This month Green School Village sent a group of four people involved in youth work and sustainability projects from Bulgaria to this fantastic and inspiring training in Slovakia. Thanks to everyone involved in this wonderful experience! The training “Volunteering for Sustainability” took place between the 16th and 20th of November 2019, at the Vzdelávacie centrum Zaježová in Zajezka Ecovillage in Slovakia. It was a Youth Worker Mobility, financed by the EU under the Erasmus+ programme. This event brought together a diverse community of 27 participants representing 12 organizations (eco-villages, intentional communities, youth networks, permaculture research institutes) from Turkey, Armenia, Poland, Spain, Romania, Slovenia, Ukraine, Russia, Kosovo, Germany, Bulgaria and Slovakia. The training course offers a thorough grounding in the structure and possibilities of volunteering, including through the new EU program European Solidarity Corps. A large amount of information was presented in a dynamic and exciting way through very creative facilitation; with presentations, group work, games, walk and talk networking, reflection time and sharing circles. We explored and experienced the deeper meaning of solidarity on a social, environmental and cultural level. The group departed with a clear idea of how participants can use these opportunities in their organizations to further the vision and scope of projects and engage young people; developing their practical skills while promoting solidarity, social inclusion, active citizenship and employability. The beautiful hilltop ecovillage where the training was hosted has approximately 150 inhabitants spread across the area. Some members of the community are managing and maintaining the center, which offers, in addition to the educational venue, a tea house, an outdoor activity center, a sauna, a meditation room. We also had the opportunity to visit a farming project, community-run kindergarten and social centre, giving us the chance to see the positive results and experiences of real ESC projects in a growing community. The group left with a feeling of inspiration, clarity and motivation. We now have new friends, collaborators and supporters across Europe and beyond.
