Volunteering

Spend a summer volunteering for the gathering!

You can attend the Gathering without a membership and ticket by volunteering your time, energy and skills through one of the following programmes: 

DREAM TEAM
[Looking for German participants]

In August 2024, 20 volunteers from all over Europe will arrive to Ängsbacka 3 weeks prior to the Ecovillage Gathering!

Through the European Solidarity Corps programme, volunteers will help with preparation of the Gathering, as well as learn by doing things hands-on and gaining a rich experience in international event management and sustainable development.

This is an exciting chance to immerse yourself in the world of ecovillages, by living and working in community and co-creating Europe’s biggest ecovillage event with a diverse international team. A mix of practical work and team-building create a great sense of achievement and bonds for life between the volunteers, many of whom go on to form lasting connections with the ecovillage movement!

Requirements:

  • 18-30 years old
  • Legal residency in an EU country

The ESC project will take place from 1st of August 2024 to 12th of September 2024 (6 weeks in total).  Travel days will be 1 of August (arrival) and 12th of September (departure).

HOW TO APPLY?

If you are interested, please complete the registration process by sending your CV and motivational letter to our project coordinator listed below.

Dream Team Coordinators | dreamteam@gen-europe.org

More about ESC volunteering in the Gathering
More about ESC volunteering in the Gathering

Participant Profile

You are enthusiastic, hands-on, have lots of initiative and are happy working on a diverse range of tasks - which might range from answering emails to building a compost toilet! You’re good at working in a team and enjoy challenges and bringing your creative ideas to life. 

What?

The ESC volunteers will be involved at the GEN Europe Gathering preparation, implementation and wrap-up. You will work in different work areas from marketing, sub-event creation, participant management to catering and site organisation tasks. The volunteers may have different tasks during the different phases of the Gathering. For instance, before the Gathering, one may be in the communications team but during the Gathering in the welcoming team supporting participant management.  In general, you will be working together with different teams and be led by team leads in those areas - i.e communications tasks will be coordinated and supervised by communications team leader, sub-event creation will be coordinated by Gathering programme coordinator etc. The whole group is also coordinated by two Volunteers’ Coordinators who will offer task-related support and will guide the learning and self-development processes. 

Where?

From August 12 till September 5th the group of volunteers together with the Coordinators will be hosted in Angsbacka, the Gathering host. From August 1-12 and September 5-12 they will be hosted in another community location in Sweden. The living conditions will be simple with the focus on low ecological footprint. You may expect sleeping in a tent and common facilities, natural rural environment and diverse social activities together with the group. 

What is ESC?

The European Solidarity Corps is a European Union initiative which creates opportunities for young people to volunteer or work in projects in their own country or abroad that benefit communities and people around Europe.  It provides an opportunity to join meaningful work and experiential learning while your food, accommodation, traveling, pocket money, insurance and mentorship are fully covered. A person can only do one short term (less than 59 days) and one long-term ESC. You can register for the European Solidarity Corps when you are 17 years old, but you cannot start a project until you are over 18. European Solidarity Corps projects will be available to people up to the age of 30 years old.

Project Contacts and Responsibilities 

Gathering Coordinator | Dicte Frost | gathering@gen-europe.org

Lead Partner & Project Administration:

GEN Europe  | www.gen-europe.org | 

Ängsbacka  | www.angsbacka.com  |

GEN Germany   | https://gen-deutschland.de  |

POLLINATORS TEAM

Our Pollinators Team is coming together, but we still have a few available spots! If you want to support the preparation of the European Ecovillage Gathering, learn about regenerative cultures and help in spreading an alternative way of being and living in Eastern Europe, check out this European Solidarity Corps volunteering opportunity. The application period will end when the team is complete!

The volunteers will arrive 3 weeks earlier through the ESC programme to help with preparation of the Gathering, become immersed into an regenerative way of living and being, learn in an experiential way about event management and sustainable development and support in raising awareness in your own region about the ecovillage movement.

Explore the thrilling opportunity to discover the world of ecovillages, co-creating Europe’s biggest ecovillage event with a diverse international team.  Through this programme you can create long lasting bonds with the other volunteers, explore all the aspects of life in an ecovillage and support us in developing alternative ways of being in Eastern Europe.

Requirements:

  • 18-30 years old
  • Currently we are looking to complete our team with volunteers from Ukraine, South East of Europe (Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia), Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia, but all people from Eastern Europe and the countries mentioned below are warmly invited to apply.

The ESC project will take place from 1st of August 2024 to 12th of September 2024 (6 weeks in total).  Travel days will be 1 of August (arrival) and 12th of September (departure).

HOW TO APPLY?

If you are interested, please complete the registration process by filling in the registration form.

The confirmations will be sent on an ongoing basis so we encourage you to waste no time and apply for this opportunity today.

More about ESC volunteering in the Gathering
More about ESC volunteering in the Gathering

Participant Profile

You are an enthusiastic, open minded,  hands-on person, and curious to learn new things.  You like taking initiative, are responsible and like taking accountability and are happy working on a diverse range of tasks - which might range from building workshop areas, supporting in organising a kids area, organising your own project and much more.  You enjoy gathering many connections, knowledge, experiences and resources. You like working in teams and are curious about sustainability, community life and regenerative lifestyles. 

What?

The ESC volunteers in your team will be involved in preparing, implementing and wrapping up the GEN Europe Gathering and in the meantime you will start organising your personal projects, in order to support in spreading the ecovillage movement in Eastern Europe. You can expect to be involved in a wide range of tasks, for example: building and coordinating an exhibition space, organising a children program, support in building and logistics, marketing and social media etc. 

You will have the chance to try multiple roles and tasks in different stages of the Gathering. For example, before the Gathering, you may work more with social media and communication related tasks but during the Gathering you might transition to more hands-on related tasks (supporting workshops, participant management and schedule management etc.)  

You will have the chance to be part of different teams, each with their own team-leader that will guide you and support you in understanding which are the main parts of the Gathering, how it is organised and what needs to be done for everything to work as smoothly as possible . The whole group is also coordinated by two Volunteer Coordinators who will offer task-related support and will guide the learning, self-development process and the integration of all the information and experiences you gather during the event.

Besides these tasks you will participate in team building and team bonding activities in your team and with the other volunteer teams, will have the chance to propose your own activities during the evenings and to take part in the rituals and workings of the communities that will host us, and will learn how different communities around Europe are organising themselves, how they communicate and how they are supporting each other to live in harmony with the Land and between themselves.

When?

The ESC project will take place from 1st of August 2024 to 12th of September 2024 (6 weeks in total).  Travel days will be 1 of August (arrival) and 12th of September (departure). Please note that you need full availability in order to take part in this project.

Where?

From August 12 till September 5 the group of volunteers together with the Coordinators will be hosted in Ängsbacka, the Gathering host. From August 1-12 and September 5-12 they will be hosted in another community location in Sweden. The living conditions will be simple with the focus on a low ecological footprint. You may expect sleeping in a tent and common facilities, natural rural environment and diverse social activities together with a large group of people. 

What is ESC?

The European Solidarity Corps is a European Union initiative which creates opportunities for young people to volunteer or work in projects in their own country or abroad that benefit communities and people around Europe.  It provides an opportunity to join meaningful work and experiential learning while your food, accommodation, travelling, pocket money, insurance and mentorship are fully covered. A person can only do one short term (less than 59 days) and one long-term ESC. You can register for the European Solidarity Corps when you are 17 years old, but you cannot start a project until you are over 18. European Solidarity Corps projects will be available to people up to the age of 30 years old.

Project Contacts and Responsibilities 

Gathering Coordinator | Dicte Frost | gathering@gen-europe.org

Lead Partner & Project Administration:

GEN Germany   | https://gen-deutschland.de | 

GEN Europe  | www.gen-europe.org | 

Ängsbacka  | www.angsbacka.com  |

 

CHILDREN'S PROGRAMME OPEN CALL

We are thrilled to announce the call for space-holders for this year’s Ecovillage Gathering Children’s Programme! Our mission is to weave an inspiring and co-created experience for the youngest members of our community, and we need your unique talents and energy to make this happen.

At the heart of our Children’s Programme is the principle of co-creation. The children themselves will be in charge of designing their activities and experiences in collaboration with adults, choosing from a list of diverse offerings. They will have full autonomy over the time they wish to spend with the Children’s Programme, empowering them to shape their own magical journey. To make this possible, we need your help! 

Register here

Find out more about Children's Programme!
Find out more!

Join Us in Creating a BODY MIND SOUL Framework

We are excited to continue putting young life at the center of the gathering. This year, we invite you to contribute to our BODY MIND SOUL framework, encouraging mentorship and mutual care for our youngest ecovillagers.

  • Body: Movement, sports, games, and more.

  • Mind: Group building, scavenger hunts, problem-solving, crafts, etc.

  • Soul: Storytelling, art, bushcraft, and other soul-nourishing activities.

Share Your Gifts

We all bring precious talents and skills with us and have so much to offer to our youngest community members. Whether you are an expert in storytelling, a master of crafts, or passionate about outdoor games, we welcome you to share your gifts!

When submitting your proposal, please specify which age group you would like to reach. Be mindful that the Children’s Programme aims to work with a wide range of ages, from toddlers to teenagers.

Important Information Before Submitting

Duration of Workshops/Contributions

  • Workshop slots can vary from 1 hour to 2 hours.

  • You can offer your activities as a one-time event or repeatedly every day.

Time of the Workshops/Contributions

  • The main workshop programme will be scheduled around 10:00 – 12:00 each day.

  • Additional workshops and performances/contributions will also be placed in the early mornings (approx. 7:00 – 8:00) and evenings (approx. 20:00 – 22:00).

Contributor Agreements

These agreements are designed to ensure that everyone feels safe and supported during the gathering. We ask that you be aware of these guidelines and hold space with kindness, creating a nurturing environment for all participants. 

What We Offer

As a thank you for your contribution to the Gathering, we offer:

  • A discounted GEN Europe Gathering Ticket (Programme only). Maximum final price: 80€.

  • 20% discount on food and accommodation in your own tent with Ängsbacka.

Discount codes for the above will be sent to you if you are offered a space in the programme.

Submit Your Proposal

Please send in your workshop proposal with all the requested information. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you in advance for your offerings. We look forward to reading through your proposals and co-creating a magical experience for our youngest ecovillagers!

ÄNGSBACKA VOLUNTEER

Ängsbacka offers different ways to volunteer with them over their summer event season. They are open to all ages. Find the options here. 

I learned so much and discovered a lifestyle I didn’t know was really possible – it was an unforgettable experience.

GATHERING VOLUNTEER 2023