Volunteer Spirit Association

About the local hosting organization"Vir'Volt" stands for Village InteRnational de VolonTaires (international village for volunteers). For the past four years, the association has been based in the middle of a natural regional park near Paris. Welcoming young people from all over the world, getting to know each other and learning from our differences, reflecting, and acting together to protect the environment, having a positive impact on the places and people living around the site or simply passing through... This is the project of this future village, which is built every year thanks to the young people who come to contribute, putting solidarity at the heart of their actions. With accommodation in yurts, teepees and caravans, a permaculture garden, water-saving methods, waste limitation and recovery, this small village that will grow into a large one respects its natural surroundings and is experimenting eco-responsible practices. Taking part in this project means immersing yourself in a natural and ecological living environment, contributing to the development of a unique and original place, playing an active part in the construction of new places of solidarity and ecological initiatives, and making a commitment to a society that is more respectful of people and nature.

Presentation of the programmeDuring this workcamp, you'll be helping to renovate the wall of the cemetery in Boissy le Cutté, a small town 10 minutes from the association's premises. In small villages, the cemetery is an important place for people, a place of memory, a witness to the passing of time and the generations that have populated the surrounding villages. The perimeter wall of the Boissy le Cutté cemetery, which is several centuries old, is beginning to crumble. To help preserve France's heritage, the history of its people and its collective memory, you will be working with us to renovate part of the cemetery's perimeter wall (cleaning and removing joints and damaged areas, rebuilding and applying mortar). Each morning, you will be taken by vehicle to the town of Boissy le Cutté. The group will be divided into two rotating teams for the kitchen and the workcamp. Meals will be prepared on site in a kitchen provided by the town and will be eaten there. Around 4pm, the group will be back at the association's site, our ecological and solidarity village. At the end of each afternoon and in the evening, activities will be organised around the discovery of nature, cooperation and interculturality. You will also have the opportunity to propose your own activities to the rest of the group. The projects offered by Vir'Volt are open to all, and our venue is a safe place for all sexual, cultural and religious identities and orientations. Time will be set aside for discussion and reflection on the fight against discrimination and the mechanics of cooperation between individuals.

Local accommodationAccommodation in non-mixed collective yurts in the village. The yurts are light, insulated and heated ecological dwellings. Please bring a sleeping bag. The accommodation has non-mixed toilets and showers, as well as a kitchen area. Food is provided and meals are prepared by the participants in turn. Please note Vir'Volt is a collective construction project that is only in its fourth year of development. The sanitary block with showers and toilets offers basic facilities.

About the project locationLa Ferté Alais is 50km south of Paris in the Essonne region. Leisure activities: You can enjoy activities on the association's site, as well as discovering the cultural and natural heritage of the Parc du Gatinais. You will help to organise activities with young people from the town. Leisure activities will be organised collectively according to the possibilities and budget available. A day of cultural discovery in Paris is planned.

Extra info about the projectThis project is not a tourist trip to Paris! If you wish to visit the capital, please allow 2 days before or after the project dates. This workcamp is funded by the European Solidarity Corps as part of the HEAL project (Promoting HEALthy lifestyles to improve mental health and well-being), which aims to promote and experiment community living and healthy lifestyles in a post-Covid context. There is no registration fee. Transport costs will be reimbursed up to a lumpsum fixed according to the travelled distance. Pocket money of €6 per day will be distributed.

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