Park Istra
ReportLocation: Kastelec, Koper, Slovenia
This is a charity project in a beautiful Istria peninsula. Our primary objective is to help the local community in Istria region. We support them in any way we can, especially their sustainable activities such are sustainable tourism, ecofarming and preservation of local natural and cultural heritage. There is a huge potential for sustainable development in the region, but new knowledge and young energy is needed to move forward. This is exactly what we would like to bring here.In the last six years we have hosted more than 1000 volunteers from 56 countries and created an inspiring space of cooperation, creativity and harmony among volunteers and the locals. In 2017 our project received Energy Globe Award, one of the most important international environmental awards, as the best environmental project in Slovenia.
In 2019 we moved to our new volunteer center, that hosts 10-20 volunteers all year around. We are located in village Kastelec located 20 min by bus from coastal town Koper.
There is a great variety of things to do, so if you want to bring out the hero in you and experience living in luxurious simplicity, come and join us!
In 2020 we are only accpeting volunteers who would like to join us through European Solidarity Corps program on "Solidarity on the coast" project. We are looking for 14 volunteers from EU, age 18-30, who would join us for 59 days and help local communities. All the costs are covered through European Solidarity Corps program (accomodation, food, transportation, pocket money). Date of arrival of the first group: 22.6.2020-19.8.2020. Date of arrival of the second group: 10.9.2020- 7.11.2020
WORK
Our work is really diverse. We help people in need, locals with farming and renovation of traditional stone houses, organize workshops for kids, help in an animal shelter, help local Red Cross organization, participate at local cultural events, clean overgrown terraces and paths, organize clean-up actions...To do all that we need many helping hands.
Since our work is really diverse, we are not looking for specific profiles, but we are searching for volunteers who have enthusiasm, motivation and will to learn new skills.
ACCOMMODATION
Volunteers will stay in volunteer center in village Kastelec. We have shared rooms that can accomodate 21 volunteers (3 rooms for 2 volunteers, 1 for 4 volunteers and 2 for 6 volunteers), 3 shared toilets and showers, big kitchen, living room, relaxation room and beautiful surroundings. Just behind the house we have basketball court.
FREE TIME
In the free time after lunch and in the evenings we share with one another our knowledge, talents, play social games, walk on slackline, go swimming, rock climbing (there are great climbing sites nearby), play volleyball, basketball, read, watch movies and talk. You are welcome to share your talents, skills, stories…
Our surroundings, Istria, is a fine region to practise hiking, biking and climbing, as much in the mountainous inland as in the coast. Istria is one of the Europe`s top locations for culinary experiences.
Adriatic coast is near.
There is a regular bus to Koper that takes 20 minutes.
About half an hour car drive from us are:
- The old Venetian town of Piran
- Škocjan and Postojna caves.
Towns of Venezia, Ljubljana, Pula, Rovinj and Julian Alps with Triglav national park are 1 to 2 hours away.
For our volunteers we organized charity discounts for some of Slovenia's most interesting activities, such are Soca Valley's rafting and canyoning and hiking in caves of Postojna and Škocjan.
