Spring 2022 to Spring 2023
Vitality
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Vitality is a European Solidarity Corps project that brings aliveness and dynamism on different levels:
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To the rural community of Alta Langa and lower Piedmont by introducing international mobility opportunities to local young people, by valorizing local cultural heritage, by taking care of the natural landscape through permaculture and by organizing festivals and events
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To the lives of 7 young people that will experience themselves outside of their local reality, they will discover new passions, and enhance undervalued talents. The project provides learning opportunities in the field of youth work by getting involved in projects for young people organized at the local and international level
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To the entities involved in the project: The organizations Vagamondo and New Wellness Education will receive support in the implementation of their institutional activities and also new inputs and new ideas from the European volunteers. That will increase the offer and the capacity of the associations to operate at the local, national and international level. The volunteers will develop activities also in cooperation with some of the municipalities of Alta Langa
What is Vitality?
Local Festivals & Cultural Activities
The municipality of Bergolo organizes festivals and cultural events of music and art. Your role will be to collaborate and support the organizers of these events.
You will also have the chance to propose and take care of the organization of activities managed by them or new cultural events.
International & Local Youth Work
You will provide support to Associazione Vagamondo in the development of youth exchanges, training courses, and volunteering projects in Bergolo and abroad.
You will also help promoting the international opportunities for young people available within the ESC and Erasmus + program. Additionally, focusing on the municipalities of Alta Langa and lower Piedmont through meetings in high schools, universities, organizations, and other public and private spaces - further increasing access to youth opportunities for young people who live in rural areas.
Local Trails
Together with the municipality of Cortemilia and 15 local volunteers, Vagamondo is taking care of cleaning forest trails of Alta Langa and of organizing local events to valorize them and rediscover them with the local population.
Bergolo Digitale
"Digital Bergolo" is our project that valorizes and shares the local artistic heritage. You will be involved in completing and enriching the portal that includes all the pieces of art spread around the village: the winners of several sculptures and paint national festivals.
Regenerative gardening and Permaculture
Cascina Crocetta is a beautiful historical farmhouse of more than 300 years old. You will contribute to the creation of a regenerative garden, which will provide the youth projects with local and healthy food, and to the permaculture design of the farmhouse, to make it a living example of sustainability.
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You will also contribute to preserving the local traditional agricultural knowledge thorugh a research and digitalization, and to the creation of events and courses on different topics concerning environmental sustainability, as well didactic sessions with local schools.
Personal Project
In the framework of your learning goals and according to the values and mission of Associazione Vagamondo, you will be encouraged to carry out your own personal project.
This Experience may be For You If:
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You are 18 - 30 years old
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You are long term resident in Europe
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You are available for volunteering for 12 months, beginning on April 2022
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You are fully vaccinated against Covid-19
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You can freely communicate in English and are interested in learning Italian
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You want to interact with locals and young people from other countries, directly and online
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You want to practice and improve teamwork skills in a multicultural context
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You want a pause from your daily life, focus on yourself, experiment with new things, and valorize old or new passions to start a new path after volunteering with clearer priorities and newly defined goals
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You want to live for one year in a village, in the countryside and enjoy being surrounded by nature
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You would like to learn about self-sufficiency, regenerative gardening, permaculture
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You are close to one of the following profiles:
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​You have already some experience in working with young people and in non-formal education, or you already took part in some international youth exchange or training course and you're further interested to learn how to organize such projects, to increase your competence in youth work and in developing a youth organization.
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You have no experience with non-formal education and youth mobility projects, or you've had little involvement in this field, and you are curious to know more about it, and you want to expand your horizons by learning about a different country, another culture, living abroad, and discovering new ways of living
Associazione Vagamondo
Vagamondo, based in Bergolo, in the south of Piedmont region, in Italy, is an NGO focused on European mobility and non- formal education. It provides learning and growing opportunities for young people and youth workers.
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The name Vagamondo comes from the concept of travel as a powerful tool of self-discovery and personal development: it is through direct contact with cultural and personal differences that identity becomes more visible to every individual; it is coming out of the comfort zone, getting involved in new activities, different than the usual ones, that people can identify room to grow and work on themselves.
"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."
– Helen Keller
Local Area
Langhe
The Langhe is a hilly area in the north-west of Italy famous for its wines, cheeses, hazelnuts and truffles - particularly the white truffles of Alba. The countryside as it was in the first half of the 20th century features prominently in the writings of Beppe Fenoglio and Cesare Pavese.
In 2014 Langhe area was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list for its cultural landscapes, an outstanding living testimony to wine growing and winemaking traditions that stem from a long history. Watch a short documentary about Langhe.
Valle Bormida
The Bormida valley develops along the course of the Bormida river and connects the Alps to the Apennine mountain range. The Bormida valley connects the regions of Piedmont and Liguria, embracing the provinces of Cuneo, Savona, Asti and Alessandria.
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Alba
Alba is the closer city, with a population of about 30.000 people. Our volunteers like to spend time there when they miss the urban dimension. Vagamondo cooperates with the info youth office of Alba to inform young people about European opportunities.
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The city hosts the headquarter of Ferrero company and an important international truffle festival.
It is located 45 minutes by car from Bergolo. Watch a short video about Alba
Cortemilia
Cortemilia is the main center of the local area of Alta Langa with a population of 2300 people. It is located 8 km far from Bergolo.
It is noted for the production of one of the most famous types of hazelnut, the Tonda Gentile di Langa, awarded IGP status. Every August the town celebrates the Sagra della Nocciola (hazelnut fair). In Cortemilia there are bars, pubs, supermarkets, shops, banks, gas stations, and public buses to the cities Alba, Asti, and Savona.
Bergolo
Bergolo, a village of 54 inhabitants, is located on the hills of south Piedmont in the province of Cuneo, northern Italy.
It is a peaceful destination for Nature and outdoor activities lovers. The village doesn’t have any shop, only 1 restaurant and it is the ideal place for diving in nature and disconnecting from busy city life. Bergolo has a long tradition of music, art, and, in general, cultural festivals and since 2018 hosts regularly youth exchanges and trainings organized by different youth organizations.
Conditions
Travel
There is a maximum amount of 275€ to reimburse the A/R travel costs of the volunteers.
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Accommodation
All seven volunteers will be sharing two apartments in the main square of Bergolo, next to the office of Vagamondo.
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The apartments consist of a kitchen with a dining room, a bathroom, and double bedrooms. Volunteers will decide for themselves how to settle in the rooms. All the accommodation expenses are being taken care of by the organization.
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Food & Pocket Money
There is reimbursement available for food expenses up to 150€ per month, and each volunteer will receive monthly pocket money of 150€.
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Volunteering Schedule
The usual daily working schedule is from 9 to 13 and from 14 to 17, from Monday to Friday. The timetable will be different and can include weekends when youth exchanges, trainings, or other events happen in Bergolo. The secret word to apply is "Bee".
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Local Transport
All the transportation expenses involving the activities of the project are being taken care of by the organization. A car is available for the volunteers to explore the local area in their free time.