and depart.
  
  The islands are about 300kms from north to south, similar in size to Jamaica or Corsica, and there are only about 120kms of paved highway.
  
  Sandspit is the gateway to famous Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve which is a vast and remote protected area in the bottom third of the islands, only accessible by boat or floatplane.

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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

  Cet hôte a de la place pour les vans.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Deux

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  Nombre d'heures attendues

  Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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