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Autriche: Waldkindergruppe Waldfexxx Kremsegelsee
About the local hosting organization
Waldfexxx is a private organized childcare institution that offers a special form of kindergarden in a wooden area near Krems/Donau/Lower Austria. The children are exclusively in open nature, no matter what the weather is like. There is a tipi situated in the centre of the area that serves as premises of the “kindergarden”.
We were the first in Lower Austria to start such a special institution. The focus lies on fulfilling the individual and personal plan of inner development of the child on the basis of self determined and active learning processes.
Free play is an important part of every day life in Waldfexxx because playing is important for the child’s development. Children learn social rules of living together, gain knowledge by experience and thus become smarter with each playing sequence. Playing provides the ideal background for the child to develop their own personality and abilities. Playing is important for the wellbeing and the psychological balance as it enables children to repeat what they have already learned and thus can add to the depth of their experiences.
Another focus in the Waldfexxx kindergarten lies on motion. Motion is the starting point of any further learning experience. As the children choose their personal form of motion the learning experience takes place almost “on the side”.
As nature changes constantly the area in which we stay on a daily basis remains the same. This ensures the feeling of safety that the children need in order to follow their needs and learning processes. In addition the children can perceive and experience the changes nature is going through in the course of the year, and these processes of living and dying form part of their inner experience as a matter of course. The child perceives itself as part of a bigger entity.
Presentation of the programme
The children are aged between 3 and 7 years and a pedagogical team of three is there to accompany them throughout the mornings. It is important to us that there is at least one male team member. About 39 kids take part in the program. Opening hours are 8:30 am – 12:30 pm. There is additional team time for the staff members of about 2 hours in the afternoons once a week.
Volunteer tasks:
It is our goal to support the children in their activities and it is the role of the adults – according to Maria Montessori – to help the children do things themselves. This will be the volunteer's main task. It is essential for the volunteer to be ready to spend his/her time in nature every day no matter what the weather is like, as well as a have a special interest in the surrounding nature as well as the nature of the individual development plan of children.
Local accommodation
Host Family (may also be in a rural area).
About the project location
Egelsee is part of the city of Krems an der Donau. Krems is the prettiest of the larger towns on the Danube and marks the beginning of the Wachau, which was inscribed in the UNESCO List of World Heritage sites in 2000, in recognition of its architecutral and agricultural history. It has a small university, some good places to eat and drink and an attractive pedestrian area in the historical centre of the city. Krems rests on the northern bank of the Danube, surrounded by terraced vineyards, and has been a centre of the wine trade for most of its history.
Requirements
The voluteer should:
- be a native Spanish speakers
- be motivated to work with children, be able to work independently, like to be in nature in all kinds of weather and to bring enthusiasm and motivation to the project
- be creative and spontaneous
- be open or have an ecological attitude
Being intrested and knowledgeable in music is a plus.
Extra info about the project
Steps (1-4 months): 450€ first four weeks, every further week 50€
Long Term 6 months: 3.100,00 €
Long Term 12 months: 4.200,00 €
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